Component incorporating 3-D identification code

A method of making a component incorporating a 3-D identification code, comprising:

• depositing a powder onto a work surface;
• using radiant energy to fuse the powder;
• and
• repeating the steps of depositing and fusing the powder to build up the component in a layer-by-layer fashion, the component including a component body having an interior completely bounded by an exterior surface;
• and an identification code formed as a part of the interior, the identification code including a plurality of cells arranged in a three-dimensional space, at least one cell of the plurality of cells arranged within the interior, wherein a portion of the plurality of the cells are arranged in a two-dimensional array defining perpendicular first and a second dimensions, wherein the code defines a third dimension perpendicular to both the first and second dimensions, at least two cells displaced from each other in each of the three dimensions such that the identification code comprises a plurality of stacked layers, the each cell of the plurality of cells associated with one of the layers of the plurality of layers, each layer of the plurality of layers oriented along the first and second dimensions such that each layer defines an independent two-dimensional code of cells, wherein the cells are defined by varying position-independent properties.