Dr. John A. Robertson PE Ph.D., President, InfoSight Corporation

Historically, products were tracked by batches. Pieces were kept together and the slowly changing batch number was marked using stamps, mold pointers and stencils. Batch markings did not need to be re-programmed quickly.

Today, we understand the advantages of using individual piece identity. Keeping track of the individual pieces rather than batches means that valuable data about the parentage, process history and ultimate disposition of each piece can replace the crude averages typical of batch data. Modern programmable identification techniques such as ink jet, dot peen marking, and bar codes now permit practical identification piece by piece.

Read the entire white paper "License Plate Number Tracking; Traceability without the Gettysburg Address" at InfoSight.com