Barcode Label: Everything You Need to Know

Every product we buy, whether it is food or otherwise, has a code made of lines and numbers. We are mistakenly led to think that it is an element useful only to identify the price of products at the supermarket checkout.

The use of barcodes allows us to simplify and optimize any process , reducing human error and automating repetitive and boring procedures.

Discover its use in detail in this in-depth article we wrote.

How does the Barcode work?

The barcode is the most widespread Automatic Identification System and there is no sector that does not provide for its use.

In fact, it is estimated that over 10 billion barcode labels are read every day in the world, but these numbers are destined to grow exponentially.

In detail, the barcode label has become a strategic element of product packaging , since only by reading it can the product be recognized with absolute precision.

For this very reason, it is unpleasant to stumble upon lesser-known errors, ruining their effectiveness.

The readability of a code is influenced by a number of factors, both technical and environmental . Although a barcode may not present defects that are obvious to the human eye, inconsistencies in the code, the surface of the material or even the positioning of the reader in relation to the code can cause non-reads .

The main cause of unreadable barcodes is often due to a limited number of issues that can be solved with adjustments to the barcode or the technology used to decode it.

Printing Multicolor Barcode Labels: Is It Possible?

Yes, it is possible, but not for all color combinations, for reasons of readability of the final product.

A black barcode on a white background is the most proven combination, because it has greater contrast, making it easier to read.

In general, it can be said that the background of the barcode should be very bright, but not metallic, and the bars should be dark and high in contrast to the chosen background.

It should be remembered that the primary function of a barcode is to carry data from the point where it originates to the point where it needs to be captured.

Therefore a barcode is a vital link in the data communication chain of any application.

If it fails, the chain is broken.

What is the purpose of barcode verification?

Therefore, barcode verification is a very useful tool to add to your quality control procedures to ensure that they are perfectly readable throughout the entire supply chain .

When barcodes are poorly printed or damaged and the quality of the code

is so compromised that the reader cannot decode it, data loss can have disastrous consequences on the logistics process.

Verification is an important “assistant” for those who print barcode labels and for those who receive them to establish whether at least the agreed quality level for acceptance has been achieved.

The test provides the quality grade relative to the probable performance of the code being read.

How do you verify a barcode?

The quality control of a barcode is carried out with special equipment, trying to regularly check the production to ensure a good result.

Alkam has all the necessary equipment to carry out the verification, delivering at the end of the process, a quality certificate of the printed barcodes, in compliance with the ISO/IEC 15426-1:2006 standard .

This allows us to do pre-press work to improve the barcode , to improve its reading, taking into account technical factors such as:

• Label printing technology

• Material used

• Different distortion

• Different amount of ink deposited

In detail, we will first check if the code corresponds exactly to what is required , the print contrast, the size of the bars, the percentage presence of defects on the bars, on the spaces, the modulation and of course the general degree of the symbol which makes us understand how easily we will be able to read it or rather if we will be able to read it at the first pass, which is what is generally required by international standards.

Barcode Verification: Here Are the Benefits

The greatest benefit offered by verification is undoubtedly related to the certainty that the barcode label will function as expected at all stages of the product's transit along the distribution chain, thus leading to a problem-free supplier-customer relationship.

In essence, checking the quality of a barcode is essential because it prevents printing errors and inaccuracies, guarantees the manufacturer in coding according to international regulations, eliminates returns and unsold goods to be re-labeled and improves the good corporate image.

Want to Get a Free Check of Your Barcode Label?

Alkam offers you the possibility to verify your label, click on this link ( https://bit.ly/3eUbyiJ) and follow the instructions.