1. Parts of a 1D barcode and determining bar sizing.
Technical Training
Barcode 102
Parts of a 1D barcode and determining bar sizing.

2. Agenda Parts of a barcode Determining mil’s and width of a bar
Print quality issues
An example of label and barcode specifications

3. Objectives You will be able to; Indentify the parts of a barcode
Calculate the number of dots needed to produce width of a bar and determine if a printer is capable of a given specification
Identify 3 reasons for poor reading of barcode
Determine information needed in a specification to print a barcode or label

4. Technical Training
Parts of a Barcode

5. Parts of a barcode Quiet Zone preceding and trailing barcode.
Set by the standard for the barcode application.
Often 10X’s the width of a narrow bar, but may vary based on organization that is writing the specifications for the use of the barcode.

6. Parts of a barcode Quiet Zone preceding and trailing barcode.
Set by the standard for the barcode application.
Often 10X’s the width of a narrow bar, but may vary based on organization that is writing the specifications for the use of the barcode.
Beginning
Character
Ending
character

7. Parts of a barcode Quiet Zone preceding and trailing barcode.
Set by the standard for the barcode application.
Often 10X’s the width of a narrow bar, but may vary based on organization that is writing the specifications for the use of the barcode.
Beginning
Character
Ending
character
Data – Formatted to Industry
& Barcode Specifications

8. Parts of a barcode Quiet Zone preceding and trailing barcode.
Set by the standard for the barcode application.
Often 10X’s the width of a narrow bar, but may vary based on organization that is writing the specifications for the use of the barcode.
Beginning
Character
Ending
character
Data – Formatted to Industry
& Barcode Specifications
1 or more optional
check digits

9. Some Barcode Specifications or Variables
Width of the narrow bar
May be identified as
X dimension (.xxx” or mil) [.0075” = 7.5 mil]
Narrow bar width (.xxx” or mil)
Characters per inch (W.X to Y.Z CPI) [6.4 to 7.8 CPI]
Ratio between narrow bar and wide bar
Fixed (Code 128)
Variable (Code 39 or Code 3 of 9)
Barcode height
Print interpretation line

10. Some Barcode Specifications or Variables
Width of the narrow bar
May be identified as
X dimension (.xxx” or mil) [.0075” = 7.5 mil]
Narrow bar width (.xxx” or mil)
Characters per inch (W.X to Y.Z CPI) [6.4 to 7.8 CPI]
Ratio between narrow bar and wide bar
Fixed (Code 128)
Variable (Code 39 or Code 3 of 9)
Barcode height
Print interpretation line

11. Some Barcode Specifications or Variables
Width of the narrow bar
May be identified as
X dimension (.xxx” or mil) [.0075” = 7.5 mil]
Narrow bar width (.xxx” or mil)
Characters per inch (W.X to Y.Z CPI) [6.4 to 7.8 CPI]
Ratio between narrow bar and wide bar
Fixed (Code 128)
Variable (Code 39 or Code 3 of 9)
Barcode height
Print interpretation line

12. Narrow bar width calculations
Technical Training
Narrow bar width calculations

13. Determine the width of a dot for the printer
Determine the DPI
200 = 203 = 203.6
300 & 600
Calculate dot width
1.000” ÷ dots ≈ ≈ .005” wide
1.000” ÷ 300 dots ≈ ” ≈ .003” wide
1.000” ÷ 600 dots ≈ ” ≈ .0017” wide

14. Determine the width of a dot for the printer
Determine the DPI
200 = 203 = 203.6
300 & 600
Calculate dot width
1.000” ÷ dots ≈ ≈ .005” wide
1.000” ÷ 300 dots ≈ ” ≈ .003” wide
1.000” ÷ 600 dots ≈ ” ≈ .0017” wide
1 mil = .001 = 1 thousandth of an inch

15. To print a .010 wide narrow bar
Width of bar ÷ width of dot = Number of dots
200 DPI
.010 ÷ .005 = 2 Dots
300 DPI
10 mils ÷ 3 mils = 3.3 Dots rounded to 3 dots
Actual width would be .0099”
600 DPI
.010 ÷ = Dots rounded to 6 dots. Actual width would be .0098”

16. To print a .025 wide narrow bar
Width of bar ÷ width of dot = Number of dots
200 DPI
.025 ÷ .005 = 5 Dots
Actual width would be .0246
300 DPI
.025 ÷ .003 = 8.1 Dots rounded to 8 dots
Actual width would be .0263”
600 DPI
.025 ÷ = Dots rounded to 16 dots
Actual width would be .0256”

17. Some specifications may not be achievable
Some specifications may have a narrow bar specification of say .011” to .013”
200 dpi
2 X = .0098
3 X = .0147
Can not get there!
300 dpi
.0033 X 3 = .0099
.0033 X 4 = .0132
You are good!

18. Bar Code Quality Considerations

19. Ways to generate an barcode image
Printer specific commands sent to the printer and printer generates image
Created as a bitmap by the application and sent to the printer. Printer may then need to “round” bar widths to match DPI
Use of a barcode font in an application

20. Some Things That Affect Barcode Readability
Equal lines & spaces
Black lines too wide.
How close are the narrow black lines and the narrow “voids" or “white lines” to the same dimension.
How straight are the edges of the bars
Good
Poor contrast
Absence of printed clutter around barcode (quiet zones)
Contrast between the darkness of the bars and the back ground of the label

21. Scanners – Reads the bar code
Scanner types
Scanners – Reads the bar code
Laser
Red line
May use red line or infrared
CCD
Imager
Verifier – Grades the barcode

22. May be read from left to right or right to left
Laser type scanner
May be read from left to right or right to left

23. May be read from left to right or right to left
Laser type scanner
May be read from left to right or right to left
% R
“Space” areas reflect light -- high reflectance
“Bar” areas absorb light -- low reflectivity

24. Barcode Specifications
Responsibility of the integrator to find and follow

25. Specifications Organizations
American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
Electronic Industries Association (EIA)
IBM
Unicode Code Council (UCC/EAN)
To name a few
An organization may have more than one specification.
May write the specification for just the barcode or an entire label.

26. Sample Specification – Barcode related EIA-556-A Outer Shipping Container Bar Code Label Standard

27. Barcode symbology to use
Sample Specification – Barcode related EIA-556-A Outer Shipping Container Bar Code Label Standard
Barcode symbology to use

28. Barcode symbology to use
Sample Specification – Barcode related EIA-556-A Outer Shipping Container Bar Code Label Standard
Barcode symbology to use
Width of narrow bar, also referred to as Modules

29. Ratio between the narrow bars and wide bars
Sample Specification – Barcode related EIA-556-A Outer Shipping Container Bar Code Label Standard
Ratio between the narrow bars and wide bars
Height specification
Grade or readability of the barcode

30. Label readability requirements for Human Readable data
Label & Data Specs EIA-556-A Outer Shipping Container Bar Code Label Standard
Label readability requirements for Human Readable data

31. Data that needs to be included on the label
Label & Data Specs EIA-556-A Outer Shipping Container Bar Code Label Standard
Label readability requirements for Human Readable data
Data that needs to be included on the label

32. Sample Specification –
EIA-556-A Outer Shipping Container Bar Code Label Standard

33. Review
Parts of a Barcode
Calculating the width of a narrow bar
Readability issues
Sample Specification

34. Can you do these now?
Indentify the parts of a barcode
Calculate the number of dots needed to produce width of a bar and determine if a printer is capable of a given specification
Identify 3 reasons for poor reading of barcode
Determine information needed in a specification to print a barcode or label