Date of manufacture (outline factory)
The standard’s wording, as the sources below reproduce it:
“Indicates the date when the medical device was manufactured.”
ISO 15223-1:2021, 5.1.3 · ISO 7000-2497
What it means for you
The date printed beside the empty factory is when this unit was made. It is a production date, not an expiry date — the hourglass is the use-by date. Read the date format carefully: labels usually print it as year first (for example 2026-03 or 2026-03-14).
Whether a device is right for you is a question for your pharmacist, nurse or doctor.
- What it looks like
- The same factory with sawtooth roof and chimney as the manufacturer mark, but drawn in outline only (empty inside), followed by a date.
- Where you see it
- Next to the LOT code on device boxes and on the device itself for equipment such as blood-pressure monitors and hearing aids. Many single-use products print only a use-by date instead.
- Other names
- manufacture date; MFG date; made on
What it does not tell you
It is not a deadline. A product made two years ago can still be within its use-by date, and a recent one can have a short life — only the hourglass date says when not to use it.
Often confused with
Indicates the medical device manufacturer.
Sources
ISO 15223-1 is a paid standard, so the wording above is quoted as 3 publishers’ public documents reproduce it. Each was fetched and read on the date shown:
- Boston Scientific: Symbols Glossary — ISO 15223-1 5.1.3 “Date of manufacture — Indicates the date when the medical device was manufactured”, image labelled ISO 7000-2497. Checked 2026-09-25.
- NE Scientific: Master Symbol Glossary (CTF-100011 Rev 01) — Shows the outline factory for reference no. 5.1.3 (ISO 7000-2497), “Date of manufacture”. Checked 2026-09-25.
- BÜHLMANN Laboratories: Symbol glossary, version 03 (release date 2025-02-04) — “Indicates the date when the medical device was manufactured. This symbol shall be accompanied by a date to indicate the date of manufacture.” Checked 2026-09-25.
Plain-language parts are in our own words; quotations are the sources’ wording.