Don't get me wrong, it's not that I think it SHOULD be done at all, but by them saying the technology isn't there is utter nonsense. With todays laser applicators we could do this for pennies apiece to the parts, but keeping track of them afterwords would be a nightmare during production. You couldn't see them with the naked eye, knowing they are the right ones with the right serial number would be a pain.
Bottom line for me is that freedom loving people in the know will teach people how to deface these.