Introducing the NEW Card Vision Inspection System
This new product add-on is an advanced Optical Character Recognition system for Pro Series and Premium Series CIM card personalization solutions.
Product Functionality:
- Data collection and readback
- 1D and 2D barcode data collection and readback
- Match control between variable data printed on card
Used By:
- Financial institutions
- Government offices
- Insurance companies
- Retail stores
- Service bureaus
Find out more information about the new OCR Vision Inspection System and how it can be used with Pro Series and Premium Series products, like the CAM8080
Download the brochure here
In the interest of keeping personal political views from creeping into this piece, I’ll try to keep this as factually accurate and relative to our area of business as possible.
The decision to approve the expansion of the Keystone Pipeline in the northern region of the United States is an absolutely perfect example of how this one decision will trickle down and directly affect me, you, and plenty of other Americans (either positively or negatively).
In January 2012, President Obama denied TransCanada permission to build the northern part of the pipeline from Canada to Oklahoma. Blame was placed on Congress not giving Obama enough time to review the possible negative environmental impacts.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out just what opportunities for our country lie in the decision to approve expansion of this project. Sure, there’s always environmental risks when tackling a project of this nature, and of course, no one would want to see our environment damaged. But we need to think about the bigger picture here and weigh the positives versus the negatives (and the negatives have proven to be slim).
We are in the midst of an economic downturn that is deemed comparable to the Great Depression. While I have continued to witness friends, relatives, and acquaintances losing jobs over the past few years – I remain thankful every day that I still have a job, as I’m sure all of you are.
This expansion project will lead to job creation, which leads to company expansion, which leads to more corporate buying, which leads to businesses thriving, which leads to more money in the hands of consumers, which means more money back into local businesses. It’s a logical circle and the simple fundamentals of economics. Think of how many people would be employed if this permit is passed. Think of how many companies would start to need supplies, equipment, machinery, services, etc. – it has the ability to greatly affect those around us, as well as the business that you and I are in today. And you can bet if this permit is passed, the next thing we will be going after is business in this industry and in this region of the country.
We are by no means against keeping our environment clean and safe, but let’s face it – our nation absolutely needs everything that will result from the passing of this expansion permit – and not to sound harsh but it’s well worth the very slight risk of an environmental disaster occurring.
Whether Barack Obama is reelected, or Mitt Romney becomes the 45th President of the United States – whomever it is; stalling or not allowing the expansion of this project would not only be a senseless decision, but (in my opinion) would border on gosh darn un-American.
Who’s on board for business development if expansion is approved?
Author: Molly Hanley – Marketing Manager at CIM USA
How Does a 2D Metal Plate Embosser Work?
A 2D metal plate embosser is the exact same concept as a standard metal plate embosser except that along with text and numbers, this machine also embosses a two dimensional data matrix code on the metal plate or tag.
2D data matrix codes are perfect for industrial marking applications that require data collection and management. The “matrix” of raised dots contains alpha numeric data about a part, a piece of equipment, a valve, a pipe line, etc. This readable matrix code allows for easy data retrieval and management in the harshest of conditions.
This 2D metal plate embosser contains an input hopper, that holds up to 250 blank tags of various dimensions, and feeds them into the machine. The tags are then embossed with the correct information (translated by software that comes with the machine), then fed out the machine through the output hopper or side eject area.
2D data matrix codes can be produced in different sizes, depending on the amount of information you need in the code, and the size and shape of the tag being used. The data can be read by most hand held bar code scanners, and the beauty of an embossed 2D matrix code is it is still readable if the code is painted over, the tag is sandblasting, subjected to harsh elements, etc.
Below are two examples of metal tags embossed by a 2D metal plate embosser.
For further information on our metal marking solutions please feel free to visit our website, or contact us.
Tag Marking Machines for Industrial Marking Applications
Some may be under the impression that most tag marking machines are only able to mark alpha numeric text on a metal plate or tag; however, there are many types of machines that have the ability to produce logos, images and machine readable bar codes on a metal plate or tag, mainly for part marking and product traceability purposes.
The tag marking machine shown below is a dot matrix machine that can mark letters, numbers, and images, along with a 2D data matrix bar code on a metal plate or tag. The main benefit of marking a metal tag with a 2D data matrix bar code is to identify a part or a product with more extensive information than a standard bar code can hold, and for capturing the data electronically. Industries that work with electronic tracking and traceability systems need a solution that will produce a permanent mark on a metal plate or tag able to hold the information associated with that specific part, equipment, product, etc.
This machine is automatic and can run off of a database or information can be entered manually. It contains a “hopper” (up to 250 plates) which holds the plates and feeds them onto a small platform where the plate is secured and the marking takes place. Once the information is marked on the plate, it is then moved to the right and either stacked in the output hopper, or ejected out the side eject area.
This machine is different from other CIM machines in that it is not an embosser by definition; it is actually more similar to a laser engraver. It marks metal plates by way of a sequence of tiny raised dots, as opposed to embossed alpha numeric characters, and therefore has the ability to mark virtually anything you desire, including a 2d data matrix bar code, letters, numbers, symbols, logos, and graphics. It has been coined the affordable alternative to laser engraving because it achieves similar results but is much less costly to acquire and maintain.
For further information on our tag marking machines including the MDM 1000/2000 DM, please visit our website at www.cim-usa.com
Leading U.S. Motor Manufacturer Identifies Products with CIM Metal Plate Embossing Machine
Customer:
Baldor, a division of ABB, is headquartered in Fort Smith, AR, with production facilities worldwide. Baldor is a leading manufacturer of energy-efficient electric motors, providing solutions to industries ranging from forestry to power generation.
Identifying the Need:
Baldor was in need of a reliable, long-lasting, fully automatic metal plate marking system for the wide range of serial number plates they are using to identify their extensive product range. All products that Baldor manufactures require serialization to comply with international certification requirements, as well as future product identification needs. Baldor required a marking solution that would help them transition from the older metal plate marking machines they were currently using, to an up-to-date solution that would emboss stainless steel and aluminum serial number plates ranging from 1″ x 2″ to 6″ x 4″, with up to 60 variable fields on each plate; and seamlessly interface with their existing ERP platform for real time data feeds.
The Solution:
As the world’s leading manufacturer of solutions to mark metal plates using embossing technology, CIM proposed the proven CIM M3000 which met all of Baldors requirements, including a feeder capable of feeding and embossing serial number plates as large as 4” x 7”. In addition, the Baldor M3000 units were outfitted with two complete alfa-numeric type sets housed in a 90 slot drum to allow Baldor to emboss serial number plate fields very close to the bottom edge of the plate. Lastly, the engineering team at CIM designed a special solution to reliably feed and handle the special V shaped serial number plates Baldor uses in most of their product identification applications.
Proven Results:
The production and IT teams at Baldor were very pleased when they learned that the CIM M3000 would be a viable replacement for their existing out-of-date metal plate embossing systems. The CIM M3000 met the stringent quality requirements of the Baldor plate production team as well as facilitated their daily production and workflow by allowing real time plate data to stream live to the CIM M3000 embossing units.
The team at CIM prides itself on understanding the needs of companies such as Baldor, and modifying and improving upon their current system platforms to deliver superior results to the end customer.
For further information on CIM’s metal marking solutions, please visit www.cim-usa.com.
For further information on Baldor and their products and solutions, please visit their website at www.baldor.com
How a Fully Automatic Metal Plate Marking System Works
Metal plate marking systems can be simple, manual machines, or more robust, automatic machines – it all depends on the needs of your organization and the intended use of the embossed tag.
Metal plate marking systems, such as the ME2000 is a perfect solution for embossing/ marking large quantities of metal plates. With an automatic feed, this machine will produce an embossed metal tag ready for use in just 18 seconds*
The ME2000 is capable of marking a variety of metals such as – stainless steel, carbon steel, titanium, aluminum, copper, brass and gold. It can also handle a wide range of sizes, from small to large metal plates, offering great flexibility to meet the needs of various applications in part marking, product identification, and traceability.
Think the ME2000 might be the right solution for you? Visit www.cim-usa.com to learn more about the many features and benefits that this metal plate marking system has to offer.
*Applies to metal plates with 55 characters or less
Metal Plate Marking Machines – MDM 1000/2000
The MDM is a metal plate marking machine based on dot matrix or dot peening technology. The dot matrix technology allows the machine to create a mark that appears similar to engraving. The unit shown above is called an MDM1000 and provides a cost-effective alternative to stamping and dies, and offers great flexibility in marking metal tags for various industrial traceability and asset tracking needs.
With the option for manual or automatic feed, and the ability to produce plates one-by-one, or in large runs by way of a database, this machine is the best solution for low to medium volume marking applications where there is a need for a flexible mark (different font sizes, logos and fields) at a very affordable hardware cost.
The image below is a tag that was embossed using a metal plate marking machine, specifically the MDM1000. Interested in more information on which metal marking solutions is best for you? Visit our website at www.cim-usa.com.
