What are the best aerospace part marking solutions?
Permanent aerospace part marking solutions ensure compliance and traceability across your supply chain with precision laser and mechanical technologies.
Aerospace manufacturing demands direct part marking on critical components for efficient identification and traceability. Gravotech aerospace marking solutions comply with ATA Spec 2000, MIL-STD-130, AS9132, and EASA Part 21 Subpart Q standards. Our laser markers and dot peen machines create high-quality datamatrix codes on titanium, aluminium alloys, stainless steel, and composite materials. These marking technologies deliver complete aircraft traceability, identifying every component from turbine blades to fasteners across decades of service.
Safety regulations require permanent marking systems that prevent counterfeit parts from entering supply chains. Subcontractors must deliver fully identified components to manufacturers, eliminating tampering risks and ensuring obsolete parts cannot be reused or resold. This permanent identification protects aircraft safety by tracking component origins and preventing stress-related failures from unidentified materials.
What are the most adapted solutions for aerospace part marking?
Our industrial laser stations are perfect for aerospace part marking: they guarantee high-contrast marking with a very short cycle time without contact with the part. Different laser sources and power levels and marking areas are available depending on your application.
- Laser stations (WeLase™, LW2 & LW3) : perfect for small to large parts when small cycle times are required
- Laser tables (LS100, LS100EX, LS900): easily place several parts for batch laser marking
- Integrable lasers (Mini-inline): integrate your laser marking head in security when marking very large aerospace parts
Small laser engraver for all kind of engravings.
WELASE
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Medium fully automated laser marking station.
LW2
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Large fully automated laser workstation with Fibre, Hybrid or Green sources
LW3
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Small CO2 laser engraver and cutter for personalisation, signage and creative.
LS100
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Large laser engraver and cutter that can do everything.
LS900
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Laser protection nose for integrable laser markers.
Mini-inline
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Our dot-peen and rotary marking machines offer high-precision marking and a great return on investment. They meet your aerospace part identification and traceability marking requirements while increasing quality and volumes. Mark both small and large parts thanks to their open marking area.
Which machine for aerospace identification?
| Technology | Machines | Applications | Advantages | Limits | Equipment price |
| Dot peen |
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| $-$$ |
| Rotary |
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| $$-$$$ |
| Laser |
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| $$-$$$ |
What technologies are used for aerospace part marking?
Aerospace part marking with laser
The laser technology is a contactless identification method. The part surface remains intact as only the superficial layer of the material is heated to create a contrasting black marking. This also ensures that the mechanical properties of the part aren’t modified.
To mark parts sensible to heat transfers, our Green laser source ensures what is called "Cold-marking". Which is, laser marking without any heat buildup on the part’s surface.
Laser marking is fast, making it perfectly suitable for high-production needs. The high contrast ensures quick data reading, either by an operator for alphabetical characters or by a scanner for 1D or 2D codes.
Our industrial laser stations are equipped with an integrated Z axis for automatic adjustment of the laser head, ensuring high-quality traceability marking on your aerospace parts.
Aerospace part marking with dot peen
The dot-peen marking technology pushes the material to engrave a series of numbers or a Datamatrix code. No material is removed or weakened during this process. This ensures that the marking remains intact after post-treatments and maintains high durability over time.
Certain aerospace standards specify a required depth for compliance, and dot-peen marking machines enable adherence to these depth requirements.
Our Impact eZ m (electromagnetic version) includes a sensor that automatically detects the part and adjusts the Z axis accordingly, ensuring consistently high-quality part identification.
Integrable and industry compliant
Our industrial laser and dot-peen marking machines seamlessly integrate with your existing infrastructure, including central servers, PCs, PLCs, and barcode scanners, maximising ROI and facilitating communication within your plant network.
These robust permanent marking systems are capable of creating deep and durable markings on even the toughest metals, both pre and post-treatment, ensuring legibility and durability in the most challenging environments. The complete traceability from manufacturing to maintenance guarantees part authenticity and compliance with the highest aerospace standards.
What compliance standards apply to aerospace component marking?
Aerospace part marking for different parts and shapes
The variety of our aerospace part marking technologies makes it possible to trace and identify a wide range of parts with a unique identification code, whatever their shapes or materials:
- Turbine components (blades, vanes, flanges…)
- Fasteners (nuts, bolts, washers, screws, rivets…)
- System components (pumps, engines, generators, moving shafts, electronic boxes…)
- Airframe parts (landing gear, brake disks, thrust reversers…)
- Power plant parts (nozzles, assemblies, transmission systems…)
- Cabins (seats, lights, switches, control panels…)
- ID plates (equipment and machine identification nameplates)
These parts can be made of the following alloys: Aluminium, Titanium, Magnesium, Cobalt, Steel, Stainless steel, Carbon fibre.
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Various norms for aerospace part marking
The standards upon which you rely vary depending on the country, type of traceability marking, and material of the part. The main aerospace industry standards include AS478-3, AIM-DPM, MIL-STD-130, EASA Part 21 Subpart Q, ATA SPEC2000, SAE, NASA, UID, JES, RRES and SAE International AS9132.
Some of these standards encompass various requirements for parts:
- HR (Hardness Rating): the marking must not create points of weakening or excessive wear.
- Mechanical resistance: the marking must not affect the tensile, compressive, fatigue, or corrosion resistance of the part.
- Weight and material density: the marking must not significantly modify the part weight or affect its density.
Other standards focus on the aerospace part marking quality to ensure reliable proofreading, such as the AIM-DPM standard.
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Global ID Solutions
For key accounts and industrial leaders
You are a global industrial company looking for a trusted partner for your identification needs?
With a rich legacy of innovation and a deep understanding of industry requirements, Gravotech offers a wide range of solutions for identification requirements.
Through a collaborative approach, Gravotech works closely with its clients to understand their unique needs and challenges, allowing them to develop solutions that deliver consistent and precise results. With a global network of dedicated support professionals, Gravotech ensures that Key Accounts receive prompt assistance and ongoing technical support, maximising uptime and minimising downtime.
| FAQ: The 4 questions most frequently asked of our experts |
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🔽What is the best machine for aerospace part marking?
The LW2 laser station is often considered the most versatile due to its speed and ability to mark various materials without contact. For deep marking, the Impact dot peen station is preferred. The best choice depends on the sensitivity of your part, its fragility, and the required marking depth.
🔽What is cold marking, and why is it used for heat-sensitive aerospace parts?
Cold-marking is a process unique to Green laser sources (compatible with the WeLase™, LW2, LW3 or an integrable laser). Because of its specific wavelength, it generates significantly less thermal reaction on the part's surface. This is essential for aerospace components with low tolerance for structural or chemical alteration, ensuring that the part's performance and safety remain 100% intact over the long term.
🔽Is laser part marking the preferred method for aerospace parts?
Yes, laser marking is favoured when surface integrity is paramount because it has the ability to leave a permanent, high-contrast marking without damaging the part. Some materials can only be marked with a laser to avoid damaging the surface structure (it must be smooth and unchanged, engraved without being altered).
🔽What types of aerospace typical materials can be marked (e.g., titanium, aluminium, carbon fibre)?
All major alloys and materials used in aerospace can be marked, including titanium, stainless steel, aluminium, magnesium, and cobalt. Gravotech offers specialised solutions (laser or mechanical) for carbon fibre and various high-performance plastics used in cabins and cockpits, ensuring clear identification regardless of the material's weight or density.
