Birmingham City University and Neuteq Europe Limited KTP 24_25 R5

A laser marking machine will learn to inspect the products it labels, catching defects as it stamps serial numbers or barcodes onto components. This project combines two manufacturing steps—marking and quality inspection—into a single, automated process. Currently, many production lines mark parts for traceability and then check them separately, which adds time and cost. By integrating image processing software directly into the laser marking equipment, the system can verify that a mark is correct and that the product itself is free of visible flaws, all in one pass. If successful, this could speed up production lines in industries that rely on permanent part identification—such as automotive, aerospace, or medical device manufacturing. It would reduce the need for separate inspection stations and cut the risk of defective parts moving further down the supply chain. For most people, the impact would be invisible: fewer recalls, more reliable components, and quieter, more efficient factories. The work is applied engineering, not fundamental science, and its value lies in making existing manufacturing processes faster and more reliable.