Success Story: Stably Reading 1x2mm DPM Code on Metal Parts with TINY Series Smart Code Reader

Industry Background

In the precision metal manufacturing industry, traceability and quality control are essential for maintaining production efficiency and ensuring product consistency. As components become smaller and more intricate, direct part marking (DPM) is increasingly used to permanently encode tracking information onto metal surfaces. However, the miniature size and reflective nature of high-precision parts pose significant challenges for traditional code readers, especially when codes are as small as 1x2mm and laser-marked on tiny, irregular surfaces. Reliable identification of such micro DPM codes is critical for quality assurance, process traceability, and downstream automation in high-value manufacturing environments.

Challenges Faced by the Manufacturer

The client, a precision component manufacturer, encountered significant challenges in reading ultra-small DataMatrix codes (1x2mm) that were laser-marked onto tiny, slightly rough metal parts. The limited marking area, combined with uneven surface texture, often resulted in low contrast and partial deformation of the codes. These factors made it extremely difficult for standard code readers to capture clear and stable images. In addition, the inconsistent positioning of parts and variations in microstructure further hindered recognition reliability. The customer required a compact, high-performance solution capable of consistently decoding micro DPM codes with high speed and accuracy, all within a limited installation space and without disrupting the production workflow.

HEROJE’s Solution

To solve the challenge of decoding ultra-small 1x2mm DPM codes on slightly rough precision metal parts, HEROJE provided its ultra-compact TINY series fixed-mount code reader. Despite its small footprint, the TINY reader integrates a 1.3MP high-resolution CMOS sensor, HEROJE’s fifth-generation decoding algorithm, and a dual-core processor, delivering fast, stable, and accurate decoding performance in harsh micro-part environments.

Through the use of the TINY series, the customer achieved highly reliable decoding of 1x2mm DPM codes, improving traceability accuracy and reducing errors and rework in their precision manufacturing workflow.