Bar code labels are tags that contain encoded information. They are used to identify and list inventories in businesses that use a large number of goods. They are made of paper, vinyl, plastic or metal and have an adhesive surface underneath by which they can be affixed to the surface of the item.
Bar code labels use two primary techniques to encode the numerical information on it. One is the line bars technique. Special bar code software can convert an inputted number into a sequence of vertical lines of various thicknesses. The thicknesses of these lines and the spaces between them indicate the number they denote. Another technique is two-dimensional encoding, where information is coded in the form of a pattern of dots of varying thicknesses in a square or rectangular frame. In both techniques, it is not possible by human eyes to decipher what number they indicate.
Bar code labels are designed by software using a computer. Sizes, colors and data fields are placed if required. Once the bar code template is created, it is printed on a specialized paper with an adhesive surface using a printer. Laser printers give good quality outputs, but there are also special standalone printers made expressly for printing bar code labels.
Once the articles are tagged with bar code labels, they get indexed on the database of the company. The bar codes on these labels can be deciphered using scanners. Bar code scanners are small handy devices, which can decode the bar codes into numerical and data information. Scanners can be fixed at a place or handheld.
Companies that have equipment and necessary expertise can design their own bar code labels. This is ideal for companies that produce a large number of goods per day. Some companies even customize their bar codes in order to suit their needs. Smaller companies and temporary businesses can buy preprinted bar code labels from the market. Preprinted bar code labels are available in bundles of hundreds.
Bar codes are very efficient in maintaining large inventory records for companies. It saves a lot of time, as every item is indexed in the register and only a simple scanning procedure enters its records in the required field. The entire process gets systemized and standardized, as a single bar code pattern will be followed for a single product throughout.
The use of bar codes is not limited to consumer products alone, but wherever there is a need of maintaining statistical information. Even consumer bills such as electricity bills, gas bills, maintenance taxes, ID cards bear bar codes.
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Preprinted Bar Code Labels
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Bar code labels that are manufactured by companies and are retailed to other establishments are called preprinted bar code labels. Preprinted bar code labels are bought and used by establishments that do not have infrastructure to make their own. Preprinted bar code labels are encoded...
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Custom Bar Code Labels
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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An establishment that does not have its own bar coding equipment, but still wishes to have its own design for a bar code, can think of customizing bar code labels. Many companies specialize in designing custom bar code labels that depend on the requirements of...
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Bar Code Label Manufacturers
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Some companies deal in designing bar code labels and selling them to other establishments. These bar code label manufacturers print both preprinted and custom designed labels according to the specifications provided by the ordering company. Preprinted labels are ready to use labels that are sold...
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Warehouse Bar Code Labels
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Warehouses use a special kind of highly durable bar code labels to maintain a list of their inventories. The basic types of warehouse bar code labels are reflective, location, floor and pallet. Reflective bar code labels are large in size, about 8” by 16,” and...
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Bar Code Label Software
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Bar code label software is used to print symbols on bar codes. This software can render a pattern of black stripes and dots, each unique from the other, which is used to print bar code stickers. The software prints intricate patterns for each product. The...
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Bar Code Labels
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Barcode labels are the tags that help both humans and machines to identify any given product. These labels come in several types and resemble the average tags. These labels are differentiated by the type of base material, called stock, that they are printed on. Labels...
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Bar Code Label Printers
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Bar code label printers are special, small sized printers that are capable of printing bar code labels. They are used in businesses wherever inventories are required to be recorded such as in retail and departmental stores, ID card offices, warehouses, etc. General purpose printers can...
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Bar Code Label Makers
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Bar code label makers are special computer programs that can design templates for bar code labels. These programs can perform tasks such as sizing the bar code, encoding the numerical information, database features and include other information such as name of company, product name, date...
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Bar Code Scanners
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Barcode Scanners are hand-held or stationary devices used to read information contained in a barcode. These devices are connected to a computer through any type of port. Scanners cannot do calculations; they only capture the barcode into letters or numbers. Information, once fed into a...
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Bar Code Printers
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
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Barcode Printers come in various types, including general-purpose laser and inkjet printers. Then there are printers that support multiple symbologies. They are called Thermal bar code label printers. General-purpose laser and inkjet printers cannot directly print barcodes. That is because these basic printers do not...