Abstract: A method for forming a vehicle wheel including a wheel rim defining opposing inboard and outboard annular flanges, inboard and outboard tire bead seats adjacent respective inboard and outboard flanges, and a rim barrel between the inboard and outboard tire bead seats. The method includes the step of machining a wheel shape in a clamping area adjacent one of the inboard and outboard flanges of the vehicle wheel. The clamping area of the wheel shape is then secured within a chuck of a lathe. In one chucking, the wheel shape is machined to form the inboard and outboard tire bead seats of the vehicle wheel.

Abstract: A method for electronically identifying a coded part includes the step of locating a machine-readable area relief pattern formed with a surface of the part. The relief pattern includes separate and distinct code elements extending along both x and y axes. Each code element has a profile dimension extending along a z-axis relative to a native surface of the part. A region of interest containing the area relief pattern is then measured along the x, y, and z axes. The area relief pattern is then extracted from the measured region of interest. The area relief pattern is then decoded to extract part information encoded in the relief pattern.

Abstract: A method is provided for marking a vehicle wheel for subsequent identification. The method includes the steps of forming a wheel shape, and marking the wheel shape with a first ID mark. The wheel shape is then machined in regions including that of the first ID mark to create a finished wheel. The finished wheel is then marked with a second ID mark.

Abstract: The method electronically identifies a vehicle wheel on-the-fly moving downstream from one processing location to another. The method includes the steps of locating a machine-readable identification mark applied to an exposed surface of the vehicle wheel as the vehicle wheel. The identification mark is electronically read on-the-fly.