16 June NEW UID Policy Instruction assigns responsibilities for UID Compliance! See Rob Liebrandt Memo and Instruction at: http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/832004p.pdf

As the inventor of the Data Matrix, Siemens (formerly Acuity CiMatrix) is uniquely qualified to help you comply the DoD's UID policy.

We helped pioneer the machine vision industry, and we remain one of its prime technological leaders. From Nuclear Materials Identification to markings on the International Space Station, our knowledge and experi- ence are unrivaled by our competitors.

In 1989, Acuity CiMatrix developed the Data Matrix for commercial manufacturing operations. This technology enabled better process controls and paperless documentation. Companies like Intel adopted this technology, not because they were required to do so, but because it gave then a commercial advantage, most often through cost savings. We have been instrumental in the advancement of Data Matrix technology, placing it in the public domain through AIM/USA, and working with both NASA and the Department of Defense in "proof of concept" studies. In 2002 we (as RVSI's Symbology Research Center) were inducted into NASA’s Space Technology Hall of Fame because of our contribution to the advancement of this technology, including authorship of the NASA Standards and Handbook for marking aerospace parts cited in MIL STD 130. Today, Siemens works with leading marking companies, standard organizations (such as AIM Global), universities, and public and private research laboratories as it continues to develop methods of economically, permanently and directly marking materials in commercial and DoD applications.

In 2004, the Department of Defense adopted Data Matrix technology as part of its UID policy. This policy mandates the use of Data Matrix symbology on a large class of equipment and parts procured by DoD. These marks must remain legible until the item is overhauled or destroyed. We continue to assist the DoD in its efforts to implement this Policy and educate the public regarding compliance. (See Department of Defense Guide to Uniquely Identifying Items, Ver. 1.6)

Please visit our Knowledge Center for more information on Data Matrix technology and the DoD's UID policy.