ID Anything™: Universal Identification for Efficient Inventory Management

ID Anything™ is a complete system for identifying physical items in electronics production that is fully automated, friction-free, and resistant to errors compared to other serialization solutions.

In electronics production, various items need to be labeled and identified:

• Electronic components: Parts used to build assemblies
• Lots: Batches of parts tracked using lot control, such as a reel or strip of cut tape containing a specific part
• Storage locations: Where parts are stored, enabling quick inventory checks
• Projects: Manufactured devices corresponding to BOMs (Bills of Materials)
• Builds: A specific quantity of units (e.g., 100 units) of a particular project/BOM version
• Orders: Purchase orders placed with vendors for receiving parts

Unique ID Anything™ codes are automatically generated for all these items in PartsBox. There is no need to define or manage naming schemes, worry about numbering, or deal with possible duplication.

Every ID Anything™ code exists in several forms:

1. Full form: 26 characters (for example, "ad5fym30zmk04ahv29mhvg1gd3")
2. Short form for human use: 8 characters (for example, "5fym30zm")
3. URL form: "https://partsbox.com/Iad5fym30zmk04ahv29mhvg1gd3"
4. QR code: URL embedded in a two-dimensional barcode for printing on labels

These forms are available in all tables in PartsBox and for printing on labels.

Scanning ID Anything™ QR Codes

ID Anything™ QR codes are practical and easy to use. You can scan them using:

• The built-in scanning interface within PartsBox
• Any mobile phone or tablet with a camera

QR codes containing an ID Anything™ URL redirect to the information page for the specific object, which can be any of the items listed above.

This means anyone in your organization can quickly access item information without special equipment. If necessary, you will be prompted to log in.

Automation

The API uses ID Anything™ codes to identify all objects. API calls are also available to facilitate generating QR code images.

For machine processing, ID Anything™ QR codes can be easily parsed to extract the ID by taking the 26 characters that follow "/I" in the URL.

Simplified Naming for Humans

PartsBox also offers shorter 8-character versions of ID Anything™ codes that serve as alternative names. These shorter names are simply characters 3-10 from the full code. They are useful for human consumption: short enough to fit in table columns and easy to search for, as typing just 3 characters is usually enough to find the specific item.

Enhanced Traceability

ID Anything™ is particularly valuable for lot control. By placing a barcode on a package containing parts, you can identify the specific lot and access information about its origin and usage history.

When you scan the ID Anything™ code on a completed device, you can view all build information, including which specific part lots were used, tracing back to original purchase orders. This supports quality control and troubleshooting efforts.

Practical Applications

Here are examples of how ID Anything™ can be used in daily operations:

1. Print labels with ID Anything™ codes for parts, part lots, storage locations, and finished devices
2. Get lot information instantly by scanning a code
3. Identify specific builds of manufactured devices
4. Display a code on your computer screen and scan it with your mobile device to continue working on the go

Availability

ID Anything™ is included in all plans, including the free Hobbyist/Maker plan. To view information associated with an ID Anything™ code, users must be logged in and have appropriate access rights, ensuring your inventory data remains secure.