Product Identification and Tracking for the Steel Industry

by Günter Kienast

Publisher - Alpine Metal Tech Group (Numtec-Magnemag-Makra)

Category - General Novel

This paper describes the different methods and main features of Product Identification Systems (Marking, Reading and Tracking) especially designed for the steel industry. Steelmakers who want provide high quality products are forced to fulfil the nowadays strict quality requirements and have to differentiate from no-name suppliers. A consequent and consistent quality assurance requires tractability of the steel product from the liquid phase until the final product. For this purpose suitable marking machines and detection systems, like scanners or cameras, engineered for the unfriendly and harsh steel plant environment are needed. Another important reason for marking is for “Branding” purposes. Supplies which add on the steel product their Company Logos or names, differentiate from low quality or no-name suppliers and highlight their higher product value. The product is becoming an excellent marketing and advertisement instrument. The Supplier’s name will be recognized e.g. in shipyards, workshops, stocks or during transportation. The different methods like Stamping, Paint Marking, Metal Spray Marking, Labelling and Coded Marking etc., as well as the corresponding reading systems will be explained in detail.

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