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Inland Products provides UID Labels that are MIL-STD-130 compliant for identification purposes.
UID Labels provide a means of identification where extreme durability and compliance with MIL-STD 130 are required. These labels must meet the highest expectations and be formatted correctly to work with pre-established scanning and inventory equipment.
Required by the Armed Forces, DoD, and other government agencies, UID Labels are comprised of data both in human and machine-readable formats. These labels need to withstand the harshest environments and last for many years after application.
Inland Products is proud to meet these requirements and supply some of the most prominent organizations in the world with the highest quality MIL-STD 130 UID labels available.
UID-LABELS-MIL-STD-130
For 2020, the Department of Defense (DoD) will spend over $750 billion on national security. As you can imagine, a big part of that budget is allocated toward acquiring new items, most likely, weapons, their parts, or other vital hardware.
Because of that, suppliers of the DoD must adhere to and be compliant with government requirements, or risk having their shipment either denied and returned. Or, to have their invoice be denied or not paid by the Government. So, to ensure everything goes smoothly, you can utilize UID labels as a DoD supplier.
Want to learn more? Then keep reading. In this article we’ll discuss UID labels for MIL-STD-130 standard items.
What Is MIL-STD-130?
First off, let’s define what MIL-STD-130 is.
As you can guess from the letters, “MIL-STD” stands for “military standard.” MIL-STD is what sets the regulations for how items need to be identified when sold to the DoD. As of the time of writing, the most current version of the standard is MIL-STD-130N Change 1, which was published on November 16, 2012. (Please see the bottom of this article for newer information.)
Items sent to the DoD must be marked and readable by both humans and machines, according to MIL-STD-130; this means you need a 2D data matrix barcode.
What Is UID?
You’ll often see UID written as IUID. IUID is the more specific term for UID. So, there’s been a shift in the industry toward using IUID instead of UID.
“UID” stands for “unique identification,” which can refer to several things. On the other hand, “IUID” stands for “item unique identification,” which means a specific item. You might run into another term which is UII. This stands for “unique item identifier.”
While UID and IUID are the actual marking label or tag (such as the code on an item), UII isn’t a label or tag. Instead, it’s information being stored within a UID or IUID.
The result of having such a system is there are no duplicates of individual items. Considering that anything the DoD handles is probably critical, all their records must be as accurate as possible. UID and IUID codes ensure both accuracy and reliability of information being passed on.
Because it’s so reliable, the Government uses the UID system to carefully track important information, such as where their equipment is, what it’s value is, what condition it’s in, and how much they have. This allows them to streamline their programs more effectively.
Requirements for UID Labels for MIL-STD-130
Now that you know what MIL-STD-130 and UID (IUID) are, the next things you need to know are the specific requirements for the labels. That way, you can ensure all your items are compliant with the Government’s requirements.
Listed below are a few essential things you need to know about your UID labels.
General Requirements
Not everything needs labeling by UID code. For example, if the Government is purchasing something under $5,000 from you, then that wouldn’t need a UID label. However, considering most acquisitions are large ones, you’ll probably have to label most, if not all, of your items.
Products and equipment that must be labeled with UID codes include controlled inventory, mission-essential assets, and serially managed items. So, even if the item the DoD’s purchased is under $5,000, you’ll still have to put a UID label on it if it falls into any of these categories.
Marking Requirements
Methods you can use to mark the UID codes include abrasive blasting, laser engraving, acid etching, metal stamping, photo anodizing, dot peening, and rotary engraving. The method you choose will depend on what the item will be used for and what environment it will encounter.
When marking the equipment, it has to be in the most visible location possible. It should withstand regular operations and cleaning.
Barcode Requirements
Before a UID barcode is usable, it must pass some rigorous requirements. For example, it must receive a grade of B or better on a verification process.
Plus, it has to be permanent, which means the UID label needs to stay intact during environmental tests and cleaning procedures. Not only that, but it has to remain affixed to the equipment or product it’s labeling.
How Can Inland Products Help?
Inland Products has over 30 years of experience in manufacturing identification products. We have full in-house tool room capabilities, as well as tool and die makers always at hand. Thus, we can handle any custom projects required by our customers.
We can help you create labels that meet the highest expectations, and you can trust us to format them correctly to work with any scanning or inventory equipment. Our labels will not only withstand the most extreme conditions, but will also retain clear readability for many years after the initial application.
We’ve supplied some top global organizations with our MIL-STD-130 UID labels. If we can help them meet government standards, then we can help you too.
Use UID Labels on Your Products for Compliance
As a DoD supplier, using UID labels is not optional. You’re required by MIL-STD-130 to have them on your items so both humans and machines can identify what you’re shipping to the Government.
Make sure you’re always compliant by affixing durable UID labels to your products. Inland Products makes UID labels to withstand the harshest of conditions and to stay intact for years to come. So, you can have peace of mind knowing you’ll never be non-compliant.
Contact us today for help in choosing the right labels for your application!
Questions & Answers on UID and IUID
Q – What Does UID Stand For?
A – Unique IDentification
Q – What Does IUID Stand For?
A – Item Unique IDentification
Q – What Is The Difference Between The Two?
A – UID is a general term that can refer to many things. IUID refers to a personal property item often owned by the Department Of Defence or DOD.
Q – Why Does The DOD Use IUID?
A– 1) Improves inventory management and strategic purchasing.
2) Enables clean audit/valuation
3) Enables speedy and precise automatic data capture
4) Enables capability-based operational readiness
5) Lowers life cycle management costs
6) Enables reliable accountability and visibility
Q– When Is An IUID Label Required
A – All solicitations, contracts or delivery orders for tangible items delivered to the Government will require item unique identification or a DoD recognized unique identification equivalent, if:
- All items for which the Government’s unit acquisition cost is $5,000 or more
- Items for which the Government’s unit acquisition cost is less than $5,000, when identified by the requiring activity as serially managed, mission essential, or controlled inventory
- Items for which the Government’s unit acquisition cost is less than $5,000, when the requiring activity determines permanent identification is required
- Regardless of value– Any DoD serially managed subassembly, component, or part embedded within a delivered item; and The parent item (as defined in 252.211-7003(a)) that contains the embedded subassembly, component, or part.
As of 1/11/2022, the DoD websites are under renovations. For new information regarding IUI, visit this DoD webpage Data Standards – Item Unique Identification (IUID).
Need assistance?
Inland Products has an experienced, knowledgeable, and helpful sales staff waiting to answer any questions you may have. We are here to help you make the best choices for your particular identification project!
Please call us at 1-800-481-5500 or email sales@inlandproducts.com.