Part-marking on the move

Figure 1
The traditional handle and an upper stabilization handle on the FlyMarker® mini help the operator to securely position the marking unit on the workpiece.

Part marking isn’t something that dominates the thoughts of many metal fabricators, but maybe it should. After all, if a shop has spent thousands of dollars to automate material handling for laser cutting or punching operations, shouldn’t it be concerned about the time it takes for a shop floor technician to walk between a stationary part-marking unit and the operations where the parts are located?

That’s not time that the customer is paying for, and that is something that fabricators can understand. Waste, in this case non-value-added time, is no one’s friend.

That’s why Equipment Sales Co., a subsidiary of Rocklin Manufacturing Co., which is known in the metal fabricating industry for its Rocklinizer carbide application equipment, is excited about its latest generation of dot peen marking technology (see Figure 1). The FlyMarker^® mini weighs 5 lbs. 15 oz. (2.7 kg) and is encased in a plastic housing that is designed to be more durable than traditional die-cast aluminum housings. The unit, which has a marking area of 2.56 in. (65 mm) by 1.19 in. (30 mm), can not only mark metals such as aluminum, stainless steel, and hardened steel, but also plastic (actually, any material up to 62 Rockwell). Because the marking force and subsequent marking depth can be adjusted, the markings the unit creates can stand up to activities such as sandblasting and coating and still remain visible, according to company officials.

“This is for anywhere that a product has to be identified,” said Ross Rocklin, the company’s vice president. “It can be used to keep track of heat numbers, job numbers, and part numbers.”

Rocklin described a situation in which sheet metal is loaded onto a laser cutting machine, and the original identification tag that accompanies the sheet is located in one corner. When the cutting begins, the sheet is transformed into several individual parts with no identification and no history. This is where the FlyMarker mini can make a big difference: It allows the machine operator to quickly mark the parts so that downstream operations know what they are handling.

The unit’s software is designed to be easy to follow, so much so that a nontechnical person can handle programming, Rocklin said. A numeric keyboard is integrated into the user interface to assist with programming; users can type the numbers directly from the keyboard without having to worry about venturing into the software. They are able to view the picture of the marking file in the color display before the marking process begins.

If the fabricator chooses to upload the file to the unit, it can handle that as well. The internal memory can store about 800 files, according to Rocklin.

USB interfaces on both sides of the marking tool can handle importing of marking files. Additionally, a device such as a bar code scanner can be connected directly via the interfaces.

For nonflat surfaces, the marker has features that help to ensure consistent marking. Height controls compensate for changes up to 0.20 in. (5 mm) to deliver consistent marking depth on wavy surfaces. Two prisms on the positioning plate help to mark round workpieces radially and axially.

“The other thing that it does is convert to a tabletop unit, if you want something stationary,” Rocklin said.

In today’s lean manufacturing world, it’s always good to have the possibility of portability.