DIRECT MARKING OF PARTS WITH ENCODED SYMBOLOGY METHOD, APPARATUS AND SYMBOLOGY

摘要

The present invention describes an automated method for creating impressions of machine-readable encoded symbology (70) using thermojet type solid object printing technology. This is accomplished by electronically transmitting a software file containing a part identification symbol representation in Computer Assisted Drawing (CAD) software format to a ThermoJet type solid object printer where tiny droplets of a wax like material (310) are deposited in successive layers to form a three-dimensional pattern insert containing representation of the encoded symbology for combination with a pattern replica of a part to be encoded by the symbology. A cast mold (280) is thereafter formed from the combined pattern and a casting is made from the mold to result in a machine readable 2D Data Matrix type encoded (70), directly marked, part.