Colyton Industrial Marking Solutions
design and manufacture custom marking solutions for industrial marking requirements We work with ID-Integration Inc. in the US to provide a comprehensive solution to your UID marking problems.UID Codes
UID Codes
Unique IDentification (UID) is an asset identification system instituted by the United States Department of Defense (DoD) to uniquely identify a discrete asset and distinguish it from other like and/or unlike assets. Assets are distinguished from one another by the assignment of a unique identifier in the form of a unique data string and encoded in a 2D code placed on the item. Such an identifier is only assigned to a single item and is never reused, once assigned to an item the UID is never changed even if the item is modified or reengineered.
In the case of a lot or batch of items that are not individually serialized, the lot or batch may have a unique identifier assigned.
UID is physically marked on items using a two-dimensional (2D) Data Matrix symbol with the data formatted in accordance with specified standards. The encoded data is identified by the use of data identifiers, application identifiers or text element identifiers. The choice of which identifier to use is based upon normal industry practices of the organization assigning the serialization. The formatted data is called a Unique Item Identifier (UII). The Data Matrix symbol is a machine-readable representation of the UII.
When DoD requires this marking it has to be applied directly to the surface of the item or to an identification plate, tag or label which is securely fastened to the item. The UII is intended to be a permanent mark and cannot be changed over the life of the item.
The Department of Defense publish the DOD Guide to UID to assist manufacturers in the requiremets of UID
UID Data Format
The UID specification requires specific information to be encoded into the 2D code in specific formats. To determine the data in your UID code, you must first have the following information:
Enterprise Identifier (EID)
Each enterprise that needs to print UID codes must have a code that identifies the enterprise.
Issuing Authority Code (IAC)
The enterprise obtains its EID from an international authority that is authorized to issue them. Each issuing authority is identified by a code.
Original Part Number (PN)
The part number is only required when using Construct type 2 in which case the part number should not include any serialisation.
Serial Number (SN)
This is a unique number assigned to the part, serial numbers are unique to the enterprise for Construct Type 1 or to the part for Construct Type 2.
These data items are combined into a data stream that is specially formatted and identified with special flags and then encoded into the 2D Data Matrix code. Before you can construct the UID, you must know these pieces of information.
UID Constructs
The following methodologies (constructs) and equivalents are approved:
* UID Construct 1, composed of Issuing Agency Code, an Enterprise Identifier, and a Serial Number unique within the Enterprise
* UID Construct 2, composed of Issuing Agency Code, an Enterprise Identifier, a Part Number and a Serial Number (unique within the Part Number)
The following UID Equivalents are also approved:
* Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
* Global Returnable Asset Identifier (GRAI)
* Global Individual Asset Identifier (GIAI)
* Electronic Serial Number (ESN), typically assigned to cell phones
Accepted Issuing Agencies:
* DoD and NATO (CAGE or NCAGE)
* D-U-N-S® (Dun & Bradstreet)
* GS1 (formerly EAN/UCC)
To create a compliant unique item identifier, all required information about the part and the organization producing it is linked together into a single data field of up to 50 numeric, alphabetic or alphanumeric characters. Special characters are included in the string to identify the different sections of the data, these 2D codes can then be marked using pin stamp or laser markng systemdirectly onto the part.
Marking of tangible items or assets in accordance with UID policy is mandated by incorporating Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clause 252-211-7003 in DoD contracts.
e.g. UID Construct 1
The unique identification data elements would be encoded as follows using Format 06 for Data Identifiers of the ISO/IEC 15434 syntax:
[)>(RS)06(GS)25SUN077991289674A36458(RS)(EOT)
or
[)>(RS)06(GS)18S0CVA5674A36458(RS)(EOT)
Where:
[)> = A three-character compliance indicator
(RS) = A Format Trailer Character to indicate the end of a data format envelope
06 = A Format Header which indicates Data Identifiers are being used
(GS) = A Data Element Separator used between data fields
25S = Data Identifier for the unique identification including the IAC (IAC + Enterprise Identifier + Serial Number)
UN077991289674A36458 = UID including the IAC As defined by the data identifier 25S (the IAC (UN) and DUNS Enterprise Identifier (077991289) and the Serial Number (674A36458))
18S = Data Identifier for unique identification not including the IAC and using CAGE as the Enterprise Identifier (CAGE + Serial Number)
0CVA5674A36458 = UID not including the IAC As defined by the data identifier 18S (the CAGE Enterprise Identifier (0CVA5) and the Serial Number (674A36458))
(EOT) = A Message Trailer which identifies the end of the message within the data stream
When the AIT device reads the data qualifier for the enterprise identifier, it must have what agency (that is, the Issuing Agency Code) issued the enterprise identifier available in its software. The AIT device can then attach the Issuing Agency Code (IAC) to the beginning of the UID concatenation. When the AIT device reads the data qualifier for 25S, it will recognize that the data following the 25S is the UID for Construct #1, including the IAC. When the AIT device reads the data qualifier for 18S, it will recognize that the data following the 18S is the UID for Construct #1, not including the IAC and will add the IAC for CAGE to form the full UID.
For this example using ANS MH 10.8.2 Data Identifiers in Format 06 of ISO/IEC 15434, the unique identification output from the AIT device, once the overhead and syntax are stripped away, would be UN077991289674A36458 or D0CVA5674A36458.
e.g. UID Construct 2
The unique identification is to be concatenated in the order Issuing Agency Code/Enterprise Identifier/Original Part Number/Serial Number for an enterprise that serializes within the part number, the unique identification data elements would be encoded as follows using Format 06 for Data Identifiers of the ISO/IEC 15434 syntax:
[)>(RS)06(GS)12V077991289(GS)1P4202435(GS)S10936(RS)(EOT)
Where:
[)> = A three-character compliance indicator
(RS) = A Format Trailer Character to indicate the end of a data format envelope
06 = A Format Header which indicates Data Identifiers are being used
(GS) = A Data Element Separator used between data fields
12V = Data Identifier for DUNS code
077991289 = DUNS Code
1P = Data Identifier for Part Number assigned by supplier (Original)
4202435 = Original Part Number
S = Data Identifier for Serial Number
10936 = Serial Number within original part number
(EOT) = A Message Trailer which identifies the end of the message within the data stream.
When the AIT device reads the data qualifier for the enterprise identifier, it will have what agency (that is, the Issuing Agency Code) issued the enterprise identifier available in its software. The AIT device can then attach the Issuing Agency Code (IAC) to the beginning of the UID concatenation. In this example the IAC for Dun & Bradstreet is "UN".
For this example using ANS MH 10 Data Identifiers in Format 06 of ISO/IEC 15434, the unique identification output from the AIT device, once the overhead and syntax are stripped away and the IAC has been added, would be UN077991289420243510936.