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By Darren Koffer | Aug. 13, 2026
Unlock Hidden Value: Software-Based DPM Scanning for Your Mobile Fleet
Manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare organizations rely on precise asset visibility to maintain strict quality control. Tracking every critical component requires reading complex Direct Part Mark (DPM) barcodes permanently etched or stamped directly onto part surfaces. Historically, companies purchased expensive, purpose-built scanners for this specific task. Now, Zebra provides a more accessible path to intelligent automation. A standard DataWedge software update empowers your existing connected frontline devices to decode these intricate marks seamlessly. You gain powerful data capture capabilities and a stronger foundation for intelligent operations without buying new equipment.
What if you could leverage the Zebra Android devices you already own to read these complex barcodes? Now you can. We have introduced a complimentary, software-based DPM decoding capability, extending the functionality of your existing mobile computers and tablets. This new feature, configured through a simple DataWedge update, brings DPM scanning to a wider range of devices and workflows, proving that powerful asset visibility does not always demand a hefty hardware investment.
Expanding Capabilities, Not Budgets
For the first time, DPM decoding moves beyond specialized warehouse equipment. This software-enabled feature extends DPM reading to a broader selection of Zebra Android devices, most notably the versatile TC-series mobile computers and our enterprise tablets. By using the standard integrated scan engines or even the rear-facing cameras, organizations can now address DPM use cases without purchasing new, single-purpose hardware.
This enhancement dramatically lowers the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for implementing component-level tracking. It’s a zero-cost capability extension available through a DataWedge update (v15.0.87+ on Android 14+), eliminating the need for specialized DPM SKUs or extra licensing fees. This approach makes robust tracking financially viable for more applications, empowering organizations to connect their frontline with the real-time data needed to optimize workflows.
Find Your Fit: Optimized Modes for Every Surface
We understand that DPM marks appear on a wide variety of materials and textures. A barcode etched onto a smooth microchip presents a different challenge than one stamped into a rough-cast engine block. To deliver reliable performance across these diverse applications, the software DPM feature offers two distinct optimization modes:
- DPM Mode 1 (Smooth Surfaces): Perfect for the tiny, laser-etched Data Matrix codes found on printed circuit boards (PCBs), medical instruments, and electronic component housings. This mode enables end-to-end component traceability in high-tech manufacturing and automates surgical asset management and FDA Unique Device Identification (UDI) compliance in healthcare.
- DPM Mode 2 (Rough/Machined Surfaces): Designed to capture larger, stamped, or dot-peened barcodes on machined metal parts, engine blocks, and heavy industrial fittings. This mode streamlines sub-assembly verification, work-in-progress (WIP) tracking, and long-term maintenance logging in industrial, automotive, and aerospace environments.
Accelerating Innovation from Proof-of-Concept to Deployment
One of the most significant benefits of this software-based approach is the speed at which you can validate its effectiveness. Because the feature runs on standard hardware your teams may already use, launching a proof-of-concept (PoC) becomes simpler and faster. Customers can easily test both DPM modes in their own environments to see the results firsthand. This streamlined evaluation process significantly shortens the sales and deployment cycles, allowing you to achieve intelligent automation and greater asset visibility sooner.
At Zebra, we believe in making work better for organizations, their employees, and those they serve by pursuing relentless innovation. This software DPM capability is a testament to that commitment. It unlocks hidden potential within our hardware and software ecosystem, giving you a more powerful foundation for intelligent operations. We design our solutions to help you achieve real-time insight and connected collaboration, and we are excited to see how you leverage this new capability to optimize your workflows and gain a competitive edge.
