Surefire packaging and serial numbers...

When I got my E1e not long ago, it came in a box with a slide out tray holding the light.

But when I look on ebay and other stores, I see that the E1e comes in a type of blister packaging. Are these different generations or something? Which type of packaging is the most currently produced?

About about their serial numbers... is the number I see on my light the number of the light produced at the time? For example, the # on my E2D is A331763. Does this mean I got the 331,763rd E2D produced?

SureFire do update their packaging, and they do evolve their products - some changes are in-line and most are not always obvious. There is no link between the packaging type and a change or generational difference in the flashlight.

SureFire uses serial numbers to uniquely identify each flashlight with the primary purpose being the users being able to tell the difference between one and the next (or yours and mine and his).
It is reasonable to assume that each serial number preceeding yours is assigned to a flashlight. SureFire manufacture and assemble products in batches with trays of each component being assembled. The serial number can be applied to the component (such as the body) before the bodies are assembled into products. It's possible therefore that a serial number serial hundred higher than another is shipped out first due to the component trays being stacked and such.

Al

Is there anyway to determine a manufacture date from the serial number or another stamping on the SF's?

Lane said:

Is there anyway to determine a manufacture date from the serial number or another stamping on the SF's?

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Nope. I'd guess we could narrow it down to within a year of so based on CPF members comparing serial numbers and purchasing dates.

Serial numbers or production dates for products are on the items because it helps in-house production and also to meet some government regulations. I would suspect a company the size of Surefire has a way of determining what date the light was produced based on the serial number (if they don't, the IRS and Consumer Product Safety Agency would not be happy campers).

There are many uses for the manufacturer serial number such as inventory control, quality control, bracketing how many items may have quality or safety concerns, keeping the Corporate lawyers happy, etc:laughing:.

rtt,
We do not know the extent to which SureFire uses serial numbers but regardless, as customers, even as flashlight enthusiasts, we can not resolve the manufacturing date from the serial number.
My guess is that the laser etching machine makes a date and time stamp against each serial number it etches onto each product. Trays of laser etched components can sit around waiting to be assembled into whole products. I'm not sure whether SureFire make a note of the serial numbers of the products at any other stage(s) of production and packaging.

To add to this, the serial number on the body is not necessarily the same serial number on the matching bezel.

For instance the serial number on my E1L body is A032709 whilst the KX1 head it was packaged with is BA31646.

Size15's said:

rtt,
We do not know the extent to which SureFire uses serial numbers but regardless, as customers, even as flashlight enthusiasts, we can not resolve the manufacturing date from the serial number.
My guess is that the laser etching machine makes a date and time stamp against each serial number it etches onto each product. Trays of laser etched components can sit around waiting to be assembled into whole products. I'm not sure whether SureFire make a note of the serial numbers of the products at any other stage(s) of production and packaging.

Click to expand...

I agree that the Customer cannot decipher the production date by the serial number. This is what I stated in my post: "I would suspect a company the size of Surefire has a way of determining what date the light was produced based on the serial number (if they don't, the IRS and Consumer Product Safety Agency would not be happy campers)."

If in fact SF etches the serial number on the body prior to assembly, I would guess that they have an optical reader that captures the serial number of the completed light prior to packaging to complete their information database of each light. Identification of electrical equipment that complies with standards such a FC and CE would require this type of information. A poster on this thread stated that his E1L had a different serial number on his KX1 head than what is on the body. This would be true because the KX1 bezel is a standalone purchasable electronic item by a Customer and must be able to be tracked.

FC and CE certification is very expensive and time consuming but is a requirement if you want to sell to government agencies (military, police, etc). This is another factor that influences their price point. CE certification is required for electronic items if you want to sell your products in Europe. So the bottom line is serial numbers are not used just to identify which flashlight is yours and which is mine.

Disclaimer: I do not have any knowledge of Surefire business practice. I only have some experience with CE and FC compliance and certification.

rtt,
We agree with each other.