부산대학교 도서관

A method and system for identification of manufacturing components on an assembly line. The system is designed to be incorporated into a production line of a build-to-order plaint in which a series of components are arranged on the assembly line and different manufacturing operations are to be performed on each component. The components initially are identified by paper tags which are scanned into a manufacturing computer system, and each component includes an adhesive label which is capable of being laser engraved. The system includes a laser engraver, which is positioned immediately upstream of a first manufacturing operation, and the laser engraver is actuated by the factory computer system to etch an identification code on the adhesive label. The identification code may, if appropriate, change the identity of the component to which it is attached so that the sequencing of components on the assembly line can be rearranged, and components can be eliminated and added, without the necessity of physically moving the components. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the system is incorporated into an automobile assembly plant and the laser engraver is positioned immediately upstream of the paint facility. The adhesive label includes a laminate overlay which is transparent to the laser engraver and which can be removed subsequent to a painting operation to reveal the new identity of the component etched on a substrate.