New Marking Source for Electric and Autonomous Vehicles
Columbia Marking Tools Forms New Advanced Part Marking Division to Address the Identification and Traceability Needs for Electric and Autonomous Vehicles
Columbia Marking Tools, Inc. announces the establishment of a new Advanced Part Marking Division (APMD) to provide marking tools, processes, machines and equipment to the emerging electric and autonomous vehicle industry.
Tom Phipps, Columbia Marking Tools CEO, says, “We felt it made sense today to focus some of our part marking experience and resources to the growing electric and autonomous vehicle markets. We recognize that in most cases these new vehicles will have a greatly reduced metal-to-plastic ratio compared to typical internal combustion engine powered cars. However, identification and traceability are exponentially more important as accountability has become paramount.”
Phipps explains, “Frequently I receive calls from parts suppliers who are involved in a recall or TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) and the supplier points out that ‘the recall is on a part that isn’t even ours’. My response is typically do you mark your parts with your I.D. or Date Code? The usual answer is ‘it wasn’t on the print and we don’t know where the best place is to mark it, or even how to mark it’.
Phipps adds, “For over 60 years Columbia Marking Tools has been at the forefront of new marking technologies including impact marking, dot-peen & scribe marking, roll marking, hot stamping for both foil and non-foil plastic applications and laser marking. We even hold a number of patents on some of the technologies. Our special machines group has designed and built 100s of marking systems for everything from batteries, electric motors, aerospace gears, to large railway car wheel bushings, NASCAR engines, firearms, steel and aluminum bottles, and every automotive component you can imagine whether it’s cast iron, steel, aluminum, composite or plastic.”
In summary, Phipps says, “We know that one size does not fit all, especially when you have to consider cost and production rate as well as the quality and verifiability of the mark. That means your toolbox should be full of options. Those options should include knowledge and experience with all the types of marking processes, all the types of materials, the width and breadth of all the different part sizes, and a range of marking products and equipment within those processes to optimize the value to the customer. Electrification is here to stay, and the range of products have production rates varying from 1 part per second to 1 part per day. The best solutions to achieve that can range from $100 – $500K. Columbia Marking Tools has already built markers for plastic battery covers, motors, and a number of plastic sensor parts. Our goal is to be the “Go To” source for part marking, identification and traceability for this emerging industry.
Columbia Marking Tools is a leading designer and manufacturer of metal and plastic marking equipment including stamps, roll marking dies, roll marking and impact marking machines, fully programmable peen/scribe marking, laser marking and UID/2D Square ◙ Dot® machines, numbering heads and special marking machines.
For more Information Contact: tjp@columbiamt.com
