Page 8 - Logistics News May 2018

Barcodes

Barcode symbology

Courtesy Cognex

Barcode technologies provide fast,
reliable data collection to ensure
item or package traceability and
enhance customer service.

BARCODES ARE machine readable
symbols that store identifying data about
the package or item with which they are
associated. These symbols, when read by
a barcode scanner, are decoded, recorded
and processed to extract the data for
a variety of uses (for example, pricing,
order fulfi llment, traceability through
production, sortation, shipping, etc.). Over
the years, diff erent forms of barcodes
have been developed to help businesses
around the world.

These include:

1-D linear barcodes
A 1-D (one-dimensional) barcode is the typical style with which we are most
familiar. All the information in the code is organised horizontally in bar and space
widths and read left to right by a scanner. Several versions of 1-D codes store
only numerical data while others can encode additional characters. The height
of the code varies based on the space available on a product and the ability of a
barcode reader to read a small or large sized barcode.

2-D matrix codes
In the 2-D (two-dimensional) matrix code type, the data is encoded as black and
white ‘cells’ (small squares) arranged in either a square or rectangular pattern. As
well as being able to encode huge amounts of data, the matrix code improves
readability and resistance to poor printing. They also include redundant data, so
even if one or more cells are damaged, the code is still readable.

Postal codes
This type of barcode lies somewhere in-between a 2-D and a 1-D linear barcode. Instead of encoding
data in the black bar and white space widths, these primarily use the height of the bars. The majority of
postal codes only use numbers, but a few are now starting to include letters as well.

22 May 2018 | Logistics News