The customer has an application that requires a data carrier to survive an Autoclave process. An autoclave process is a vessel that is used to sterilize a product. A typical autoclave environment has heated de-ionized water at 122 degrees Celsius at 2.2 bar of pressure for 20 to 30 minutes. Standard data carriers could only survive a limited amount of time in the autoclave. Eventually the de-ionized water works its way into the epoxy housing of the data carrier. After egression to the circuit board the de –ionized water dissolves the component connections, which destroys the data carrier.

Data Bolt

The customer needed a solution to track the birth history and quality control during the machining and assembly process of engine block and cylinder heads. In this particular plant, Balluff data carriers were already in use on the pallets that carry the engine block and cylinder heads during the assembly process.