Continuous strip encoding

Claim 1

Method for encoding continuous strip metal for subsequent identification of container end product cut from the strip comprising the steps of passing a continuous strip longitudinally through a continuousstrip processing line at a predetermined line speed, directing laser beam energy onto a surface of such strip along its longitudinal direction as the strip passes through the continuous processing line, controlling the laser beam energy level in coordination with the line speed of the continuous processing line to produce predetermined etching of the surface of the strip to provide perforation-free encoding of such strip, such surface encoding being free of damage which would limit container end product usage and extending longitudinally along the surface of the strip, sElecting such surface encoding and the lateral location of such longitudinally extending encoding of the surface of the strip to be less than the smallest dimension container end product to be cut from the strip so as to encode each such end product, measuring lateral movement of the continuous strip at a location contiguous to such impingement of laser beam energy during passage of such strip through the continuous strip processing line, and coordinating control of such lateral movement and the direction of such laser beam to provide encoding across the full width of the strip, and rigidly supporting such continuous strip to prevent strip flutter during encoding.