What is Dot Peen Marking?
Dot Peen marking is a method of permanent marking, usually used on metal. It uses a stylus, or pin, that is fired into the marking surface to make an indented dot. By rapidly repeating this and moving the stylus between each dot, writing and images can be applied.
Dot peen marking is also known simply as dot marking, as stylus pin marking and micro percussion marking.
Dot peen marking is most commonly used in industrial applications in order to apply a permanent identification mark to a product or component.
The stylus can be fired in several different ways:
- Electromagnetic solenoid. This requires a simple 110V/240V power connection to run the machine. The stylus pin is fired once by the solenoid for each dot marked.
- Pneumatically powered. This requires an additional compressed air supply, which is used to fire the stylus pin for each dot marked, potentially doing so with greater force.
- "Vibro peen". This also requires an additional compressed air supply, but continually fires the pin at a certain frequency while moving it around. It differs from the 2 methods above, which fire the stylus once and then move to the position of the next dot before firing it again.
Dot peen marking provides fast, accurate, low-stress marking and can mark through coatings or film on the material surface.
Read more in our guide to creating effective dot peen marks.