Meaning
Marking method that utilizes a pneumatically or electrically driven stylus to indent a series of micro-dimples into a metal surface. For injection moulds and auxiliary tooling, dot peen engraving provides a permanent, wear-resistant identification code that survives millions of production cycles. This technique is often preferred over laser marking for deep, long-lasting surface identification in harsh production environments.
Mould Marking
Steel moulds must carry clear part numbers and owner identification to comply with internal asset tracking rules. Because the marking must withstand high temperatures and contact with corrosive resins or outgassing, the indentations must be deep enough to remain legible after years of cleaning. This deep deformation resists the abrasive action of glass-filled plastics.
Stress Concentration
Mechanical impacts on highly stressed regions of an injection mould can act as propagation points for cracks. When applying dot peen engraving to a cavity block or a core insert, operators must place the markings away from high-pressure gates and parting lines to prevent tool failure. This placement ensures that the indentations do not compromise the mechanical integrity of the steel under clamping pressure.
Asset Tracking
Automated cameras and scanner systems use these high-contrast dotted patterns to register mold cycles automatically.