FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
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General Barcoding | Retail Codes | Code 39 | Code 128 | ITF | Labels, Tags & Ribbons | I.D. Cards
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Q. What do I need to know about bar codes?
A. Listed below are characteristics that most bar codes have in common:
Bars and Spaces - Each symbol has a defined pattern of bars and spaces that can be read or scanned by a bar code reader. The width of both bars and spaces vary allowing the representation of different characters. The height of the bars has interpretive information, yet provides data redundancy so that the scanner is not limited to a single scan path.
Character Set - Each bar code symbology has its own defined character set. In some cases these sets are alphanumeric with the addition of some special characters, while other symbologies only allow for the encodation of the digits 0 through to 9.
Human Readable Information - The information encoded in a bar code may be represented in a human-readable form above or below the printed bar code symbol. This human-readable representation is optional with some codes, while mandatory with others.
Fixed vs Variable Length - Some bar code symbologies vary in length, contingent upon the amount of information that needs to be represented. Other symbologies have a fixed length and always contain the same amount of encoded information.
"X" Dimension - Each bar code symbol has a defined "X" dimension, or narrow bar. This bar is measured in thousandths of an inch (or "mils") and directly affects the physical size of bar code.
Modular vs Binary - With a modular bar code, information is encoded using bars and spaces that vary from one to four.
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General Barcoding | Retail Codes | Code 39 | Code 128 | ITF | Labels, Tags & Ribbons | I.D. Cards
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Q. What do I need to know about barcoding products for the retail market
A. Before any product can be labelled for use within a retail environment, you will need to have the product registered, this is done by contacting the GS1 UK.
Q. Who are GS1 UK
A. GS1 UK is the UK authority on cross sector supply chain standards. Part of the worldwide EAN network, GS1 UK delivers supply chain standards and services from for bar coding, electronic business messaging, data synchronisation and radio frequency technology using the EAN.UCC System.
GS1 UK is a not-for-profit business association with over 17,000 UK members. GS1 UK's global standards achieve efficiencies and improved business benefits for companies and the supply chain as a whole. GS1 UK aims to make standards and the adoption of related technology accessible and affordable for the largest to the smallest UK companies.
The worldwide EAN International network now boasts over one million member organisations, operating in 133 countries and support in excess of five billion transactions per day.
Q. How do I contact GS1 UK.
A. There are several ways to contact GS1 UK, they are: -
Post : 10 Maltravers Street, London, UK, WC2R 3BX
Telephone : 0207 655 9000
Fax : 0207 681 2290
E Mail : info@gs1uk.org/
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General Barcoding | Retail Codes | Code 39 | Code 128 | ITF | Labels, Tags & Ribbons | I.D. Cards
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Specifications of the common codes :
Code 3 of 9, or code 39, is a symbology used widely in industrial applications. Dr David Allais invented this symbol and AIM USA developed the Uniform Symbology Specification. The Department of Defense (USA), the health industry and the automotive industry have also adopted Code 39 as their industry standard.
The Character Set is 0-9,A-Z,-,.,%,/,space,+,*.
Encodation - Five bars and four spaces are required to encode a character. Three of the nine bars and spaces are wide while the other six are narrow.
Start/Stop patterns - Always the character "*".
Code Type - Binary, varying length.
Human-Readable - Optional, though it is typically used.
Check Character - Optional, (modulus 43 calculation).
Encoded Information - Contingent upon data requirements.
Allowable Sizes - minimum "X" dimension: .0075 inches.
Wide to Narrow Ratio:
2:1 to 3:1 with "X" dimension > .020 inches.
2.2:1 to 3:1 with "X" dimension < .020 inches.
Allowable Symbol Height - The greater of .25 inch or 15% of the symbol length.
This is a Code 39 symbol encoding the data CODE39
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General Barcoding | Retail Codes | Code 39 | Code 128 | ITF | Labels, Tags & Ribbons | I.D. Cards
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Code 128 is frequently used in industrial, retail and shipping applications. Ted Williams invented this symbology and AIM USA developed the Uniform Symbology Specification.
Character Set - The full ASCII set (128 characters). One of the advantages of this symbology is the ability to encode all 128 characters of the standard ASCII code chart.
Encodation - Three bars and three spaces are required to encode a character.
Start/Stop patterns - One of the three start characters A,B or C shall be used at the beginning of the symbol to define initial code set. The stop pattern is seven elements comprised of four bars and three spaces. The Start/Stop pattern shall not be used within the symbol nor shown in human-readable interpretation.
Code Type - Modular, varying length (UCC/EAN- 128 has several formats defined).
Human-Readable - Optional, though it is typically used.
Check Character - Required, (modulus 103 calculation).
Encoded Information - Contingent upon data requirements.
Allowable Sizes - minimum "X" dimension: .0075 inches.
Allowable Symbol Height - The greater of .25 inch or 15% of the symbol length.
This is a Code 128 symbol encoding the data CODE128
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General Barcoding | Retail Codes | Code 39 | Code 128 | ITF | Labels, Tags & Ribbons | I.D. Cards
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The ITF is a bar code symbology used in industrial and retail applications. Dr David Allais invented this symbol and AIM USA developed the Uniform Symbology Specification. The UCC recognises this symbology for shipping container marking in the Application Standard for Shipping Container Codes.
Character Set is 0-9.
Encodation - The ITF pairs characters and encodes the first digit of the pair on five bars and the second digit of the pair on the five interleaving spaces. Two of the five spaces or bars used to encode a character are always wide.
Start/Stop patterns - Starts with four narrow elements beginning with a bar, and stops with a wide bar followed by two narrow elements.
Code Type - Binary, varying length. I 2 of 5 requires an even number of digits to encode information.
Human-Readable - Optional, though it is typically used.
Check Character - Optional, however, Modulus 10 required when using the SCC-14 specification.
Encoded Information - Contingent upon data requirements although as previously stated, an even number of digits is required. A leading zero is used if there is an odd number of digits.
Allowable Sizes - minimum "X" dimension: .0075 inches.
Wide to Narrow Ratio:
2:1 to 3:1 with "X" dimension > .020 inches.
2.2:1 to 3:1 with "X" dimension < .020 inches.
The SSC-14 specifications outline "magnifications" that are allowable.
Allowable Symbol Height - The greater of .25 inch or 15% of the symbol length.
This is an Interleaved 2 of 5 symbol encoding the data 1998
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General Barcoding | Retail Codes | Code 39 | Code 128 | ITF | Labels, Tags & Ribbons | I.D. Cards
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Q. What types of ribbon are available for thermal printing?
A. Wax, Wax/Resin, Resin.
Q. Are colour ribbons available for thermal printing?
A. Yes. Red, Green, Blue, Yellow and a selection of process colours.
Q. What ribbon is used on paper and tag stocks?
A. General purpose wax ribbon will give you the best print quality and the most scratch resistance.
Q. On light synthetics what ribbon can I use?
A. General purpose resin will give you the best print quality and the most scratch resistance.
Q. When printing polyester labels what ribbon can I use?
A. Wax/Resin or Resin ribbons must be used when printing on any shiny vinyl thermal stock.
Q. Why is direct Thermal used more than Thermal Transfer?
A. There is no ribbon required for direct thermal printing, therefore making the cost per label slightly cheaper.
Q. Can thermal transfer be printed on any printer?
A. No. The printer must be capable of using a ribbon to print.
Q. Can I print on labels that have my logo or other printing?
A. Yes. You can print on labels that have been (pre-printed) on a press, as long as there is no print in the way of the sensor.
Q. What label and ribbon do I use when I need to withstand harsh chemicals such as gasoline, alcohol, UV rays?
A. You would need to use a polyester label combined with a resin ribbon. The polyester label is made up of very strong vinyl and the high resin content of the ribbon will produce a very durable image, with up to a 5 year outdoor life.
Q. What sizes of ribbon are available?
A. There are a large range of ribbons available from 1.5" to 8.66" wide, with lengths from 91 to 600 metres. The size of ribbon will be dependant upon the type of printer you have.
Q. What sizes of tags and labels are available?
A. Tags and labels are available from 0.25" to 11"+ long and from 0.25" to 8.5" wide.
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General Barcoding | Retail Codes | Code 39 | Code 128 | ITF | Labels, Tags & Ribbons | I.D. Cards
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Selecting the Right Card Printer
Questions to consider:
Q. Do you want to print Color or Monochrome cards?
A. All Eltron brand card printers can be used for both color and monochrome printing. The Eltron P310F single-sided monochrome card printer is optimized for fast, easy, economical monochrome card printing.
Q. Do you need to print on both sides of the card?
A. Eltron models P400, P500, P600, and Max3300 all support dual sided printing.
Q. Do you need to encode magnetic stripes or smart card chips?
A. All Eltron PSeries card printers feature optional magnetic stripe encoders and/or smart card contact stations. The Max3300 has magnetic stripe encoder option.
Q. How many cards will you need to print per year?
A. All Eltron card printers support print volumes up to 25,000 cards per year. For print volumes over 25,000 cards per year, the dual print station P600 is recommended.
Q. How rugged and durable must the cards be?
A. Eltron models P310, P420, P500, and P600 all have the capability to apply protective overlay varnishes with or without holograms. For higher levels of durability, the Eltron P500 features a hot roll laminating station for the application of .6 or 1.0 mil overlaminate patch materials, with or without holograms. For maximum durability, the Eltron Max3300 is designed specifically to print on Secure Card material.
Q. How long do you need your cards to last (card life)?
A. For cards that need to last less than two years, Eltron's P310, P420, and P600 are recommended. The model P500 produces cards lasting up to five years. The Max3300 prints on Secure Card material that is warranted for ten year card life.
Q. How often will the card be swiped through a bar code or magnetic stripe reader?
A. The P500 and Max3300 are recommended for abrasion intensive applications such as frequent bar code or magnetic stripe card reading.