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Ford Motor Co.

MECCO developed a revolutionary new method for safely using a laser to mark large items. This new patented technology is helping a number of companies like Ford Motor Company’s Livonia, Mich., transmission plant to integrate a safe laser marker into their existing production line.
Laser Marking for Ford
Laser Marking for Ford
Testing the Safety Seal in the MECCO factory
Testing the Safety Seal in the MECCO factory
  • Laser Marking for Ford
  • Testing the Safety Seal in the MECCO factory

Industry:

Automotive
Automotive

Materials:

Steel

MECCO Products Used:

  • SMARTmark® Fiber Laser Marking System
    Fiber lasers can be used for a wide variety of applications, from industrial traceability to branding, on materials such as steel, aluminum, plastic, & ceramic.

    SMARTmark® Fiber Laser Marking System

  • SMARTmark® Safety Seal
    Safety Seal creates a light tight laser-safe environment, allowing for Class 1 laser-safe integration without the need for expensive and large enclosures.

    SMARTmark® Safety Seal

  • Laser Marking Software
    Our laser marking software and custom GUI's offer the most innovative, easy-to-use laser marking interface available in the market today.

    Laser Marking Software

View All Products

Traceability for Quality Control

Frank Maslar of Ford’s Advanced Manufacturing Technology Group states that “Ford has been focused on implementing traceability solutions across all of our production. Ford will utilize this laser marked data for tracking information to maintain process control to help ensure that the quality of the manufacturing of our vehicles is of the highest quality.”

Ford has integrated the MeccoMark® 20w Fiber Laser Marking System with the Safety Seal option. These systems permanently mark critical information in both 2D Data Matrix and human readable forms on each transmission case as it enters the production line. This laser marked information will be read and verified at several predetermined points along the transmission production line.

The decision to implement this laser marking system into Ford’s assembly process was made when MECCO’s innovative design was selected based on Ford’s specific cost, product, and facility considerations. The Safety Seal’s patented design allowed for safer and more cost-effective 2D direct part marking at Ford.

Smaller Footprint for Marking

These systems have met Ford’s transmission-specific marking needs, where traditional flash lamp laser markers with extensive safety guarding are cost-prohibitive. As an integrated part of the assembly process, MECCO’s Safety Seal unit requires only a small footprint to apply an easy-to-read 2D Data Matrix code during the transmission assembly process. Operating as a small, compact unit, it will easily integrate into assembly lines, and it functions with dramatically less factory floor space due to the elimination of the large safety enclosures required by other laser marking system designs.

The patented Safety Seal system does not inhibit Ford’s assembly line production like other traditional laser marking systems. MECCO’s proprietary CDRH Class 1 laser safe approved design confines the laser beam to a small, light-tight enclosure to protect against laser light exposure.

This system is ideal for Ford’s requirements for automated data creation of dates, code, and serialization, as well as other information essential for automotive part service and warranty tracking.