Why is it important to make sure that bar codes are printed cleanly and clearly onto product labels? Not only does it show the professionalism of a company, it means that the scanning process will work properly when customers go to purchase your goods.
A complicated process occurs when a code is scanned. Peter Lynch breaks down what each section of a bar code does in a piece for the Irish Times. Although Lynch writes specifically about EAN-13 bar codes, what’s interesting is the way that the different numbers are meant to add up.
The 13 numbers, different for each code, are split into three sections: two groups of six and a single “check digit.” This last number works as a security check to make sure all of the other numbers are valid and that the code works. As Lynch writes, this can involve calculations that are simple but performed at great speed.
“Digits are cleverly weighted so as to trap common errors,” he said. “This enables single-digit errors and most two-digit errors, such as transpositions, to be detected and corrected.”
Because of this, the ink and equipment used to create bar code labels needs to be high quality. Bad bar codes could make it harder to scan certain items and therefore hold up sales or shipping progress. Keeping these pieces in good condition affects other areas of sale and could make purchasing more efficient.
As you’ll see on the Optimedia Labs website, we have the label printing software that will help companies create bar codes that can be printed in massive amounts and applied seamlessly to products. These solutions are meant to work well with technologically up-to-date printers but still be user-friendly through software “wizards” that can guide the design process.
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