Serial numbers, QR codes & part IDs

The identifier types

• Serial numbers. A unique number per part. Use a fixed serial for a one-off, or an incrementing serial so each part in a run is unique.
• Part and model numbers. A fixed identifier shared by every part of the same design — useful for catalogs, BOMs, and reordering.
• QR and data-matrix codes. A scannable link to a record, manual, or asset-management entry. Best when a person in the field needs to pull up information from the part.
• Lot and date codes. Identify the run a part came from for batch tracking and compliance.
• Logos and text. Branding, a name, or a short instruction as a permanent surface mark.

You can combine these — for example a serial on one face and a QR code on another. To order any of them as a service, see serialized parts & traceability.

How incrementing serials work

In the order tool you set four fields — a prefix, a starting number, the number of digits (zero-padded so values sort cleanly), and an optional suffix. The number then advances on its own across the run: a batch of 50 might read SN-0001 through SN-0050. If you need the marks to match an existing scheme, note it on the order and we'll confirm the format before production.

QR and data-matrix codes

You supply the code as artwork (PNG, JPG, or SVG) generated from whatever system it links to — we mark exactly what you provide and don't alter the encoded data. Two things keep a marked code scannable: enough size, and a clear quiet zone (a margin of empty space) around it. Place it on a flat area, and we mark it in high contrast against the part so a phone or scanner reads it the first time.

Placement and legibility

Marks read best on a flat face with room around them. We set the mark color for contrast against the part — light on dark parts, dark on light parts — so it stays readable. Text marks are crisp down to small sizes, which is why laser marking is the right tool for fine detail that printed (embossed) text can't hold; the design guidelines cover where to use each.

Why it lasts

A laser mark is a permanent surface mark — a precise change in the surface itself, not ink or a label sitting on top, and not a cut that removes material — so it's tamper-proof and doesn't compromise the part. For marked parts that live outside, ASA holds up best.

Materials and ordering

Every material we print — PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, and TPU — can be marked in any color we offer. To add marking, upload your model, turn on laser marking in the order tool, choose the identifier type, and set the details; the price updates as you go.