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1. What is a Barcode?
A barcode is a rectangular pattern, which consists of
black and white stripes of different widths according to
certain encoding rules, and is used to express a set of
information - a specific black and white stripe
represents a certain character or number.
The purpose of a barcode is: it can be read by a
machine.
When you scan a barcode with a barcode scanner/reader,
it converts the barcode's black and white stripes into
characters or numbers and inputs them into a computer or
other device (such as a smartphone).
For example: every product in the supermarket has an EAN/UPC
barcode printed on its packaging.
This EAN/UPC barcode represents a unique 7/11/12 digit
code.
The code is different for each product.
Scan the barcode and transfer the digital code to the
computer. The computer system can automatically search
for information such as the price of the product and
then calculate the amount.
Barcode scanners
are generally connected to the computer through USB or
PS2 ports. Just like a keyboard, scanning the barcode
and inputting the numbers and characters into the
computer is equivalent to using the keyboard to input
the corresponding numbers and characters.
Barcode is
actually a special font, and there are two types:
one-dimensional barcode and two-dimensional barcode.
One-dimensional barcode represents characters and
numbers by changing the width and spacing of parallel
lines.
A 2D
(two-dimensional) barcode is a graphic image that uses a
dot matrix of small black and white squares to represent
information. With this structure, a QR code can store up
to 7,089 characters, which is much larger than the
20-character capacity of a one-dimensional barcode. QR
codes are the most commonly used two-dimensional
barcodes.
2D barcodes are
also called quick response codes because they enable
fast data access. 2D barcodes are often used in
conjunction with smartphones. Users simply snap a 2D
barcode using the camera on their phone with a barcode
reading app installed.
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2. Barcode Types & Barcode Printing.
<1> Barcodes are machine readable.
Barcode
image can be read by special optical barcode scanner, it
also
called barcode reader.
Barcode images can be read by specialized optical barcode scanners, which are also known as barcode readers.
Nowadays smartphones with cameras can also read barcodes, they just need to install a barcode scanning app to perform the same job as a barcode scanner.
<2> Barcode
types / barcode formats.
There are many barcode types --- EAN-13, Code 39, Code 128, QR Code, etc.
More Info...
<3> Barcode
printer.
Using common barcode
software, you can use professional barcode printers to
print barcode labels, but these barcode printers are
expensive. If you use our free bulk barcode generator
software, you can also choose to use common office
inkjet or laser printers to print batches Barcode labels
via Excel data.
Our barcode generator software can also support all types of professional barcode printers.
<4> Paper used for printing barcode labels.
You can use professional self-adhesive label paper, or ordinary office A4, b5 paper, etc. Our barcode generator program supports all types of barcode label paper.
<5> An
example:
The barcode below stands for "ABCD12345678".
This is a one-dimensional
(1D) barcode.
Our barcode generator software supports almost all barcode types.
The pattern on the right is a type of two-dimensional barcode - QR Code, which can contain up to 4296 characters or 7089 numbers or images.
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<6> Expand:
Barcode History
Barcodes Applied Barcode Development
News |
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3. How to make barcodes?
We provides a low cost barcode label
printing solution, it has a unique functions:
Use our barcode label printing software, you can use Excel data
to batch print barcode labels
matrix sheet on
A4 paper or Avery label paper with a common laser or inkjet printer,
or generate barcode images with png, emf,
bmp format, or output barcodes to Word/Excel.
The effect will be better if the sticky label
paper such as Avery label paper are applied.
Our barcode freeware can also support all type
of professional
barcode label printer, Zebra, Tsc, etc.
Barcode printing setup
How to use barcode software
Use Excel data to print barcodes
Sequence barcode maker
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Barcode scanner
Barcode Printer
Export Barcode
Images
Barcode label paper |
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4. Our bar code
label design and printing
software print bulk (Use
sequential No. or Excel data)
barcode labels is very simple,
just need 3 steps:
Excel barcode Generator Software
Command
Line Barcode Software
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Step 1.
Enter the number for generate barcodes, you can
bulk
enter barcode data in batch text, sequence,
Excel, etc.
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Step 2.
** Specify the barcode's format, such
EAN-13,
Code 39, Code 128, ISBN, QR Code, etc.
** Specify the barcode's size.
** Specify how many label print on one page.
Tutorial - How to use this
barcode software |
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Step 3.
Print batch barcode labels sheet.
** Barcode
Generator program can print batch various
barcodes on one paper, or export to many popular
formats graphic files - png, emf, bmp, or copied to the windows
clipboard, they can be paste to the shipping
label, invoice, etc. or import into desktop
publishing software, word processing software or
the reports program of the ERP, MIS system.
Barcode
Size Test
Barcode Type Detect
Barcode Types
Label Design |
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With our
free barcode generator software, both
expensive barcode printer and professional barcode label design
software are unnecessary, the barcode labels can be
maked with the existing office resources, all you
needs just a barcode software. |
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Download
Now - Permanent Free Barcode Maker And
Barcode Label Printing Software |
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6. Our barcode generator software is designed for ordinary people.
Anyone can rapidly master it without
training, the following is the screen shot of
the barcode software, just need 3 steps to print barcode
labels. It has pre-define some barcode
label templates for batch barcodes printing to Avery
label.
Standard
Edition Barcode Generator Software:
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*****
This barcode software almost supports all 1D and 2D barcode
types, such as EAN-13, Code 128, and QR Code, etc. |
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Professional Edition Barcode Generator Software:
Use Excel data to
print bulk barcode labels - Detail Steps.
How to import data
from Excel.
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Download
Now - Permanent Free Barcode Maker And
Barcode Label Printing Software |
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7. Full version barcode generator software has more convenience on
bulk / batch input data.
*****
ES Barcode Generator Software supports large batch of bar code
labels' input and print. It requires you to input the
contents of the hundreds of thousands of labels at one
time, instead of one by one, then, bar code labels are
printed with batches. The contents of barcode labels
can also be input in Excel in advance, then import to
the barcode generator software, and bar code labels are
generated and printed with batches. It makes your job
more simple and more efficient. The barcode generator
software support multiple data input modes.
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(1) This
barcode program can import Excel data, so you can edit the
barcode data in MS Excel.
(2) Print
multiple different barcodes in one page from multiple
line text.
(3)
Generate multiple barcode labels of a sequence barcode
numbers.
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Click here to see the detail information and
screen shot of the ES Barcode Generator Software.
Excel Data to Barcodes |
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8. Print barcode label with Zebra or other professional
barcode printer.
Example:
Print barcode label with Zebra printer to a 4 X 2.5 "
label paper, using our barcode generator software.
1. Choose
"Customize Paper", manually enter the paper width and
height.
2. Columns = 1, Rows = 1.
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9. Design complex barcode label and print to matrix
label sheet (Such Avery label paper).
Detail Steps
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You can import
Excel data or automatically generate serial numbers or
enumeration data to print barcode labels in batches. |
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Barcode Printing:
How to use free barcode software to print
barcode label -- 2 ways:
A.
Print
bulk barcode labels with common laser /
inkjet printer to all kinds of label
paper.
B.
Print Barcode Labels to Professional
Barcode Printer: Zebra, TSC, Brother,
etc.
Detail Steps
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<>>.
Free online barcode generator no need to
install, the install version free barcode
software has more powerful features, it
can design complex labels contain
barcodes, texts, logo, etc. and print
bulk
barcode labels from Excel data.
MS Word format barcode product list and
description download |
<>>.
This barcode generator software is published on Download.cnet.com -- the first software
download site, and has the
most downloads quantity
in the Inventory
software category:
Free-Barcode-Generator-on-download-cnet-com
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<>>.
This barcode generator software is published on Softonic,
you can get reviews and safe download
from Softonic:
Click
this link to download:
https://free-barcode.en.softonic.com
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New
Version 6.8.19 Available - Free Upgrade
Now
New
Barcode Software Features
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Supports computer OS that use commas as
decimal points. Vertical printing. Add
ASCII key to barcode: TAB, Enter, etc.
Auto generate sequence number barcodes.
Support all type of barcode & QR
Code. Use
Excel data to print bulk barcode labels
and make barcode png emf bmp images.
For all professional barcode printer,
Laser / InkJet Printer.
Export to Word Excel for Make Barcode
Labels. Vertical Print
Barcode and Text. Add
Multiple Line Texts to Barcode.
Auto Resize to Fit Label Paper.
Detail of this
barcode software.
Can
run by command line.
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The
Advantages of using a barcode software system:
If you
want to reduce the costs and save time, using barcodes
system is a
good choice. Whether you are a company or a
non-commercial organization, to improve the working efficiency and
reduce overhead, barcode system is a valuable and viable
option, which is economical and reliable. The costs is
also lower -- just need to use our free barcode
generator software
and a common office use printer.
Using
Barcode software system eliminates the possibility of human
error. The error rate of manually entering data is
significantly higher than that of scan barcodes. Barcode
scanning is fast and reliable, and it takes much less
time than manual data entry. Especially when using a QR
code, hundreds of characters can be read and entered
into your system instantly. Our QR code / barcode
generator software is ease to use.
Using a
barcode software system can make the working process simple and
easy, so it can reduces the employee training time. It
only takes a few minutes to master the barcode scanner
to collecting data, employees no need to familiar with
the entire inventory or pricing process. This also
reduces the cost of employee training.
The barcode design and printing cost are low. Generally, no matter how they are used or where they are
posted, the cost is not high. They can be customized
economically, in a variety of finishes and materials.
Just use our free version barcode software, you can do
lots of thing to enhance your working efficiency.
The
barcode system is very versatile, it can be used for any
necessary data collection. This may include pricing or
inventory information or management information service
system. In addition, because barcodes can be affixed to
almost any surface, they can be used not only to track
the product itself, but also to track the production
process, shipments and equipments.
Using
barcode system will improve the inventory control is
improved, it can track inventory accurately, inventory
levels can be reduced it will lower the rate of
eavesdropping. The location of the inventory and device
can also be tracked, thereby reducing the time it takes
to find the inventory and device.
The
barcode system provide better data. Because a barcode
can store various information such as inventory and
pricing, especially when using QR Code, it can store
thousands of characters, so the data stored in the
barcode can be quickly obtained by the barcode reader,
this fast turnaround ensures that time is not wasted on
data entry or retrieval. In addition, the barcode can be
customized to include other relevant information as
needed. They provide fast and reliable data for various
applications.
When
barcodes are used in management information systems,
they can promote better decision-making. Because data is
obtained quickly and accurately, you can quickly obtain
a full range of information for the entire company or
organization, so it is possible to make more informed
decisions. Better decisions can ultimately save time and
money.
Barcodes
are cheap and user-friendly, providing an indispensable
tool for tracking data from pricing to inventory. The
end result of a comprehensive bar code system is reduced
overhead. |
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<<>>
When
you customize a batch of products at the
factory, in order to facilitate the
customer to identify and trace the
products, sometimes we need to put bar
code labels with different numbers on
each product. In this case, if the bar
code label is printed on the roll label
paper (as most barcode software do), it will be difficult to find the
corresponding numbered bar code label
you need to paste to a product, for the
barcode labels were rolled together order by
number, but the
products are not necessarily ordered by
their number, our barcode software
solves this problem. |
<<>>
Our
barcode printing software provides a
perfect solution: you can print a set of
barcode labels onto an A4 paper or Avery
label paper, so you can hold a "Barcode
labels book", to paste the corresponding
numbered bar code to the product, by the
page number of the bar code labels book,
you can easily find the bar code with the
number you need and paste it on the
product. This will greatly improve your
working efficiency. |
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Bar code
is by far the most economical and practical an automatic
identification technology. Bar code symbols as a means
of identification can be used alone, can also be
associated with the device identification system to
achieve automatic identification, and other control
equipment can be linked to achieve the automation of the
entire system management. At the same time, in the
absence of automatic identification equipment, but also
to achieve manual keyboard input.
Bar code
symbol recognition device is simple in structure, easy
to operate, no special training.
Barcodes
are easy to make and can be printed, known as "printable
computer language". |
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Download
Now - Permanent Free Barcode
Generator Software
If you need to over
print a bar code label on existing forms, shipping labels, invoices,
reports, etc. ES Barcode Generator software can satisfy
your requirement, just need a few quick mouse motions to set the
print position, you can print barcodes on any existing forms.
You also can print batch various barcodes on one paper, or
export to many popular formats graphic files, or copied to the
windows clipboard, they can be paste to the shipping label,
invoice, etc. or import into desktop publishing software, word
processing software or the reports program of the ERP, MIS
system, or insert barcodes to MS Word, Excel file and Avery
label templates.
Our
Barcode Software supports all the most popular bar code types,
the barcode data can be import from text or Excel file to
print bulk barcode label.
Our
Barcode Generator Software gives you the flexibility to meet your most
demanding labeling needs, it is a good choice for those who want
an easy way to print barcode label. |
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Technologies:
>> Barcode Since
their invention more than 50 years ago, barcode have been
enablers for accurate data capture, the rapid movement of goods,
and all types of automation. Whether at the Point-of-Sale, in a
hospital, or in a manufacturing environment these little black
and white images deliver incredible value.
>> There are many
different bar code symbologies, or languages. Each symbology has
its own rules for encoding characters (e.g., letter, number,
punctuation), printing, decoding requirements, and error
checking.
>> Barcode
symbologies differ both in the way they represent data and in
the type of data they can encode: some encode numbers; others
encode numbers, letters, and a few punctuation characters; still
others offer encodation of the 128 or 256 ASCII character sets.
Recently unveiled symbologies include options to encode
characters in any language as well as specialized data types.
>> Barcode
label in
common use are covered by international standards. International
standards also cover print quality measurements and equipment.
Bar code technology
standards define:
*** Rules for
representing data in an optically readable format,
*** Rules and
techniques for printing or marking,
*** Reading and
decoding techniques,
*** Rules for
measuring the quality of printed/marked symbols
***** Customize Barcode Label Program
Design Service.
We provide the customize barcode label
program design service,
for detail information:
Click
Here
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The history and
future of barcoding technology.
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Why use barcodes?
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Using barcode
have many benefits, such as:
Speed:
Barcodes make it faster to scan items at a store or track
inventory in a warehouse, this greatly improves the work
efficiency of store and warehouse staff. The barcode system
makes it faster to ship and receive goods, store items in a
sensible way, locate them.
Accuracy:
Barcodes reduce human errors in entering or recording
information, and enables real-time information access and
automated data collection whenever and wherever needed. They
have an error rate of about one in three million entries.
Cost-effectiveness: Barcodes are cheap to produce and print,
and they can save money by improving efficiency and reducing
losses. Barcoding systems allow organizations to accurately
record the quantity of product remaining, where it is located,
and when it needs to be reordered. This avoids waste and reduces
the amount of money tied up in excess inventory, resulting in
greater cost-efficiency.
Inventory
control: Barcodes help organizations track the quantity,
location and status of their goods throughout their life cycle,
improve the efficiency of warehouse goods entering and exiting
the warehouse, and make ordering decisions based on more
accurate inventory levels. |
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What are the
advantages and disadvantages of barcodes?
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Advantages of
barcodes include:
Capture data quickly
and accurately, reducing paperwork and the potential for errors.
Reduce labor costs.
To obtain
information in a timely manner, you only need to scan the
barcode label attached to an item to access its database through
the barcode system and obtain relevant information about the
item.
Improve production
efficiency and productivity.
Reduce employee
training time because using a barcoding system is easy and less
error-prone.
Improve inventory
management and allow managers in the organization to make better
decisions.
Disadvantages of
barcodes include:
Special equipment is
required, such as barcode readers and printers, which may break
or require maintenance, which incurs a cost.
Barcode labels are
more susceptible to wear and tear, making damaged or illegible
barcodes unreadable, which can lead to errors or delays.
Barcodes cannot
store large amounts of data because their information storage
density is low.
There may be a
security risk, the barcode cannot be encrypted and is easily
copied or tampered with. |
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In what
industries are barcodes widely used?
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Some common
barcode application areas are:
Ticket Verification:
Movie theaters, event venues, travel tickets, and more use
barcode scanners to verify tickets and the admission process.
Food tracking: Some
apps allow you to track the food you eat via barcodes.
Inventory
management: In retail stores and other places where inventory
needs to be tracked, barcodes help record the quantity and
location of items.
Convenient checkout:
In supermarkets, shops and restaurants, barcodes can quickly
calculate the price and total of items.
Games: Some games
use barcodes as interactive or creative elements, such as
scanning different barcodes to generate game characters or
items.
Example:
Barcodes for Food
Tracking: Apps that track the nutrition facts, calories,
protein, and more of the food you eat by scanning barcodes on
food labels. These apps can help you log your eating habits,
manage your health goals, or understand where your food comes
from.
Here are some
food tracking apps:
Lose It!: An app to
help you lose weight and stay healthy by letting you scan
barcodes to log what you eat and provide personalized
recommendations and goals.
Cronometer: This is
an app that helps you track your micronutrients and biomarkers,
it also lets you scan barcodes to log what you eat and provides
detailed data and analytics.
Fooducate: An app
that helps you understand food ingredients and quality, it lets
you scan barcodes to rate and compare different foods, and
offers healthy alternatives and recommendations. |
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What is the
future of barcoding?
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At present, the
application of bar codes has been widely involved in various
fields, such as logistics, commerce, medical care, education and
so on.
The future
development of bar codes may have the following directions:
1. Increase the
capacity and information density of the barcode so that it can
store more data, such as images, sounds, videos, etc.
The capacity and
information density of a barcode refer to the amount of data
that a barcode can store and the amount of data per unit area.
Different types of barcodes have different capacities and
information densities. Generally speaking, the capacity and
information density of two-dimensional barcodes are higher than
those of one-dimensional barcodes. At present, there are some
new barcode technologies, such as color barcode, invisible
barcode, three-dimensional barcode, etc. They all try to improve
the capacity and information density of barcodes, but they also
face some technical and application challenges. Therefore, there
is still room and possibility to improve the capacity and
information density of barcodes, but continuous innovation and
optimization are also required.
2. Enhance the
security and anti-counterfeiting of barcodes, and use
technologies such as encryption, digital signatures, and
watermarks to prevent barcodes from being forged or tampered
with. Specifically, there are several ways:
Encryption: Encrypt
the data in the barcode so that it can only be decrypted by
authorized equipment or personnel to prevent data leakage or
malicious modification.
Digital signature:
Add a digital signature to the barcode to verify the source and
integrity of the barcode and prevent the barcode from being
forged or tampered with.
Watermark: Embedding
a watermark in a barcode is used to identify the owner or user
of the barcode and prevent the barcode from being stolen or
copied.
These technologies
can improve the security and anti-counterfeiting of barcodes,
but also increase the complexity and cost of barcodes, so they
need to be selected and designed according to different
application scenarios and requirements.
3. Expand the
application scenarios and functions of barcodes, and combine
technologies such as the Internet of Things, big data, and
artificial intelligence to realize the interaction and data
exchange between barcodes and smart devices. Specifically, there
are several ways:
Scan the barcode:
Use the scanner or camera on the smart device to scan the
barcode to obtain the data in the barcode, such as product
information, coupons, URLs, etc., or perform corresponding
operations, such as payment, purchase, sharing, etc.
Generate barcode:
Use the application on the smart device to generate a barcode,
encode data into a barcode form, such as contact information,
location, photo, etc., or generate a specific function barcode,
such as WiFi password, Bluetooth connection, etc.
Identify barcodes:
Use artificial intelligence technology on smart devices to
identify the type and content of barcodes, such as product
names, prices, origins, etc., or provide relevant suggestions
and services, such as price comparison, evaluation, and
recommendations.
These methods can
realize the interaction and data exchange between barcodes and
smart devices, but they also need to consider the privacy and
security of users, as well as the compatibility and stability of
networks and devices. |
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Will barcodes
become obsolete?
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There are mixed
opinions about the future of barcoding.
Some people believe
that barcodes will become obsolete due to more advanced
technologies, such as RFID and NFC. Some believe barcodes are
still useful because they can accommodate high-speed printing
systems and multi-color encoding. Others believe that barcodes
will be integrated with other technologies, such as Google
Glass.
But barcodes will
not be eliminated because they have their own unique advantages.
The future of
barcoding depends on many factors, such as cost, efficiency,
security, compatibility, etc. It is a technology with a history
and it has applications in many fields, such as retail,
logistics, medical, etc. Barcodes will not be eliminated, but
may evolve and innovate alongside other technologies.
For example:
RFID has many advantages. It has high security, can store more
data, can be read from a long distance, can update and modify
data, and can prevent damage and tampering.
But RFID cannot
replace barcodes. Because barcodes cost less and have better
compatibility.
The disadvantages of
RFID are its high cost, the need for specialized equipment and
software, the possibility of interference from metals or
liquids, and the possibility of privacy and security issues. The
disadvantage of barcodes is that the amount of data is limited,
they need to be scanned at close range, the data cannot be
changed, and they are easily destroyed or imitated.
Although barcodes
are less secure than RFID, not all applications require a high
degree of security. So a wise choice is to use RFID in
applications that require high security, and use barcodes in
ordinary applications, because the cost of barcodes is much
lower than RFID.
Therefore, RFID and
barcodes have their own applicable occasions and cannot be
generalized. |
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What are the
alternatives to barcodes?
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There are many
alternatives to barcodes, such as Bokodes, QR Code, RFID, etc.
But they cannot completely replace barcodes, they each have
advantages and disadvantages, depending on your needs and
scenarios.
1. Bokodes are a
type of data label that can store more information than a
barcode on the same area. They were developed by a team led
by Ramesh Raskar at the MIT Media Lab. Bokodes can be read by
any standard digital camera as long as the camera is focused at
infinity. Bokodes are only 3mm in diameter, but can be enlarged
enough to be sharp enough in the camera. The name Bokodes is a
combination of the words bokeh (a photographic term meaning out
of focus) and barcode (barcode). Some Bokodes tags can be
rewritten. Bokodes that can be rewritten are called bocodes.
Bokodes have some
advantages and disadvantages compared to barcodes. The advantage
of Bokodes is that they can store more data, can be read from
different angles and distances, and can be used in areas such as
augmented reality, machine vision, and near-field
communications. The disadvantage of Bokodes is that the device
that reads Bokodes requires an LED light and a lens, so it costs
more and consumes more power. Bokodes labels are also more
expensive to produce than barcode labels.
2. QR Code is
actually a kind of barcode. It is also called a two-dimensional
barcode. They are both a way of storing data, but they have some
differences, advantages and disadvantages.
QR Code can store
more data, including text, pictures, videos, etc., while barcode
can only store numbers or letters.
QR Codes can be
scanned from any angle, while barcodes can only be scanned from
a certain direction.
QR Code has an error
correction function and can be recognized even if it is
partially damaged, while barcodes are more susceptible to
damage.
QR Code is more
suitable for contactless payment, sharing, identification and
other scenarios, while barcode is more suitable for the
management and tracking of goods.
Theoretically, QR
Code can replace all functions of one-dimensional barcodes.
However, many applications do not require barcode labels to
store large amounts of data. For example, EAN barcode labels for
retail products only need to store 8 to 13 numbers, so it do not
need to use QR Code. The printing cost of QR Code is also higher
than The one-dimensional barcode is slightly taller, so the QR
Code will not completely replace the one-dimensional barcode.
3. As mentioned in the above section, RFID will not completely
replace bar codes. |
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Please list some
application examples of barcodes.
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Barcodes have
many applications in factory management, such as:
1. Inventory
management: By scanning barcodes on products or raw materials,
the quantity, location and status of inventory can be quickly
and accurately recorded.
The application of
barcodes in factory inventory management has the following
aspects:
Receiving: By
scanning the barcode on incoming goods, the quantity, type and
quality of goods can be quickly and accurately recorded and
matched to purchase orders.
Shipping: By
scanning the barcode on shipped goods, the quantity, destination
and status of goods can be quickly and accurately recorded and
matched with sales orders.
Warehouse moving: By
scanning barcodes on goods and warehouse locations, you can
quickly and accurately record the movement and storage of goods
and update inventory information.
Inventory: By
scanning the barcodes on goods in the warehouse, you can quickly
and accurately check the actual quantity of goods and the system
quantity, and find and resolve discrepancies.
Equipment
management: By scanning barcodes on equipment or tools, you can
quickly and accurately record the use, repair and return of
equipment or tools and prevent loss or damage.
2. Production
tracking: By scanning the barcode on a work order or batch
number, production progress, quality and efficiency can be
monitored.
Barcoding systems are an automated tool that can help
manufacturers track inventory more efficiently, improve
production efficiency, and reduce human errors. Barcodes can be
used to track assets, materials and parts during factory
production, as well as installation status. Barcoding systems
can also monitor the efficiency of production, order fulfillment
and distribution processes in real time, improve order and
shipment accuracy, and reduce inventory and labor costs.
3. Logistics
management: By scanning the barcode on the shipping bill or
invoice, the transportation, distribution and delivery of goods
can be tracked.
Barcodes have a great impact in logistics management and
inventory management. They are an effective identification tool
that can help track products and greatly reduce errors.
Barcoding can also increase speed, flexibility, accuracy,
transparency and cost-effectiveness in logistics processes.
Barcode technology has been widely used in the logistics
industry, especially in the sale of goods in supermarkets.
4. Quality
control: By scanning the barcode on the product or component,
the specifications, performance and qualification rate of the
product can be checked.
The application of
barcodes in factory quality control has the following aspects:
Barcodes can help
track the production process and status of products. Using a
mobile device to scan barcodes can update and record product
information in real time, such as process, time, location,
quality inspection results, etc. This can improve the
transparency and traceability of production, facilitate managers
to supervise and optimize the production process, and also
facilitate customers to understand the source and quality of
products.
Barcoding can help improve the efficiency and accuracy of
quality control. Using barcoding technology, you can reduce
human errors, automate data collection and analysis, and provide
instant feedback and reporting. This saves labor and time costs
and improves the level of quality control and customer
satisfaction.
5. Traceability:
By scanning the barcode on the product or raw materials, the
origin, history and ingredients of the product can be traced.
The application of barcodes in improving factory product
traceability:
Barcodes can be used
as unique identifiers of products to record and store
product-related information, such as raw materials, production
date, batch number, quality inspection results, etc.
Barcodes can be
scanned quickly and accurately through mobile devices or
scanners, updating and transmitting product information in real
time, facilitating tracking and monitoring inside and outside
the factory.
Barcodes can provide
the complete history and status of a product through data
analysis and visualization, helping factories optimize
production processes, improve product quality, and prevent the
circulation of counterfeit or damaged products. |
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How many types of
barcodes are there?
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There are many
types of barcodes, but the most commonly used ones are the
following:
EAN-13 code:
Product barcode, universally applicable, supports 0-9 numbers,
13 digits in length, and grooved.
UPC-A code:
Product barcode, mainly used in the United States and Canada,
supports numbers 0-9, is 12 digits in length, and has grooves.
Code-128 code:
Universal barcode, supports numbers, letters and symbols,
variable length, no grooves.
QR code:
two-dimensional code, supports multiple character sets and
encoding formats, has variable length, and has positioning
marks. |
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Why are there so
many barcode types?
|
There are many
types of barcodes because they have different uses and
characteristics.
For example:
UPC (Universal
Product Code) is a barcode used to label retail products,
and it can be found in nearly every merchandise and grocery
store in the United States.
CODE 39 is a
barcode that can encode numbers, letters and some special
characters. It is often used in manufacturing, military and
medical fields.
ITF (Interleaved
Two-Five-Five) is a barcode that can only encode an even
number of digits, and it is often used in the field of logistics
and transportation.
NW-7 (also known
as CODABAR) is a barcode that can encode numbers and four
start/stop characters. It is often used in libraries, express
delivery and banks.
CODE 128 is a
barcode that can encode all 128 ASCII characters, and it is
commonly used in areas such as package tracking, e-commerce, and
warehouse management. |
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What kind of
organization is GS1?
|
GS1 is a
non-profit international organization that develops and
maintains its own barcode standards and corresponding issuing
company prefixes. The most well-known of these standards is the
barcode, a symbol printed on a product that can be
electronically scanned.
GS1 has 116 local
member organizations and over 2 million user businesses. Its
main office is located in Brussels (Avenue Louise).
GS1 History:
In 1969, the
American retail industry was looking for a way to speed up the
checkout process in stores. The Ad Hoc Committee on Unified
Grocery Product Identification Codes was formed to find
solutions.
In 1973, the
organization selected the Universal Product Code (UPC) as the
first single standard for unique product identification. In
1974, the Uniform Code Committee (UCC) was formed to administer
the standard. On June 26, 1974, a pack of Wrigley's gum became
the first product with a barcode that could be scanned in
stores.
In 1976, the
original 12-digit code was expanded to 13 digits, allowing the
identification system to be used outside the United States. In
1977, the European Article Numbering Association (EAN) was
established in Brussels with founding members from 12 countries.
In 1990, EAN and UCC
signed a global cooperation agreement and expanded its overall
business to 45 countries. In 1999, EAN and UCC established the
Auto-ID Center to develop the Electronic Product Code (EPC) to
enable the GS1 standard for RFID.
In 2004, EAN and UCC
launched the Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN), a
global Internet-based initiative that enables trading partners
to efficiently exchange product master data.
By 2005, the
organization was operating in more than 90 countries and began
using the GS1 name worldwide. Although "GS1" is not an acronym,
it refers to an organization that provides a global system of
standards.
In August 2018, the
GS1 Web URI structure standard was approved, allowing unique IDs
to be added to products by storing URIs (webpage-like addresses)
as QR codes. |
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What are EAN, UCC
and GS1?
|
EAN, UCC and GS1
are all commodity coding organizations.
EAN is the
European Article Numbering Association, UCC is the United States
Uniform Code Committee, and GS1 is the Global Article Numbering
Organization. It is the new name after the merger of EAN and UCC.
Both EAN and UCC
have developed a set of standards for using digital codes to
identify goods, services, assets and locations. These codes can
be represented by barcode symbols to facilitate electronic
reading required for business processes. GS1-128 barcode is the
new name of UCC/EAN-128 barcode. It is a subset of the Code 128
character set and complies with the international standard of
GS1. UPC and EAN are both commodity codes in the GS1 system. UPC
is mainly used in the United States and Canada, and EAN is
mainly used in other countries and regions, but they can be
converted to each other. |
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EAN Barcode
EAN, short for
European Article Number, is a barcode protocol and standard used
in supermarkets and other retail industries.
EAN-13 is
established based on the UPC-A standard established by the
United States to meet the needs of international applications.
EAN-13 consists of a
prefix code, manufacturer identification code, product item code
and check code, with a total of 13 digits. Its encoding follows
the principle of uniqueness and can ensure that it is not
repeated worldwide.
The EAN-13 barcode
standard was formulated by the International Commodity Barcode
Association. It is a world-wide commodity barcode system that is
designed to facilitate the identification and circulation of
commodities. The EAN-13 barcode standard specifies the barcode
structure, encoding method, printing requirements, etc.
There are four
types of EAN barcodes:
EAN-13: The original
13-digit format, suitable for countries around the world except
the United States and Canada, which use UPC barcodes.
EAN-8: 8-bit
compressed version suitable for small products.
EAN-5: A 5-digit
extension appended to the EAN-13 or UPC-A barcode to indicate
currency and price.
EAN-2: A 2-digit
extension appended to the end of the EAN-13 or UPC-A barcode to
indicate the issue number of magazines and newspapers.
UPC Barcode
The UPC-A barcode
is a barcode symbol used to track items in stores and is only
used in the United States and Canada. It consists of 12 digits
and each product has a unique code.
It was formulated by
the United States Uniform Code Council (now is GS1-US) in 1973, jointly
developed with IBM, and has been in use since 1974.
It was the first
barcode system used in supermarket checkout, and the first item
marked with a UPC-A barcode was scanned at the checkout counter
at Troy Marsh Supermarket.
The reason why UPC-A
barcodes are used in supermarkets is that it can quickly,
accurately and conveniently identify product information, such
as price, inventory, sales volume, etc.
The UPC-A barcode
consists of 12 digits, of which the first 6 digits represent the
manufacturer code, the last 5 digits represent the product code,
and the last digit is the check digit. In this way, as long as
we scan the barcode at the supermarket checkout counter, we can
quickly obtain the product price and inventory information,
which greatly improves the work efficiency of supermarket
salespeople.
What is the
difference between EAN-13 barcode and UPC-A?
The EAN-13 barcode
is developed by the International Article Numbering Center and
is universally used. The code length is 13 digits, and the first
two digits represent the country or region code.
The UPC-A barcode is
produced by the GS1-US and is mainly used in the United States
and Canada. The code length is 12 digits.
The EAN-13 barcode
and UPC-A barcode have the same structure and verification
method, and both have grooves. EAN-13 barcode is a superset of
UPC-A barcode and is compatible with UPC-A barcode.
The EAN-13 barcode
has one more country/region code than the UPC-A barcode. The EAN
Architecture includes Country Codes from around the World. There
is no Country Code included in the U.P.C. The U.P.C. was
developed to be different from the U.P.C., based on the Prefix
Number. An EAN allows for a four digit Company Prefix; where a
U.P.C. allows for a six digit Company Prefix. (Side Note - there
are variable Length Prefixes in the U.P.C., but NOT in the EAN).
A Hybrid Version of
the EAN is used for Books - the EAN Bookland Code. It begins
with 978, is followed by the first nine digits of the ISBN, and
then Check Digit.
How to convert
UPC-A to EAN-13 barcode?
UPC-A barcodes can
be converted to EAN-13 barcodes by adding a leading 0.
For example, the UPC-A
barcode 012345678905 corresponds to the EAN-13 barcode
0012345678905.
There are two types
of UPC barcodes: standard codes and shortened codes.
The standard code (UPC-A)
contains 1 digit system character, 5 digits manufacturer code, 5
digits product code and 1 digit check code.
The shortened code (UPC-E)
is the result of removing or compressing some numbers in the
standard code and can only represent 8 digits.
Code 128 Barcode
The Code 128
barcode was developed by COMPUTER IDENTICS in 1981. It is a
variable-length, continuous alphanumeric barcode. It can encode
all 128 ASCII characters.
Code 128 barcode
consists of a blank area, a start mark, a data area, a check
character and a terminator. It has three subsets, namely A, B
and C, which can represent different character sets. It can also
achieve multi-level encoding through the selection of starting
characters, code set characters, and conversion characters.
It can encode all
128 ASCII characters, including numbers, letters, symbols and
control characters, so it can represent all characters on the
computer keyboard.
It enables
high-density and efficient data representation through
multi-level encoding and can be used for automatic
identification in any management system.
It is compatible
with the EAN/UCC system and is used to represent the information
of the storage and transportation unit or logistics unit of the
commodity. In this case, it is called GS1-128.
Code128 is a
high-density barcode.
By using three
versions of character sets (A, B, C) and selection of start
characters, code set characters, and conversion characters, the
most optimal barcode can be selected according to different data
types and lengths. Appropriate encoding method. This can reduce
the length of the barcode and improve coding efficiency.
In addition, Code128
also uses check characters and terminators, which can increase
the reliability of barcodes and prevent misreading or missed
reading.
There are three
subsets of Code 128 barcodes
Namely A code, B
code and C code. Code 128 barcodes can represent 128 ASCII
values by switching different subsets, and there is no
theoretical limit to the code length.
Code 128 A code: can
encode uppercase letters and control characters (such as TAB,
CR/LF, etc.), but cannot encode lowercase letters.
Code 128 B code: can
encode upper and lower case letters, but cannot encode control
characters.
Code 128 C code: can
only encode numbers 0-9, and each two numbers are represented by
a barcode symbol. It is the most compact code set.
QR Code
QR Code was
invented in 1994 by a team led by Masahiro Harada of the
Japanese company Denso Wave, based on its original use for
marking car parts. It is a two-dimensional matrix barcode that
can be used for a variety of purposes.
Later, the encoding
and decoding rules of QR Code were formulated into multiple
international standards, such as AIM International, JIS X 0510
and ISO/IEC 18004:2015.
The reason why QR
Code is used instead of one-dimensional barcode in some
situations is that QR Code has the following advantages:
QR Code can store
more information because it uses a two-dimensional square matrix
instead of one-dimensional lines. One-dimensional barcodes
usually only store a few dozen characters, while QR Codes can
store thousands of characters.
QR Code can
represent more data types, such as numbers, letters, binary,
Chinese characters, etc. One-dimensional barcodes usually can
only represent numbers or letters.
QR Code can be
scanned and recognized faster because it has four positioning
marks and can be scanned from any angle. One-dimensional
barcodes usually need to be scanned from a specific direction.
QR Code is more
resistant to damage and interference because it has error
correction capabilities that can recover partially lost or
obscured data. One-dimensional barcodes generally do not have
such functionality.
The difference
between QR code and one-dimensional barcode:
Mainly lies in the
encoding method and information capacity. QR codes use a
two-dimensional square matrix, which can store more information
and represent more data types. One-dimensional barcodes use
one-dimensional lines, which can only store a small amount of
information and can only represent numbers or letters. There are
other differences between QR codes and one-dimensional barcodes,
such as scanning speed, error correction capabilities,
compatibility, etc.
Why are QR codes
faster to scan?
The reason why QR
codes scan faster is that they can express information in both
the horizontal and vertical directions, while one-dimensional
codes can only express information in the horizontal direction.
QR codes also have some special geometric patterns, such as
positioning patterns, alignment patterns and correction
patterns, which can help the scanner quickly identify the
position and direction of the QR code. QR codes also have
certain error correction capabilities. Even if part of the QR
code is blocked or damaged, the data can still be recovered.
QR Code is not
the only two-dimensional barcode
According to
principles, QR codes can be divided into two categories: matrix
type and stacked type.
Common types of
QR codes include: Data Matrix, MaxiCode, Aztec, QR Code, PDF417,
Vericode, Ultracode, Code 49, Code 16K, etc.
They have different
applications in different fields.
Why does mobile
payment use QR Code?
The reasons are as
follows:
QR Code can quickly
and easily transmit payment information without entering a card
number or password.
QR Code can reduce
the risks of contact payments and improve payment security and
hygiene.
QR Code can save the
cost of payment terminals and is suitable for merchants of
various scenarios and sizes.
QR Code can support
a variety of payment methods, such as bank cards, e-wallets,
third-party payment platforms, etc. |
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Those Important
Inventions: The Story Behind the Barcode |
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The origin of the barcode dates back to 1932, when a group of Harvard Business School students started a project to make it easier for customers to shop by catalog. The idea at the time was that when a customer wants to buy something, all they need to do is take a card from the store's catalog corresponding to the product they want to buy, and then give this card to a clerk, who will put the card into the mechanical card reader, and then the card reader will output the information of the product corresponding to the card....
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Barcode History |
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