I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about finding information about specific UPC’s.  Who manufactures the product, where is the product made, etc.  So I thought I’d pass along some tips to help you find this type of information.  There are actually numerous websites that will perform UPC lookups for you and search databases to find your UPC, or one that is similar.  If you Google ‘UPC lookup’ several choices will appear.  But you can also simply type your UPC in the Google search bar to find information as well.  Google will take the UPC you’re searching for and automatically reference a link to a database that will perform the lookup.  The picture below is an example of this feature.  I believe you need to format the UPC with the spaces for this to work correctly.  I hope this helps anyone that needs to find this type of information.

This question provides the basics for anyone thinking of purchasing a barcode scanner that is unfamiliar with what 1D, 2D and CCD (Charge Coupled Device) scanners are capable of.

Question:  We are a manufacturing company that manufactures large machines.  We are looking at barcoding inventory items as well as tracking jobs on the floor.  We are looking at hand held wireless barcode scanners and we were wondering about the differences in 1D, 2D and CCD. They will be used inside as well as outside the plant.  Also how do I know how far away they will scan?

Answer:  Those are some good questions. First, to answer the difference between 1D, 2D, and CCD scanners, you’ll want to go with a 2D scanner most likely. CCD scanners are for close contact scanning, so if you try to scan a barcode more than 2 or 3 inches away a CCD scanner won’t work for you. I would suggest going with a 2D scanner for the simple fact that they can also scan 1D barcodes. Most scanners on the market come with imaging technology, which will allow you to scan 1D and 2D barcodes, as well as take pictures. For example, the Intermec SR61ex scanner pictured at left is capable of all those things and can scan from 6 inches to 50 feet away.  For the most part, you aren’t losing any quality or speed in your scans, in fact, imaging can provide better results than laser scanners in most instances.

As for how far the scanner will read, that all depends upon the scan engines you have in your device as well as the radio that you have. I would suggest talking with a Systems Integrator in order to find the best scanners/mobile computers for your applications. If you are working in an indoor/outdoor environment you will also have to take a look at the screen to ensure that you can read it in both environments. If you would like more help determining what kind of devices are right for your environment, please contact me at ehodges@barcode.com.

I received this question a few weeks ago and thought it might be helpful for others using Direct Part Mark (DPM) barcodes.

Question- Ever worked with reading barcodes that are laser marked on metal tags?  Trying to do this but having difficulties, might be too reflective or not enough contrast, not really sure.

Answer- Thanks for your question.  I myself have never worked with reading barcodes that are laser marked, but I know that sometimes getting good reads can be difficult.  Lighting, contrast, positioning of the scanner and the scanner you’re using all make a big difference.  If you’re having trouble with your existing barcode scanner you may want to look into purchasing a DPM-enabled barcode scanner.  These scanners are capable of reading traditional barcodes as well as chemical etching, dot peening, laser etching, molding and casting methods. I know that Motorola has an extensive line of Direct Part Mark (DPM) scanners that are built to work for these types of scans.  If you’d like more information about DPM or help finding a DPM barcode scanner, please contact me at ehodges@barcode.com.

I got this question awhile back and thought it would be a good topic to cover for others as well.  The answer to this question explains some of the factors affecting barcode print size.

Question- I’m wondering how far you can reduce an ITF-SCC barcode and still have it read well.

1″ wide?  2″ wide?

Answer- The print size actually depends on several factors and there isn’t really a universal answer.  The biggest factors are the type of barcode printer you’re using and the type of scanner.  If you use a printer with a high DPI (dots per inch) you can make the barcode smaller.  Most barcode printers print at 203 DPI, but some printers are capable of 300 or 600 DPI, which allows you to print a smaller barcode with the same high quality.  The same is true with the barcode scanner, the higher the quality, the smaller the barcode can be.  You also need to take into consideration the environment the barcode will be scanned in as well as the material it is printed on.  Your best bet is to use a high quality barcode printer and a high quality barcode scanner, this should allow you to create a smaller barcode with good scanning quality.  So remember, the biggest factors affecting print size are:

• the symbol you’ll be using
• the environment it will be used in
• how it will be printed
• what it will be printed on
• how it will be scanned

If you need any help finding the right printer or scanner, please contact me at ehodges@barcode.com.

This Question of the Week should help anyone having problems getting quality reads from barcodes.  It provides some possible causes and prevention tips.

QUESTION:

I am having a few issues with UCC128 barcodes. It seems that every now and then the entire barcode is not read, only a portion of it. How can this be prevented from happening? I am new to barcodes but from what I read error checking is automatic on this format.

ANSWER:

Without knowing all of the particulars, it could be a number of different things. Maybe a faulty element on the printhead (this could cause just one spot to print incorrectly), possibly a ribbon wrinkle or bad media. Having a bad printhead element can be pretty common. If you’ve been using your printer for awhile and haven’t changed the printhead, this could be the problem.

As far as preventing this from happening, investing in a barcode quality verification system might be a good idea. Depending on how valuable this barcode is to your operations, you could benefit from a verification system that ensures maximum reliability for all of your barcodes.

Barcode verification systems can be online or portable.  Online barcode verification systems analyze each barcode after it has printed to ensure that every barcode is scannable.  Portable barcode verification systems provide point and shoot spot checking of barcodes.  Both types of solutions are sure to improve quality, increase productivity and reduce unnecessary costs.  If you’d like more information about online or portable barcode verification systems please contact me at ehodges@barcode.com.