MIL-STD-130M provides guidelines and insight into the implementation of machine readable information to the item as a part of item identification marking. The standard is approved by DoD for the use in all departments and agencies. The information helps for life-cycle asset management starting from acquisition of items through manufacture, to final disposition.

The MIL-STD-130 M is the standard that provides criteria for the product designers to develop products based on the identification marking requirements. It is the responsibility of the product designers to include data such as marking content, location, size and application process while submitting the data. However, for the initial manufacture, the product definition data is not sufficient to prove that the marking is in accordance with the standard. The data is approved after the validation process.

The definitions provided and used in the MIL-STD-130 M standard are targeted at the use of product designers. The prevailing engineering documentation terminologies are based on this standard and the standard has made every effort to provide clear definition of data to avoid any conflict. Apart from the marking applications, the standard enables the product designers make sure that the acquiring activities are also according to the standard. The contractual instruments clearly mention about the acquiring activities that states that the marking requirements should be according to the criteria of the standards.

Scope of MIL-STD-130 M

The standard provides information about the marking criteria required by the department of Defense. It also provides criteria for development of special marking requirements by the DoD. Basically, the standard is set to balance the item identification procedures of produced, stocked, stored and issued military property of the Department of Defense. The criteria are about both machine readable information and free text application of the item identification marking.

Figure in the Standard

The standard has provided some figures as illustrations to understand the practices and to assist the user to understand the text. In some cases, figures become essential to show a level of detail and emphasize the text. Moreover, the presence of the figures is not related to the applicability of the practices and requirements.

Exclusions of Application

There are some items that are not subjected to UID criteria. Unless they are specified with standards or contracts, they don't need to undergo the identification marking application.

Tailoring the Application

The product designers should have proper knowledge about the MIL-STD-130 M standards to determine the extent to which the application of the identification can be tailored. However, the contractors have to mention the changes in the contract form.

The UID data application is a crucial part of DoD's item management procedure. It requires the best possible method to ensure accuracy of data and application of UID to the items. Moreover, the contractors are required to submit the data to the UID Registry. If the data is not entered properly or in case there is a deviation from the standard UID application process, UID Registry has the power to reject it. Hence, the MIL-STD-140M has mentioned the criteria of UID marking for the convenience of all DoD contractors.