What Good Are Bar Codes That Don’t Read

Answer: None. No good to anyone, and yet a big headache for some when the correct steps are not taken to ensure bar codes are readable. Bar codes have become a common way to identify and track items through manufacturing, warehousing, shipping, etc. The humble bar code is the building block on which many sophisticated tracking systems and processes are built. Of course, even the best tracking system is going to fail if the identification bar codes are not easily scannable. The consequences of bar codes that don’t perform include the need for manual intervention in automatic systems, incorrect tracking information, rejection and fines from customers. So it’s clearly important that bar code labels be correctly printed every time. How do you protect the valuable data encoded in your bar codes? There is more than one way to be sure your bar codes perform as you expect, deliver the information accurately, and at any point in the life cycle of the bar coded item. Choosing the right symbology, label, printer, ribbon, software and scanner all play a role in your success.