【Case Study Title】
Fixture Traceability in Spark Plug Manufacturing Firing Processes
【Application / Installation】
Adhered to the outer surface of ceramic firing containers (“saggers”) used in spark plug firing processes
【Product】
CERALABEL GL
【Challenges】
During the firing process of formed spark plugs, ceramic containers known as saggers are used.
These containers hold multiple products in fixed positions and allow them to pass through the firing furnace together.
Because multiple components are processed simultaneously, lot management at the sagger level is essential.
Since saggers are reused repeatedly, fixture management challenges also arise, including:
・Damage or cracking of saggers over time
・Difficulty tracking the number of usage cycles
However,
establishing traceability at the firing stage was difficult because:
・Very few labels can withstand firing processes exceeding 1,000 °C
・The container shape makes mounting methods such as tag placement,
welding, or screw fixing unsuitable
・Damage or cracking of saggers over time
・Difficulty tracking the number of usage cycles
However,
establishing traceability at the firing stage was difficult because:
・Very few labels can withstand firing processes exceeding 1,000 °C
・The container shape makes mounting methods such as tag placement,
welding, or screw fixing unsuitable
【Solution / Benefits】
CERALABEL GL provides heat resistance selectable from 400 °C to 1,200 °C, depending on the firing conditions.
Because the label is provided in an adhesive format, it can be applied directly to the sagger on-site.
The label can either be:
The label can either be:
・fired together with the product, or
・pre-fired before use
allowing the label to fuse to the ceramic surface and remain permanently attached, enabling repeated use across multiple firing cycles. In this case, labels were printed using the customer’s existing on-site printer, allowing seamless integration with upper-level systems.
Key Benefits
・Lot traceability established at the sagger level from the firing stage
・Identification numbers generated by MES and other upper-level systems can be printed directly using on-site printers
・Accurate tracking of fixture (sagger) usage cycles, enabling optimal replacement timing
・Supporting smart manufacturing with minimal changes to existing operations
The label can either be:
・fired together with the product, or
・pre-fired before use
allowing the label to fuse to the ceramic surface and remain permanently attached, enabling repeated use across multiple firing cycles. In this case, labels were printed using the customer’s existing on-site printer, allowing seamless integration with upper-level systems.
Key Benefits
・Lot traceability established at the sagger level from the firing stage
・Identification numbers generated by MES and other upper-level systems can be printed directly using on-site printers
・Accurate tracking of fixture (sagger) usage cycles, enabling optimal replacement timing
・Supporting smart manufacturing with minimal changes to existing operations
