Barcode application just got easier! Application of marking on metal Application of a barcode on a product

Methods and equipment for applying and reading a barcode

S. Golyshev

Barcode printing on product packaging or label

The barcode can be applied in the production of packaging (by typographic method) or self-adhesive labels can be used, which are printed using special printing devices (printers). The choice of printer depends on the barcoding application. To print a barcode on paper documents, it is advisable to choose a conventional laser printer (it is highly desirable that it has built-in barcode support). The use of dot matrix and inkjet printers in this case is not recommended due to the fact that the print must be of a sufficiently high quality. If you do decide to use them, then you need to keep in mind that the print quality on a laser, dot matrix or inkjet office printer can significantly affect the ability to read a barcode by a scanner. It is advisable to always check the ease of reading with a scanner that will be used in real conditions.

Because barcoding is commonly used to mark various items, barcodes are often printed on self-adhesive labels in a variety of materials (which are then pasted onto different surfaces). With a small number of labels to print, you can use the same laser printer and sheet labels. Those who are going to regularly print several hundred or more labels a day should consider purchasing a specialized label printer. These devices are usually characterized by high performance and minimal resources.

These printers typically use two printing methods: direct thermal and thermal transfer (thermal transfer). The first method is to change the color of the thermal paper from which the label is made when heated by the printer's print head (this is the same printing method used by most fax machines). The second allows you to print on labels made of plain paper (as well as polyester and other synthetic materials). The ink is transferred to the label from a special ink ribbon (ribbon), which is a consumable. This printing method provides a more stable image on the label and is not subject to external factors such as temperature changes, high humidity, direct sunlight, in some cases, chemicals (gasoline, solvents, alcohol-containing substances) and extreme temperatures (from -35 to +90 ° C).

Printers operate under the control of a computer running under Windows or MS DOS. The user can easily design custom labels using Windows editors or special label design programs. All printers support many symbols in hardware, which allows you to quickly and with high quality print a wide variety of barcodes.

To determine print quality, barcode verifiers are used to perform a series of control readings and then generate a report that details the key parameters affecting the quality of the read. Portable verifiers are used when it is impossible to bring the barcode to the computer (bulky cargo). Some industrial thermal transfer printers have built-in verifiers, which is convenient when doing large print jobs or when you need to achieve optimal barcode quality.

Applying a barcode to a product

Until recently, barcode reading was carried out using very expensive devices, which hindered the widespread use of DPM technologies, since it was associated with high costs and often provided extremely low economic benefits.

In terms of depth and safety, the marking methods are arranged in ascending order.

Ink jet marking is based on the application of very small ink droplets at specified points on the surface of the moving material, which form the desired pattern. This method is quite high-performance, but the ink has low resistance to adverse factors (abrasives, temperature, etc.), so it is unsuitable for long-term and reliable storage of information.

Acupuncture marking is based on the mechanical impact of a sharp needle on the surface of the material, in which depressions are formed in the form of dots, which make up a given image. This method is less productive than the previous one, but the resulting pattern is distinguished by resistance to abrasion and chemical attack, as well as extreme temperatures. Acupuncture marking can be done using an electromagnet or compressed air.

Scribble marking- mechanical shockless action of a sharp needle-cutter tightly pressed to the surface of the material. When you move it, continuous lines are formed, as a whole, making up a given image. In terms of performance and resistance to adverse factors, this technology is similar to needle-impact marking.

Laser marking based on the change in the color of the product surface under the influence of a laser beam. This method has high productivity combined with sufficient resistance to adverse effects (abrasive and temperature).

Etching technology based on the effect of chemical reagents on separate areas free from protection on the surface of the material. With low productivity, this technology can also provide high rates of accuracy and average rates of marking durability.

How is a barcode read?

To read barcodes, special devices called barcode scanners are used. The scanner illuminates the barcode with a light or laser beam and reads the resulting image. After that, it detects the presence of black barcode stripes in the picture. Barcode decoding is performed by a receiving device or an external decoder. If the scanner is equipped with a built-in decoder (it is available in all modern models), then the latter decodes the barcode and transmits the information to the receiving device (computer, cash register, etc.) in accordance with the interface signals (RS-232, USB port , PS / 2-keyboard wedge) determined by the scanner model. The Multi Interface Decoder allows one scanner to support several different interfaces and can connect to different devices.

Barcode scanners are divided into:

• by reading distance - into contact and non-contact. Contact scanners read the code when the scanner is brought close to the code (at a distance of 1-2 cm), non-contact scanners - from a distance of 10 to 80 cm (depending on the model). Non-contact scanners provide more convenient operation, but are more expensive;
• by the way of reading - to LED CCD scanners (CCD) and laser. CCD scanners illuminate the area of ​​the surface containing the barcode using LEDs and read the image onto a special CCD matrix. They have higher mechanical strength (due to the absence of moving parts) and better performance when reading damaged (poorly printed) codes. Laser scanners illuminate the barcode with a narrow beam of laser LED, which is swept by a rotating mirror. Laser scanners are only non-contact, which is determined by the peculiarities of the technology, and have a higher range than CCD scanners;
• by the method of installation - for manual and stationary. A handheld scanner is a portable device that connects via a cord to a computer, cash register or other device - data receiver. To read the code, it is brought up to the item marked with a barcode. The stationary scanner is mounted on a fixed base. Barcode-marked items are brought or conveyed by a conveyor to a scanner, which reads the barcode and transmits the information to the cashier (or computer) via an interface cable.

Fonts and barcode printing software

Barcodes, like text, exist as fonts. True Type barcode fonts have been created for personal computers operating under Windows. They are installed just like any other Windows font, can be used in any Windows application, and printed on any printer installed with the Windows driver. Using this method, a barcode can be inserted into any document. The only thing to watch out for is that the EAN, UPC, Interleaved 2 of 5, and Code 128 fonts are not as simple as they seem. They use check digits, characters are encoded in pairs, and special formatting characters are required. For this, special auxiliary programs are used. You define the information to be encoded. The program formats the text to include additional information. The new text must then be copied and pasted into the application using the barcode font. If you are using programs that support Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs), then it is possible to automate the coding process.

Similar fonts exist for DOS applications that come in the form of Terminate and Stay Ready (TSR) programs. These applications are more difficult to use because the barcode data is only visible as text when you create or edit a barcode. And only at the moment of sending a print job, the specially formatted text is processed by the resident program into a barcode that will be printed.

There are specialized programs for DOS or Windows to print to a conventional laser, dot matrix or inkjet printer. They may contain their own barcode fonts, which, however, are not available to other programs. Unix systems (mainframe supercomputers) use a hardware module containing barcode fonts that plugs into the parallel port. Specially formatted text is converted into a barcode at the moment the data is sent to the printer.

Several technologies are used to apply bar codes.

The most common and inexpensive printing on self-adhesive materials is a self-adhesive sheet or on a roll self-adhesive label.

Printing with a laser or inkjet printer on sheet-fed self-adhesive labels is performed just like regular office printing. Bar codes, both linear and 2D, are generated by accounting software or graphic editors. With the help of a copier, you can print large quantities of barcode labels, but applying a sheet label to products or packaging is a rather laborious operation.

Application can be simplified by using roll materials and applicators. Print on roll labels using a thermal or thermal transfer label printer. Printing on labels in rolls allows you to print large runs, pre-print information and apply labels with bar codes to products using manual or automatic applicators. Roll materials are represented by a large assortment: thermo-eco, thermo-top, paper, polypropylene, metallized polypropylene, PET tags and PET loops, nylon ribbons, satin ribbons.

Plastic card printers are used to apply bar codes to plastic cards. The plastic cards themselves can be supplied in different versions: white, with preliminary black-and-white or full-color printing. Depending on the task, the barcode can be applied to each card separately (for a checkpoint) or printed (for a discount).

Barcode application using ink jet printer. It is used for marking boxes and applying a bar code to packaging. It is used for marking boxes, applying a bar code on packaging, as well as plastic and metal pipes, rolled metal, plywood, packaging film.

When applying a bar code using an ink jet printer, it is very important to observe the following conditions: the surface must be flat, the speed of movement along the conveyor is constant and not very high. You can apply a barcode to almost any material, but not all materials and products will read it with a scanner - many materials glare. Linear and 2D codes are perfect for flat and smooth surfaces.

Direct metal marking and barcode by impact marking or tracing - DPM.

For printing bar codes and text information on film roll materials, specialized built-in thermal transfer printers can be used. The solution is built into a conveyor or packaging line and can operate in two modes - continuous material supply or start-stop mode.

When manually packing products, it is beneficial to use a workplace based on 1C :. In addition to weighing or counting products, the system provides data exchange and reporting for the central 1C: Enterprise database.

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Details

Any metal product must be individually labeled. It is done in two ways:

1.Labels and tags

2.Applied directly to the product itself. In the second case, the ideal deposition equipment is a laser. This is a non-contact marking, it does not spoil the surface at all, it can be applied to a metal sheet or to finished products. It has no consumables and is easy to operate.

Today in metallurgy it is impossible to do without marking, as in other areas of modern production. In any industry, product labeling is a very important production step. Thanks to high-quality labeling, strict accounting of each unit of the product produced by the enterprise is carried out and control over its movement not only within the enterprise itself, but also during the sale of this or that product.

Metal products can be labeled in two ways

• Method 1: Self-adhesive labels and hanging tags can be used to mark products made of metals or alloys.
• 2nd method: marking on similar products is carried out in a direct way (that is, the marking is applied directly to the product itself). It is carried out using laser marking, transferring information such as a barcode, alphanumeric data or graphics, etc. to the product.

It is clear that in metallurgy it is more expedient, of course, to use the second option for applying marking, and there are quite adequate explanations for this. Marking on tags and labels is not reliable: it is erased, it can be easily counterfeited, etc., therefore, almost all large enterprises use a direct method to mark their products.

Application of laser marking of metal in industry

Applying markings on metal products is extremely important and necessary, for example, in such industries as the aviation industry, the automotive industry, in the manufacture of various tools, on pipes, on watches, and so on. Such metal goods must be marked without fail, otherwise tracking, correct assembly and sale will be impossible.

Metal laser marking process

As a rule, in industry, products made of metals and alloys are marked in a non-contact way (that is, without touching the product itself). Thus, when marking the metal surface of the product, the top layer of the material is removed. The marking made in this way is durable and does not oxidize or rust at all. Laser markers make it possible to apply durable, bright, indelible, easily readable information to metal products, which is extremely important not only in the manufacture, storage and sale of metal products, but also during their further operation.

What metals can be marked

The laser marker can be successfully used for marking stainless steel, iron, brass, andromed aluminum and other metal alloys. Typically, metal marking is a logo, serial number, barcode, batch number. Modern laser markers make it possible to quickly and easily mark in any conditions of the enterprise, as well as at any stage of production and storage of metal products.

Due to constantly changing and improving production technologies, for example, in the automotive industry, reliable and high-quality marking of parts is indispensable, since the design features of various parts and assemblies change every year. As a rule, this entails the division of products into "new" and "old", thus, the durability of the marking is assigned to the most important role for production. Because during the warranty period, it is necessary to save on the details information about all products available at the time of production, changes in design and technology, as well as about the material and manufacturing option of a particular product.

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As in any other branch of modern industry, in metallurgy it is impossible to do without such a very important stage in the production of certain goods as marking. It is thanks to her that it is possible to carry out a strict accounting of all products created at the enterprise, and trace all the movements of goods from production to warehouse.

It can be done in two ways. Firstly, hang tags and self-adhesive labels can be used when marking metals and alloys. Secondly, direct marking on the product can be carried out. Naturally, in metallurgy, the use of a direct marking method is much preferable, because both labels and labels are not sufficiently reliable.

Direct marking of metals and alloys is carried out using EBS equipment and transmits data such as a barcode, graphic or alphanumeric information.

Essential for automotive, aviation and tool making. Certain data about the product and its manufacturer must be present on metal parts, pipes, watches, lamps, etc.

Metals and alloys should be marked in such a way that the applied information does not damage the surface of the product, therefore, when marking metals, it is best to use ink jet marking equipment. The drop-jet marking does not cause oxidation and rusting processes on the surface of the product, does not corrode it. Continuous inkjet printers are capable of applying strong, bright, easy-to-read and durable characters to a metal surface, which are extremely important not only during the manufacture, storage and sale of metal products, but also during their further operation.

For example, in the automotive industry, one cannot do without reliable marking of parts due to the constantly improving and changing technologies and designs of various materials, parts and assemblies, which entails their division into "old" and "new". In this case, the durability of the marking is given a very important role , since it is necessary during the entire warranty period to keep on the details information about all the changes available at the time of production of the product, both in its technology and in the design, as well as on the material and version of this product.

Continuous inkjet printers are ideal for creating markings on stainless steel, iron, brass, androplated aluminum and other metals. Typically, the metal marking is a logo, serial number, tabular or barcode.

Modern inkjet markers allow you to easily and quickly carry out the necessary marking not only in any conditions, but also at any stage of the production and storage of metal products. Using ink jet printers, you can print the required information of various heights.

The application of a barcode, QR and Datamatrix code has become so widespread that there are practically no areas in which it is not used. They are used in everything from the library to the aerospace industry and are designed to perform very different tasks.

Manufactured products are labeled for ease of reference and subsequent tracking of history. Laser barcode printing is also widely used in the food industry. Such industries as souvenir, automotive and machine tools are not lagging behind. Museums and other cultural institutions use QR codes and barcodes for self-guided tours.

The application of a barcode or QR code to products in the LaserFor laser marking software is almost completely automated. The operator only needs to select a coding standard and enter the data that needs to be encoded. In practice, this takes only a few minutes.

Barcode application on professional equipment.

The most popular equipment for applying bar codes to metal and other materials are models and. These are the most reliable and ergonomic machines with more than 15 years of service life. At the same time, you can easily use them for other purposes, developing new areas of your business.

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