Abstract: An apparatus for identifying a component (10) carrying a dot matrix code comprises a lamp (14) illuminating the dot matrix code, a video camera (18) for reading the illuminated dot matrix code. A computer (20) has an image grabber card (22) to produce a digitized image of the dot matrix code. The personal computer (20) has algorithms (24, 26, 28, 30 and 32) to measure the distances between every dot located in the digitized image, to determine the fundamental inter dot spacing (D). The dots separated by the fundamental inter dot spacing (D) lie in rows and columns of the dot matrix code. There are means to determine the angles (.beta. and .alpha.) between the dots which are in the rows and columns and a camera datum. There are means to determine the orientation and location of the dot matrix code from the angles (.beta. and .alpha.).