Bulk Barcode Generator for Code 128

Barcode Technology - Code 128 Barcode               Hide the description

Code 128 is a high-density linear barcode symbology. It is used for alphanumeric or numeric-only barcodes. It can

encode all 128 characters of ASCII and, by use of an extension symbol (FNC4), the Latin-1 characters defined in ISO/IEC 8859-1.[citation needed]. It generally results in more compact barcodes compared to other methods like Code 39, especially when the texts contain mostly digits.

Valid characters:  0123456789!"#$%&''()*+,-./:;<=>?@[\]^_`{|} [Space]ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

Control characters:  ASCII 1-31,127

Code 128 Auto can encode the complete ASCII-character set. It will switching in all 3 character sets of Code 128:

Code 128A: Includes upper case letters and control characters.
Code 128B: Includes upper and lower case letters.
Code 128C: Specially optimized for numbers.

Code 128 is one of the many barcode formats currently in use.

A Barcode is a method of representing data in a visual, machine-readable form.

The barcode formats has two categories:

One-dimensional (1D) --- Barcodes represented data by varying the widths and spacings of parallel lines.

Two-dimensional (2D) --- Using rectangles, dots, hexagons and other geometric patterns to represented data.

For the end user, Code 128 barcodes may be generated by either an outside application to create an image of the

barcode, or by a font-based barcode solution. Either solution requires the use of an application or an application add in to calculate the check digit and create the barcode.

Check digit:

The check digit is a weighted modulo-103 checksum. It is calculated by summing the start code 'value' to the products of each symbol's 'value' multiplied by its position in the barcode string. The start symbol and first encoded symbol are in position 1. The sum of the products is then reduced modulo 103. The remainder is then converted back to one of the 103 non-delimiter symbols (following the instructions given below) and appended to the barcode, immediately before the stop symbol.
For example, in the following table, the code 128 variant A checksum value is calculated for the alphanumeric string PJJ123C:

==================================================================================
Code                   Value    Position     Value * Position

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Start Code A       103        1                103
                 P        48          1                 48
                 J        42          2                 84
                 J        42          3                 126
                 1        17          4                 68
                 2        18          5                 90
                 3        19          6                 114
                 C        35          7                 245
                 Sum                                   878
                 Remainder mod 103           54

===================================================================================
For the purpose of computing the check symbol, the shift and code-switch symbols are treated the same as any other symbol in the bar code. The checksum is computed over the symbol values, without regard for which code set is active at the time. For instance the code set C value "33" and the code set B value "A" are both considered to be a Code 128 value of 33, and the check digit is computed based on the value of 33 times the symbol's position within the barcode.

Barcode length optimization:

Code set C (Code 128C) uses one code symbol to represent two digits, so when the text contains just digits it will generally result in shorter barcodes. However, when the string contains only a few digits or it's mixed with non-digit character, it does not always produce a more compact code than code sets A or B.

Human Readable:

Most barcodes display their corresponding values below them, which makes it possible to human read and manually  enter the barcode values into the equivalent system when the barcode label is worn out and cannot be read by the barcode scanner.

Advantages:

If you want to reduce costs and save time, using barcodes is a good choice. Whether you are a company or a non-commercial organization, to improve efficiency and reduce overhead, barcodes are a valuable and viable option, which is economical and reliable.

Using a barcode 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 bar code design and printing cost are low. Generally speaking, 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.

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.

FAQ About Code 128 Barcode

What is the historical origin of the 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 blank space, start mark, data area, check character and terminator. It has three subsets, namely A, B and C, which can represent different character sets. It can also be used to achieve multi-level encoding through the selection of starting characters, code set characters, and conversion characters.

Why use a Code 128 barcode?

The reasons are as follows:

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 can be 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.

Who sets the standard for the Code 128 barcode? Why develop this standard?

The Code 128 barcode standard was developed in 1981 by Computer Identics Corporation (USA). It can represent all 128 ASCII code characters, suitable for convenient application on computers. The purpose of formulating this standard is to improve the coding efficiency and reliability of barcodes.

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 a check character and a terminator, which can increase the reliability of the barcode and prevent misreading or missing reading.

How do check characters and terminators increase the reliability of barcodes and prevent misreading or missing readings?

The check character is a character obtained by calculating the content of the data area after the data area of the barcode according to a certain algorithm. It helps the scanning device to check whether the barcode is read correctly, if the check digit does not match the calculated result, it means that the barcode is wrong. The terminator is at the end of the barcode and is used to indicate the end of the barcode. It can help the scanning device to determine the boundaries of the barcode and prevent irrelevant content from being scanned. Both symbologies increase the reliability of the barcode, preventing misreads or missed reads.

What is the difference between a Code 128 barcode and a GS1-128 barcode?

They differ mainly in the following points:

Different application scopes: Code 128 barcodes can be used for automatic identification in any management system, while GS1-128 barcodes must be used in the GS1 system to represent information on storage and transportation units or logistics units of goods.

The components are different: the Code 128 barcode is composed of a blank area, a start character, a data area, a check character, a terminator, and a blank area. The GS1-128 barcode adds an application identifier (AI) to the data area to indicate different types of data.

Different reading methods: any reader that can read Code 128 barcodes can read the data of GS1-128 barcodes, but it needs to analyze the application identifier to get the correct information.

What is the difference between GS1-128 barcode and EAN-128 barcode?

The difference is:

The name is different: GS1-128 is the new name for the EAN-128 barcode, which has been used since 2009 to emphasize that it is a standard of the GS1 organization.

The content is different: the GS1-128 barcode can represent more data types, such as batch number, expiration date, weight, etc., while the EAN-128 barcode can only represent the product number.

Different structure: GS1-128 barcode adds a FNC1 character before each Application Identifier (AI), which is used to distinguish different data segments.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Code 128 barcode?

The Code 128 barcode is a high-density one-dimensional barcode that can encode 128 ASCII characters. It has the following advantages and disadvantages.

Advantage:

You can choose from three different encoding types: A, B, and C, and choose the most appropriate method according to the data type and length.

Allows bi-directional scanning processing, improving recognition efficiency.

The length of the barcode can be adjusted freely, and up to 232 characters can be encoded.

Shortcoming:

It is necessary to add a check code, which increases the complexity of the barcode.

Need to use a special start character and terminator, occupying a certain amount of space.

There are high requirements on printing quality and scanning equipment, otherwise it is easy to make mistakes.

In which industry is the Code 128 barcode widely used?

Code 128 barcodes are widely used in internal corporate management, production processes, and logistics control systems. It has many application scenarios, mainly in industries such as transportation, logistics, clothing, food, pharmaceuticals, and medical equipment. It can encode numbers and letters, as well as some special symbols and control characters. There is also a subset of the Code 128 barcode called GS1-128, which is a product identification code for supply chain management.

Some application examples of Code 128 barcode.

Transportation and Logistics:

Used for ordering and distribution codes, product warehousing management, logistics control systems, ticket sequence numbers in international airline systems. Code 128 barcode is used for ordering and distribution in the logistics and transportation industry. They can encode the Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC) to identify and track containers and pallets in the supply chain. They can also encode other information, such as best before dates and batch numbers. Code 128 barcodes can be scanned by WMS to improve warehouse efficiency.

Internal supply chain:

Internal enterprise management, production process, logistics control system, ordering and distribution codes. Code 128 barcode can store various information, such as item number, batch, quantity, weight, date, etc. This information can be used for tracking, sorting, inventory, quality control, etc., to improve the efficiency and accuracy of internal supply chain management.

Logistics tracking:

Code 128 barcode is widely used in logistics tracking, it can be used to identify goods, orders, prices, inventory and other information. A subset of the Code 128 barcode is GS1-128, an international standard used to identify the level of containers and pallets in the supply chain. You can use a Code 128 barcode scanner to read this information quickly and accurately.

Production line process:

Code 128 barcode can be used in factory production line process management to improve production efficiency and quality. Code 128 barcodes can identify product numbers, batches, specifications, quantities, dates and other information to facilitate traceability, inspection, statistics and other operations during the production process. Code 128 barcode can also be integrated with other systems, such as ERP, MES, WMS, etc., to realize automatic data collection and transmission.

By affixing Code 128 barcodes to products or parts, you can track and monitor all aspects of the production process, improving production efficiency and quality.

By affixing Code 128 barcodes to packaging or shipping boxes, automatic identification and recording of logistics information such as entry and exit, distribution, and inventory can be achieved, improving the accuracy and efficiency of logistics management.

By affixing Code 128 barcodes to staff or equipment, automatic collection and analysis of personnel or equipment attendance, performance, maintenance and other information can be achieved, improving the level of human resources and equipment management.

How many types of Code 128 barcodes are there?

There are three subsets of Code 128 barcodes, Code A, Code B, and Code C. The Code 128 barcode can represent 128 ASCII values by switching different subsets, and the code length is theoretically unlimited.

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: uppercase and lowercase letters can be encoded, but control characters cannot be encoded.

Code 128 C code: only numbers 0-9 can be encoded, and every two numbers are represented by a barcode symbol, which is the most compact code set.

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