UPC verification

[Yooper prepress]

Wondering if there is an economical solution out there for verifying and printing results of upc codes. We currently use a PSC Quick Check 600. This unit is old and needing repair on a regular basis. We are looking to replace with new technology that would be a little less expensive. Does anyone have experience with the Axicon 6015?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Lammy]

Get a barcode scanner app for your smart phone. It's free and if the phone can scan it most anything else should be able to as well.

 

[Yooper prepress]

There is that option but for our standard procedures we must print out the verification so that it can travel with the job. In other words we need proof that it is verified.
Thanks

Get a barcode scanner app for your smart phone. It's free and if the phone can scan it most anything else should be able to as well.

 

[printing656]

Use the free app on the phone, then email it to a local computer. The contents of the barcode will be in the email.

 

[esmith214]

There is no economical system if you need to include a verification printout. Think low to mid 4 figures. Which is cheap compared to having your customer's products rejected by a big retailer. Check with a bar code equipment distributor for a verification package that includes a calibrated reader for the symbols you are testing and a printer for the tag. It's way more complicated than it appears so call someone, don't just order online. I used to work with Imprint Enterprises at Barcode Printers, Labels, Ribbons, Parts and Service: Imprint Enterprises or (855) 745-4464.

 

[gordo]

So how does it work? When a barcode doesn't scan at my local grocers the cashier just sighs and punches in the numerals. I don't see any tracking or penalties.

Best, gordo

 

[Yooper prepress]

So how does it work? When a barcode doesn't scan at my local grocers the cashier just sighs and punches in the numerals. I don't see any tracking or penalties.

Best, gordo

If this happens enough times the item is flagged and the provider of that item is penalized. The provider then comes back at the printer for reimbursement. It can be very costly to have a code fail.

 

[cindy313]

Get a barcode scanner app for your smart phone. It's free and if the phone can scan it most anything else should be able to as well.

but it seems not every barcode reader can be added on phone , do you know the barcode reader app for android or iphone?

 

[Seagull]

Try 100% Print Vision Inspection Systems, we use the Integra 9500 and it works great. We do the same as you scan and print out results, SOP.

 

[chevalier]

There are stringent standards and grading procedures that barcodes are verified against. I actually looked into developing a mobile app with this purpose and even approached a couple of companies out there selling barcode reader apps already to partner up on this concept. The entry barriers were too high (registering with GS1, hiring developers, etc.) and ROI too low (small market to serve, high price causes tiny margins) to proceed. This is why the verification systems are so expensive and why some companies (Honeywell is one) abandoned this market. Webscan and Axicon are the two major players. It is my belief that the really big companies have developed their own internal systems.

Re: Gordo

POS (point-of-sale systems [cash registers and the servers they connect to]) and warehousing automation systems are extremely intelligent now-a-days. Automation efficiencies is one way how the mega retailers "Blue W", "Red T", "Orange D", "Blue L", etc. ratchet extra pennies out. They make their suppliers sign nitty-gritty detail contracts that codes will read at a certain level. This guarantees a fast and efficient checkout and distribution for picking and shipping. It also keeps minimum-wage cashiers from entering the wrong codes which prevents inventory confusion, theft and general errors.

A few years ago "Blue W" pushed for every. single. item. to have a RFID chip on it. They received a massive pushback due to their unwillingness to pay for it. However, the plan is still in play and is currently being done on a pallet-level basis. Through a connection I got to see behind the scenes of one of their modern distribution warehouses and the level of automation blew my mind.

So what happens?
Wrong barcode - massive investigation into the cause and whomever the cause is will likely be billed for the product, losses and penalties in the contract you signed and agree'd to.
Barcode that won't read - massive investigation into the cause and whomever the cause is (99% of the time the printer) will likely be billed for the product and penalties in the contract you signed and agree'd to.

If a defect like this is bad enough for a large scale recall and you're an independent company… you might as well arrange to go out of business or sell yourself to a large competitor.

Further thoughts:
Barcodes are also used by companies to verify the right product is going into the right carton. Pharmaceuticals is one of the major users of this technology (pretty sure in the USA that it is mandated that they do this). Matching or paired codes is on the label of bottle and the carton. Can't read them at top speed? Lost revenues. Can't read them at all? Worthless cartons/labels. Lost revenues.

 

[jlee]

To answer Yooper's original question, yes my team uses an Axicon 6015 and it's great, but it has limitations.

It all depends on which symbolygies you need to verify. Axicon is just fine for UPC-A, UPC-E, EAN-13 and the standard stuff you see at the retail level. But as mentioned by chevalier, you need special software for things like pharmacodes (pharma industry specific for product mix). We have also had issues with the 6015 for certain C128 codes which are simply to wide for the reader. Before you make any choice as stated above you need to figure out which symbolygies you have to verify. Because I work in Pharma packaging, we use Axicon, Webscan linear/2D and verification on our eyecproofiler, my organization has probably spent $100,000 on verifiers over the years and it's simply a pharma requirement to prove ANSI verification on all codes.

As for Lammy's thought about an app, there is a significant difference between reading a barcode and verifying one. The verification standards are designed to ensure that a code will read on any reader. The phone apps that are out there are only readers.

To second the fines and penalties mentioned by chevalier, from what I've heard that retailer has a 3 strike policy and fines can go upwards of $25,000 for repeated failed scans. The final strike is they de list your product and no longer sell in their stores. One customer of ours derives 50% of their global revenue from that retailer alone, so you can see why code verification is important.

 

[chevalier]

To answer Yooper's original question...

2D code (datamatrix, QR code, etc.) is also a topic to discuss when looking at these verifiers. We've recently received a huge influx of 2D codes and thankfully we were prepared for it.

 

[beverlydaddzie]

Barcode verifier is a comparatively professional tool than barcode readers or scanners, though it's little bit pricy. A UPC barcode reader or scanner app might be economical, especially now free ones are plenty out there, but not every single one is able to read and report a full ANSI scan. So verifier is still a better choice in a professional way. And I think nowadays verifier is able to read most types of barcodes.

 

[Gregg]

My question is slightly off topic, but not far off.

Can anyone recommend any documentation regarding acceptable colors for barcode bars and acceptable background colors? Our warehouse/distributor strongly prefers black bars on white backgrounds. This never sits well with designers. Generally, all of our barcodes are black, but we do allow backgrounds that make use of any value of M or Y. We do not allow any value of C or K in the background. We also enforce a 6.5mm quiet zone on the left and right of the barcode.

Occasionally, our Text Black is actually a Pantone color, so the barcode will need to be that color as well. This is where it becomes somewhat of a guessing game.

 

[chevalier]

Generically speaking (very broad strokes)…
Everything but "red" is ok. This is because the light POS systems/barcode scanners use to generate reflectance is between 600-650nm "Red" light spectrum. Black/white is preferable because of the high contrast. Black on anything that isn't "near black" will work. It's all about contrast and reflectance.

Sometimes even "red" will work. We print a "red" internationally distributed liquor carton on foil and red is used and surprisingly generates enough contrast. There was quite a debate about this but it works very well and we saved the customer an additonal ink in production.

Beyond this you need to look in GS1 standards, ANSI standards or whatever other local standard specifications apply. Your warehouse/distributor should already specify which regional/national/international standard they expect you to adhere to.