Bar code width reduction (BWR). Is there an industry standard being applied when printing 2D data matrix codes using offset litho?
Traditionally on EAN13 codes we have applied a 5 micron BWR but I am getting mixed messages from various studios as to whether it is necessary or not when printing 2D. Our Artpro software has the facility to apply it but our customer believes it to be unnecessary.
We do the same here for a client, and we apply the same BWR as the EAN codes.
Seems logical to me, becourse the BWR for codes is ther to compensate for the printing process.