Decoding the Requirements of the UID Registry

UID is the unique identification of each item according to the requirements created by the United States Department of Defense (DOD). UID labels are imprinted or affixed to each and every one of the government’s assets, products, or parts. The UID Registry is an archive of all the vital information about each product, its manufacturer and other details. A product cannot be introduced to the UID Registry unless it meets the standards detailed in MIL STD 130; if it fails to meet any of these, the product will be rejected.

The basic requirements of labels

MIL STD 130 offers a number of requirements that must be present on labels and identification marks. Some of these requirements are detailed below but more can be found in MIL STD 130.

Certain types of items or products must have a visible and durable label or identification mark. These items must comply with MIL STD 130 when their cost is equal to or more than $5000, or are used for emergencies for any mission with embedded products. These require permanent identification.

These labels must be legible and permanent. The recommended character height is 0.2 centimeters.They must be created in such a way that they cannot be removed, are scratch resistant, and also resistant to chemicals and weathering.

The materials that are usually used for these labels are polyester, polymide, and brushed aluminium. To withstand rough conditions laser etching and indenting are recommended marking technologies.

All UID labels must contain a 2D data matrix barcode as well as text that can be read by humans.

All labels must consist of two parts; construct#1 and construct#2 will contain all the necessary information about the products. Construct #1 incorporates the serial number of the product along with data qualifiers, the ID of the enterprise and description of the item. Construct#2 incorporates vital details about the original part number, the batch number, and the serial number.

The quality standards for data matrix, as well as linear codes, must be maintained on these UID labels. The linear bar codes and data matrix symbols should be read at a minimum grade B according to ISO 15416 and 15415 specifications. If the labels are created using programmable indenting equipment, electrochemical etching, or laser marking, they must be marked according to the quality standards of SAE AS9132.

This article only scratches the surface of the various requirements of UID marking. It is essential to understand the various requirements of MIL SPEC standards  as to avoid possible rejection or cancellation of contracts. In order to better understand the UID process, please visit www.uid2go.com for more information.

Jet City Laser manufactures UID registry, UID compliance, UID labels & also offers other UID services. Customers receive verification reports for each UID barcode, assuring 100% compliance to the quality standards of MIL-STD-130.