A bar code symbol is a parallel pattern of variable width bars and spaces.
Symbologies is the industry term describing the inviolable rules that specify the way that data
is encoded into that pattern of bars and spaces.
Plastic Resource offers both Thermal and DOD (Drop-on-Demand) bar code printing for the following
barcodes: Code 39 - Code 3 of 9, Codabar, UPC-A (UPC Version A) and Code 128.
Code 39 - Code 3 of 9
The most widely used non-retail barcode is Code 39. Each Code 39 character has nine elements, four
spaces and five bars. Of the nine, three elements are wide and six are narrow. The start/stop
character is generally represented in the human readable text as the * character.
Codabar
Commonly used in libraries, blood banks and air parcel express applications, Codabar is bar code
format in which 4 bars and 3 spaces represent the digits 0-9 and certain special characters. 4
unique start/stop codes, variable inter-character spacing, and code density of up to 10 characters
per inch characterize the code.
UPC-A (UPC Version A)
There are 12 digits in the UPC Version A (UPC-A) symbology; the
Uniform Code Council assigns the first 6. They include the Number System Character (NSC) and the
Manufacturer's Number. The following 5 digits make up a code identifying the product, and are called
the Product Code. The final digit is known as the Modulo Checksum Character or Mod Check. The value
of the Mod Check is mathematically derived from a formula that uses the other numbers encoded in the
symbol/barcode.
Note: Plastic Resource will provide a checksum formula to those of you wanting to generate
your own checksum digit. Feel free to contact our Data Department for more information -
data@plasticresource.com.
Code 128
Code 128 is a very high-density alphanumeric code; variable length, continuous code using multiple
element widths. Each character has 11 modules, either black or white; 3 spaces and 3 bars. Code 128
employs 3 different character sets (A, B, or C) each of which contains 106 different printed
characters. 3 different start characters identify which character set is being used, and 3 shift
codes permit changing character sets inside a symbol.
While most scanners read most types of bar codes, in the end the choice of which bar code to use is
usually not up to the end user. Either the environment the bar codes will be used in mandates A over
B, one's trading partners expect one over another, or you're required to adhere to a specification
which specifies exactly which bar code to use (often along with what size and shape and other details
as well).
If you're not sure which bar code is right for your application, feel free to email our team of
experts at
data@plasticresource.com anytime.
Plastic Resource houses state-of-art-technology capable of high-speed printing, the highest visual
resolution printing, and 100% in-line camera verification for an added level of data security.
