Monday, 13 May 2013

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Bar Codes: The History & Significance

By Keren Kipfer


Many of us still remember going to the grocery store and having the checker type in the cost of each individual package and food item. Today's checkers have the convenience of using automated bar code readers, which makes the process much faster and more accurate. In addition to the convenience factor, bar codes help improve the efficiency of inventory and help store owners quickly compile statistics about what products sell the best.

Using parts from an old movie projector and a 500-watt bulb, Bernard Silver and Norman Woodland developed the first type of bar code and a scanner, for which they received a patent in 1952. By 1974, the first scanner was installed in an Ohio supermarket. The first scan was a momentous occasion, and the product scanned, which was a 10-pack of Wrigley gum, is now located in a display in the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. Eventually these scanners became common place in all supermarkets, grocery stores and all other types of retail shops.

All of the products in the store are printed with the Universal Product Code, which was created in 1966. Each number in the code has a special significance. If you see a product that begins with a 0, this means the product is a national brand. If you purchase an item that has been weighed at the deli, the first digit will be the number 2. Shampoo, make-up and other beauty items begin with a number 3 and so one. The second set of numbers in the UPC identifies the actual manufacturer. Each product can be easily identified using this code.

In addition to the UPC bar on a food product, the manufacturer also prints other special codes onto the product. These include things such as batch identification numbers and expiration dates. Food producers use special printers known as id printers or id coders to affix these numbers onto a variety of product surfaces, such as glass, plastic, cardboard and more.

Typically, a coder is either a drop-on-demand type of printer or a continuous inkjet printer, and there are tons of excellent brands. If you are looking for a printer, you can opt for an Altima coder, a Videojet coder, a Domino printer or perhaps a Maxima printer. A good option also might be to purchase the machine refurbished from a product id specialist. These companies sell refurbished codes, as well as providing a repair service for all brands of coders.

You might also find that your product id company sells lower cost inks and the necessary make-up fluids you often need to purchase. Buying Domino ink or Videojet ink can be costly, so going through a product id service can serve as an excellent way to cut your costs.




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