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Axicon Auto ID Ltd.

William van Benthum

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Greetings from the Netherlands

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Holfeld Graphics

Rory Connaughton

Our partner in Ireland

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Barcode Verification

Why and how

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What’s the difference?

Barcode scanners

vs.

Barcode verifiers

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Barcode scanners

- Designed to capture barcode data content.

- Forward the decoded data to a system being used in

a certain application.

- Such as…

- a Point Of Sale cash register.

- a baggage handling system.

- various sorts of logistic environments.

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A variety of scanners

Hand held Fixed

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A variety of scanners

Hand held Fixed

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What’s a Barcode Verifier?

- It is a measuring or quality inspection device.

- Examines, analyses and reports the quality, and

therefore scanability of the (printed) barcode.

- It is not a scanner.

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Verifiers are about standards

- It compares the results of the measurements against

international industry standards and specifications.

- The ISO/IEC standard for print quality of linear codes

is 15416. For 2D Matrix codes it is 15415.

- The most well known application standard is the one

from GS1.

-Oh, and a verifier is NOT a scanner.

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Grading your barcode

- A verifier grades the barcode for quality.

- Grade A(4), B(3), C(2), D(1) or F(0).

- For most applications (such as the GS1 standard) a

grade 2.5 or higher is acceptable.

Did I tell you a verifier is NOT a scanner?

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Why verify?

- Verification makes sure that the printed barcode will

be read by the scanners in the various applications, by

various scanners in various places.

- If not, it can e.g. kill automated logistic processes.

- Non readable barcodes will cause loss of time, loads

of extra costs, goodwill, lost luggage, headaches, etc.

etc.

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Who verifies?

- Designers, Printers, Packaging.

- Manufacturers (food, non-food, pharmaceutical,

automotive, aerospace etc. etc.)

- Publishers

- Retail

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What can go wrong?

- Wrong data encoded

- Too little contrast

- Bars (and/or spaces) too wide or too narrow

- Insufficient light margins/quiet zones

- Defects caused by e.g. dust in print heads, wrinkled

ribbons, blocked (inkjet) nozzles etc. etc.

- Barcode is too small or too large (magnification)

- Code is truncated

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What can go wrong 2?

- Missing (or split) bars because of faulty print heads

- Using transparent substrates (plastic/glass)

- Placing barcodes too close to vertical corners or

even wrapping around corners.

- Barcodes on film distorted because of shrink wrap

- Using uncovered metal surfaces as a background for

the bars of a symbol

- Messing up the rules for using Application Identifiers

in GS1-128 for traded unit symbols

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Analysis

- A verifier analyses the problem area (if any) and

gives the user information how to correct the mistake

and/or improve the quality in order to achieve a

better grade.

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How to verify

- The scan reflectance profile (SRP)

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Parameters of quality

- Edge Determination

- Minimum Reflectance

- Symbol Contrast

- Minimum Edge Contrast

- Modulation

- Defects

- Decode

- Decodability

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A typical grading according to 15416

2.8/06/660

- Where 2.8 (or B) is the achieved grade.

-‘06’ is for 6 mil/150 microns. The size of the aperture

applied for the measurement.

- ‘660’ is for 660 nanometers, the wavelength of the

light source being used to illuminate the barcode.

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Are you still with me?

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Types of verification

- linear

- 2D

- all-in-one

- PC system

- Portable system

- off-line (>95%)

- in-line

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What does it look like

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What does it look like 2

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In-Line verification

- All codes are verified

- All results can be stored and kept as proof of ISO

compliance

- Will usually also do data content checking (AI check,

sequential numbering etc.)

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However…

- In-line verification requires a fixed distance from

verifier to barcode within small tolerances.

- It also requires a fixed angle of illumination to

comply with ISO/IEC standards

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In-Line verification

- Requires stable web printing

- Mind your speed!

- Barcode orientation is important

- What action should be taken when faulty barcodes

are detected?

- Can the printer/system be paused by an external

device?

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Thank you!