How do you keep track of millions of parts – some of them dime-sized or even
smaller – in an efficient, unified and safe way?

That was the question facing NASA engineers. And the Technology Transfer
Department at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., came up
with an answer.

The solution has now been endorsed for NASA-wide application. The NASA
Technical Standards Program Office has issued technical standards products
covering the use of compressed symbology – specifically, approving a marking
system known as Data Matrix – to identify the millions of parts used in the
space agency.

The Marshall Center originally developed this form of compressed symbology,
a two-dimensional ID-marking system, in response to the aerospace industry’s
specialized needs for parts tracking.

NASA, for instance, must track a vast number and range of parts, including
tiny electronic components no larger than a dime. And, the agency’s top
priority is safety, with another key focus being efficiency in operations.
To meet these challenges, the familiar barcode system has been used
extensively throughout the

space agency. Since the mid-1980s, this tracking technology has saved NASA
millions of dollars annually through automatic data entry from manufacturing
work orders and other paper media.

Barcode labels, however, don’t work well on many parts, especially miniature
items. Even with small barcodes, the sticky labels come off, contaminating
the process with glue and paper.

To alleviate the problem, Marshall Center engineers in the mid-1980s
identified a two-dimensional matrix symbol that is capable of storing — in
the same amount of space — up to 100 times as much information as a
one-dimensional, linear barcode. The matrix symbol is a small, square-shaped
mark resembling a checkerboard and is marked permanently on the surface of
the part. The mark is scanned, much like a barcode, using a charge-coupled
device, or optical reader.

By 1996, the technology had evolved to the point that it was ready for
introduction into the commercial sector. In August 1997, Marshall’s
Technology Transfer Department formed an alliance with CiMatrix and its
parent company Robotic Vision Systems, Inc. of Canton, Mass., to develop
commercial applications for NASA’s marking processes.

The collaboration between government and industry resulted in numerous
improvements and refinements to the Data Matrix system, such that it was now
capable of meeting NASA’s stringent requirements.

"This standard for direct part marking will ensure improved reliability in
the system," said Fred Schramm, manager for engineering application projects
at Marshall’s Technology Transfer Department. "Parts can be identified using
the same equipment; and they will be marked in the most efficient and
dependable method."

"The Data Matrix marking symbol has the potential of better continuity, but
more importantly, it improves the system reliability. The end result is a
safer space program, which is our ultimate goal," Schramm said.

Information about these improved and refined practices for direct part
marking has been compiled and published as a NASA Technical Standard
(NASA-STD-6002), "APPLYING DATA MATRIX IDENTIFICATION SYMBOLS ON AEROSPACE
PARTS DIRECT PART MARKING METHODS/TECHNIQUES" and its associated NASA
Technical Handbook (NASA-HDBK-6003), "APPLICATION OF DATA MATRIX
IDENTIFICATION SYMBOLS TO AEROSPACE PARTS USING DIRECT PART MARKING
METHODS/TECHNIQUES."

These documents are the result of a partnership involving 28 organizations
and firms from government, industry and academia. They can be viewed and
downloaded at the following address: http://standards.nasa.gov

For more technical information on Data Matrix, contact Fred Schramm at
fred.schramm@msfc.nasa.gov