A request from Reading based specialist IT support company, ESP.co.uk to see whether or not we could successfully mark the hard ABS casing of a handheld data collection scanner opened up an opportunity to show the skill and adaptability of Evans Graphics industrial engraving department.
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Above: A Symbol™ scanner
before marking
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As Paul Sweetland, General Manager of Airline Services for ESP remarked "All of the airlines operating out of London Heathrow are required to utilise the data scanners in order to track and monitor the tremendous amounts of baggage travelling through the airport. These small but powerful devices are easily lost, mis-placed or even accidentally damaged, and as such, are required to be either replaced or repaired as necessary. Inevitably there is an onus of responsibility to ensure that costs can be recovered from either mis-use or wear and tear. We needed a better way of identifying and tracking these expensive devices".
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With the existing method of identification, it was nigh on impossible to easily identify the damaged unit, and this made for difficult times in ensuring that all departments had a full complement of functioning scanners. Following an exploratory discussion to evaluate the best method of permanently identifying the expensive scanning devices, it was decided that trials should be undertaken to prove that the chosen process would be suitable. Trials were quickly set-up to show that the rapid laser marking process would be effective, and these trial units were then shown to the relevant departments responsible.
They proved however to be unsatisfactory with regards to the depth of the laser cut. In order for the marking to be infilled with a cellulose colour to add contrast and visibility, the depth needed to be greater than could comfortably be created with the laser marking process. This then meant that the only satisfactory method of achieving the depth of cut was to revert back to the traditional method of rotary engraving. No problem for us, that's where we originally started our company from!
This wasn't the only detail that needed to be considered; there was also the small matter of the devices being used for some 16 hours a day, and not becoming available for collection until almost 10.00pm every night. All of the scanners for that nights attention then needed to be unloaded of data, logged and categorised before being taken off site to Maidenhead where a team were waiting in readiness to begin the sequential numbering and airport name personalisation process. Working through the night on batches of some 60+ scanning guns at a time, they quickly and accurately marked and serial numbered the units, before whisking them back to Heathrow Airport to get them re-distributed to their rightful positions to be put back into immediate use.
The scanners are now very permanently identified and highly visible in their day to day environment. The whole project took approximately four weeks to complete, and if there is a need to send a unit offsite for repair, then it is instantly identifiable with it's unique markings on either side of it's casing. A successful result for all concerned.
Above: Now indelibly marked with LHR prefix |
