Survivable and reusable direct part marking code
CDOT is a patented symbology for industrial part identity. It is marked onto a surface like conventional 2D codes, but decoded through a frequency-domain signature rather than cell-by-cell contrast. The result is a code that is built to remain readable when surfaces change during production.
CDOT decoding relies on recognizing the code's characteristic, AI-enhanced signal pattern — allowing reliable identification even when the visible mark does not look "perfect" to conventional readers.
CDOT can be applied through common industrial marking approaches, including laser marking, dot peening, inkjet, and paper label printing.
CDOT does not require advanced image-based readers. It also does not rely on contrast as the primary condition for readability.
No specialized equipment is required. CDOT works with standard marking and reading setups.
Applicable to a wide range of hard and soft materials, including all metals, plastics, carbon fiber, ceramics, dough, glass, and even sand molds and sand cores.
CDOT is designed for all industrial part surfaces, including curved, textured, and reflective finishes.
Works in small spaces: Yes — down to 2 mm²
Low-angle readability: Yes — up to 60° off-axis
Reading in low light: Yes
Multi-code scanning: Supports multiple codes per frame
Resistant to liquid, dust, acid, rust: Yes
| Size vs. Capacity | Stores >1013 UIDs + up to 520 alphanumeric characters within 3 mm² |
| Occlusion Resiliency | Decodable with up to 90% occlusion |
| Read Accuracy | >99% |
| Stretch Tolerance | Maintains readability after stretching up to 3× |
| Coating / Painting Resilience | Readable through coatings or paint up to 750 μm |
| Heat Treatment Resilience | Readable after heat treatment up to 860°C / 1580°F |
| Shotblasting Resilience | Typical tolerance: 50–100 μm (depends on marking depth/laser power) |
CDOT is designed for repeatable readability: identity can be read again and again as the part reappears in the flow. It is built for production environments where surfaces evolve through heat, impact, chemicals, coatings, and geometry changes.
More than 10 million CDOT codes are marked every year across automotive and light-duty vehicle manufacturing, motor vehicle components, trucks, military armored vehicles, batteries, power transformers, household appliances, iron and steel mills, die-casting foundries, iron foundries, forging, and more.
By 2030, CDOT is expected to be a permanent part of billions of components, including those used in space missions.
Contact UsFor additional information on CDOT demos, project implementations, and pricing, contact info@thecosmodot.com