Some manufacturers such as Petzl and DMM use a mixture of calendar and technical based information to make up their equipment serial numbers.

Their system comprises of a date figure YY/DDD with other company specific data for control/batch/serial number etc.

For example, if we take a serial number of 14125****** this would tell us that it was manufactured in 2014 on the 125th day of the year (this was 5th May).

If you have equipment with serial numbers set out in this format, you can use this great weblink to help you work out the numbered day of that year. 

Having the date of manufacture is important for working out when the equipment needs to be retired by.

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