 |
Products
Mobile Computers
Company News
BRS is excited to announce the launch of our New Website!
|
|
Barcode Facts for the Manufacturing and Distribution Industry
What is a barcode?
Barcodes (bar codes) are machine-readable symbols used to store bits of data. Barcodes are used for identification, tracking, inventory and as part of retail point of sale (POS) systems. Barcodes are used everywhere in the modern world and are there if you look for them (though most of us ignore them altogether).
What types are there?
There are different types of barcodes known as barcode symbologies. Different symbologies are used by different vertical markets. An example is the UPC (Universal Product Code) barcode scanned at the cash register. Some symbologies are fixed length, others variable length; some are numeric-only and others are alphanumeric (letters and numbers).
What’s a barcode scanner?
Barcode scanners are optical or laser devices that read and decode barcodes. They interpret the varying widths of bars and stripes or the matrix patterns then transmit the data within the barcode. Most scanners can read most barcode symbologies. They auto-discriminate or “read” based on each symbologies unique start and stop bar patterns at the beginning and end of the symbol. Many barcodes include a check digit to verify that the barcode number is correct.
What are the benefits of using barcodes?
Barcodes enable automated work processes without human intervention. Auto ID technology like barcodes is often called keyless data entry. Barcodes are fast and accurate, never dyslexic. The use of barcodes eliminates many errors and often saves time and money.
Are there specs and standards?
Various standards regulate the use of barcodes. Some standards describe physical characteristics (shape, size, data structure, character set, etc.) while others describe how barcodes are used in context (shipping standards, labeling standards, etc.) The important thing is that everyone who creates or scans a barcode agrees beforehand.
|
|
