Manufacturers of electronic devices, from home audio equipment to automotive keyless entry systems, are increasingly seeking a reliable, cost effective method for uniquely identifying and tracking products through the manufacturing cycle, sales distribution and after-sale warranty verification. An autonomous, automated tracking system requires that a permanent, machine-readable code be applied to an internal printed circuit board to uniquely identify each product. The code must be durable enough to survive manufacturing processes including wave solder and board cleaning, must not affect circuit performance, and must store information in the small space available on real-estate conscious printed circuit boards.

The 2D matrix code provides a means to store alphanumeric character strings in very small areas of the printed circuit board. Laser marking technology provides a method for permanently applying 2D matrix codes to most board substrates. The high-resolution and high-accuracy of beam-steered laser marking systems provides the means to create well defined, high reliability codes regardless of code size. Laser marking also provides the user with a computer-controlled marking process for easy implementation into automated product tracking systems.