Lego Serial Numbers?

[DrJB]

I was looking at one of the threads (http://www.eurobrick...showtopic=96284) started by Jim (our Moderator on here) and in the picture below, you could clearly see some markings 19M4 in the middle. Are these 'serial numbers' and a way for TLG to somehow track the sets for recalls (as they did in 8043), production date, or other uses?

It would be interesting, for those of you who have multiple copies of a given set, to see if the numbers are all the same on the boxes, or different.

PS: By 'Serial Number' I do not mean that in the classic sense. Possibly a combination of Production Date and Item Sequence Number, just like in many goods (e.g. markings on the tires of your car)

Edited February 20, 2015 by DrJB

[ritztoys]

DrJB, I purchased two 8043's together, when Lego was selling faulty kits.

Both of the #'s match on the 'bar code' area of both copies I have, didn't give it much thought.

Any ideas?

Edited February 20, 2015 by ritztoys

[JamesJT]

It could be like sticker seals on lego boxes and refer to week and year of production, so 19th week 2014.

[Karle]

It could be a prototype mold mark. My 42030's bucket has no markings.

[DrJB]

It could be a prototype mold mark. My 42030's bucket has no markings.

I think the markings are on the cardboard box, not the actual bucket.

[weavil]

It could be like sticker seals on lego boxes and refer to week and year of production, so 19th week 2014.

Close, but most production codes the 4 would mean Wednesday. Let me look at my box.

Edit: mine says 25M4

Edited February 21, 2015 by weavil

[zux]

Isn't there a requirement in EU now, where packaging should have a certain number to help distinguishing between manufacturing batches.

PS. mine is 21M4

[Epic Technic]

I don't seem to have one. Wonder why ?

[D3K]

My guess it's sort of a batch number, or LOT number, as seen in for example ammunition. If a mistake is detected (for example a faulty part, or wrong part or the lack of a part), it's likely to be limited to a specific production run. Haven't noticed this before though, maybe it's a new system to be able to identify the batch without the need to open the box, as I believe was the case with the faulty 8043 LA's (wasn't the only way there to check the mold numbers on the parts themselves?)

[JamesJT]

You guys don't need to keep guessing, I already told you what it means.

Close, but most production codes the 4 would mean Wednesday. Let me look at my box.

Edit: mine says 25M4

Have a look at an 8265 box, there is no 9th day of the week but it was produced in 2009. Or a 8053, there is no 0 day of the week but it was produced in 2010.

It would be very strange if all my 2014 sets were produced on a Wednesday and my 2012 sets on a Monday.

Somebody PM Blakbird I'm sure he will comfirm if you don't believe me.

[weavil]

http://www.technicbricks.com/2010/10/how-to-easily-distinguish-and-change.html

As explained before here, each LA has an engraved production code that would allow to distinguish among new and old actuators. So far the code being reported is 36X0 but it will change for each production lot.

The codification consists of WWXY, where 'WW' is the calendar week number of production and 'Y' is the last digit from the year of production. This means that the new LAs are all those produced on week 36 from 2010 and after, whereas all those with earlier codes are from the initial design.

All I got for now.

[ritztoys]

My guess it's sort of a batch number, or LOT number, as seen in for example ammunition. If a mistake is detected (for example a faulty part, or wrong part or the lack of a part), it's likely to be limited to a specific production run. Haven't noticed this before though, maybe it's a new system to be able to identify the batch without the need to open the box, as I believe was the case with the faulty 8043 LA's (wasn't the only way there to check the mold numbers on the parts themselves?)

D3K..........when TLG had the problem with the LAs in the 8043 kits, folks as myself wrote their customer service for what to do. They asked about this code on my kits, and in return they sent me free of charge a bag containing all the new LAs. ( haven't used them, I prefer the 'old style' )