1. A method for generating lot codes for items, the method comprising: at a server comprising a memory, a network interface controller, and a processor interconnected with the memory and the network interface controller, receiving, from a terminal via the network interface controller, a request to generate a lot code for an item manufactured from at least one subcomponent, the request including one of a plurality of item identifiers for manufactured items; from a plurality of lot code generation rules stored in the memory each corresponding to one of the plurality of item identifiers, automatically selecting one of the plurality of lot code generation rules that corresponds to the item identifier included in the request, the selected lot code generation rule including one or more lot code fragment definitions; retrieving, from the memory, at least one subcomponent attribute corresponding to the at least one subcomponent; retrieving data from at least one reference table stored in the memory, based on the lot code fragment definitions and the at least one subcomponent attribute; generating one or more lot code fragments according to the one or more lot code fragment definitions of the selected rule using the retrieved data; concatenating the generated lot code fragments to generate the lot code transmitting, via the network interface controller, the generated lot code to the terminal for printing the generated lot code.