Unlock the secrets of 2D barcode verification and ensure your products meet industry standards with this comprehensive guide.
Barcode verification is essential for ensuring the quality and readability of barcodes used in various industries, including retail, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, automotive, and packaging. Barcodes are critical in tracking products from production to the point of sale, and any failure to scan a barcode can cause major disruptions in the production process, resulting in costly delays, reprints, and wastage. The process of barcode verification helps manufacturers ensure that their codes meet both regulatory and industry-specific requirements.
Barcode verification goes beyond simple barcode scanning. While barcode readers are designed to decode the information embedded in a barcode, barcode verifiers test the quality of the printed barcode and provide a grade based on specific parameters that influence the readability of the barcode by different types of readers. This process is essential for industries where code readability is a regulatory requirement, ensuring compliance and traceability throughout the supply chain.
Verification involves evaluating several quality parameters of a barcode, including symbol contrast, modulation, defects, and more, depending on whether the code is 1D, 2D, or a direct part mark (DPM). A verifier assigns an overall grade to the barcode based on these factors, ensuring the code can be consistently read by scanners throughout its lifecycle.
Barcode verification is crucial for minimizing errors in the production process and ensuring that barcodes can be read reliably throughout the supply chain. By monitoring the quality of barcodes during production, manufacturers can detect any decline in print quality and take corrective measures before codes become unreadable. This reduces expenses related to product returns, packaging waste, and production delays caused by reprinting and reshipping faulty products.
Barcode readers are primarily designed to decode the data within a barcode, whereas barcode verifiers are designed to ensure that the barcode is printed according to industry standards. Readers may have some capabilities to assess print quality, but they cannot provide the comprehensive, standardized assessment that verifiers offer.
When selecting a barcode verifier, several factors should be considered, including the type of barcode (1D, 2D, or DPM), the size of the code, and the surface on which the barcode is printed. For example, codes printed on shiny, textured, or curved surfaces may require specialized lighting angles to ensure accurate verification. The verifier’s camera resolution must also be sufficient to capture the smallest details of the barcode, and the software should be able to generate reports and diagnose issues within the barcode printing process.
Three main ISO standards govern the verification of barcodes:
1. ISO/IEC 15416 – Applies to 1D barcodes (linear codes) and requires 10 scan lines to be taken across the barcode, with a grade assigned to each line based on parameters such as contrast, modulation, and defects.
2. ISO/IEC 15415 – Applies to 2D barcodes printed on labels. Barcodes are graded based on parameters like symbol contrast, fixed pattern damage, and grid non-uniformity. The lowest individual grade among these parameters becomes the overall grade.
3. ISO/IEC TR 29158 (AIM DPM) – Governs 2D direct part mark (DPM) codes, which are often used in industries where durability and traceability are critical.
Specific industries have additional application-specific standards for barcode verification. For example:
- UDI for medical devices: The FDA requires that all medical devices carry a Unique Device Identifier (UDI), which must be verified for both print quality and data accuracy.
- GS1 for retail: Retailers and distributors use GS1 standards to ensure that barcodes are globally unique and meet specific quality thresholds.
- UID for military products: The U.S. Department of Defense uses MIL-STD-130 for Unique Identification (UID) codes, which must be verified for both readability and correct data formatting.
Barcode verifiers must be calibrated regularly to ensure accurate results. This process involves using conformance calibration cards, which contain known imperfections that are used to check the verifier’s accuracy. Calibration is critical for ensuring that verifiers provide repeatable, traceable results that meet ISO and industry-specific standards.
Barcode verification is an essential quality control tool for ensuring that barcodes are often required to meet contractual obligations and avoid penalties. By investing in a barcode verification system, companies can reduce the risk of costly production errors, improve supply chain efficiency, and ensure that their products meet the highest quality standards.
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