1. Barcode 101b
OR Barcodes from 10,000’

2. Label creation lab’s for you to work through
Agenda
Intro to barcodes
Label creation lab’s for you to work through

3. You will be able to; Objectives
Indentify who is responsible for setting barcode standards
ID some symptom fixes for common issues
ID where spec’s come from for a project
Identify if a barcode is 1D or 2D
Create a label to specifications set forth in a lab using ZPL2
Create a label to specification set forth in a lab using EPL2 (page mode)

4. Common printing problems

5. Verify printer operation
Customers complains of “lines” in the barcode
Ask if
Extra gray or black lines
Clean the media and ribbon paths
Check condition of Strip Plate
Ribbon wrinkle
Voids or spaces in the print that should not be there
Dirty printhead
Bad elements
Cut in platen roller
Use Pause Test to check quality

6. No image for barcode Symptoms
Printer may not support barcode symbology
Check current list of barcodes supported by firmware may need to upgrade firmware
Not supported printer (Z140 to140Xi3)
Bitmap from application not correct or incomplete

7. Symptoms
Sometimes not scanning or not a high enough “Grade” for the quality of the barcode
Driver/application bitmap or printer generated
Picket fence vs. ladder
Dirty or worn printhead
Darkness setting
Could be too low or too high
Speed setting
Mismatch between media and ribbon

8. Not the right “size” (width of bars)
Symptoms
Not the right “size” (width of bars)
Printer generated
Use ^BY command to set width of narrow bar
Use ^BY command to set ratio between narrow and wide
Application/Driver generated
Change size in application

9. Barcodes should be readable by scanner
Symptoms
Not Scanning
Try printing Feed Key test with a large enough label
Checks darkness settings at different speeds
Ladder & Picket Fence samples
Use a verifier to check grade
Barcodes should be readable by scanner
If this is a new format - try a different, known, working format, or create a simple label
See slide “Sometimes not scanning” for more items to check

10. Parts and Types of Barcodes
Detailed description of the parts will be covered in BC-102.

11. General parts of a barcode Slide 1 of 2
Quiet Zones before and after the barcode
Start and end characters
Define the beginning & end of bar code
Allows the barcode to be read left to right or right to left and the application/scanner to decode the barcode correctly
Check digit
Provides a means to ensure the data is correctly read
Many forms based on the symbology

12. General parts of a barcode Slide 2 of 2
Data - Information that is to be encoded
Just numbers
UPC code
Weight
Quantity
Numbers and letters
Address
Special control characters that identify the type of barcode or the encoding as with the 128

13. 1d or linier Types of barcodes Series of lines and spaces
May be read by a linier laser
Code 128
Code 39 or
3 of 9
USPS Zip + 4
Uses height

14. 2d barcodes Types of barcodes Code 49 AZTEC PDF417 Maxi Code (UPS)
Aztec code
Maxi Code
PDF417

15. Barcodes and ZPL

16. ZPL Programmers guide ^BY command
Use soft copy on PC to open ^BY command
Parameters
Discuss actual width

17. Word document with label requirements Use the ZPL Programmers Guide
LAB Exercises
Word document with label requirements
Use the ZPL Programmers Guide
Sales Driver
See the ZPL section in the Tech. Support Cert. section for more data.
Please questions and comments to Bruce

18. Questions

19. OR Barcodes from 10,000’ & Basic ZPL Programming