Verifiers do not simply check if bar codes read (a
bar code reader for £150 could do that).
Verifiers measure bar code symbol quality
- so you are assured every bar code reader can read the bar
codes you have produced (i.e. the bar code readers that all of your
customers are using).
If your bar codes don't read - you will look
very silly
saying to your important customers; "Well they read with our
scanners" - what you should have done is used a verifier, not a
scanner.
Manufacturers that produce packaging - that include bar
codes, must comply with customer quality standards (usually ANSI / ISO
industry standards).
If you are producing labels using label printers, you should consider a printer with an built-in
verifier - as that would check every label.
For free you can do these quality checks;
- If you are printing barcodes using a thermal printer and a ribbon, rub hard the barcode with a warm thumb, does the ink smear (if yes then you should have used wax / resin ribbon instead of wax)
- Get a 50p ruler and measure the barcode, is it the correct width? (Why do I mention a 50p ruler - well one comes in the verifier kits and the kit costs over £1,000)
- If you printed a horizontal bar across the top of the barcode - as we suggested - is that bar broken? (i.e. Can you see a fine line through the bar that should not be there?) Then if this thin white line extends in to a vertical bar the barcode is highly likely to be unreadable by some readers.
- If the barcode is EAN-13 (i.e. has 13 digits below usually) does the barcode have a > sign on the right hand side? If no then print one. NOTE: The > (greater than or chevron character) simply protects the light margin or quite zone (the white bits either side of the barcode)
- Can you print the barcode bigger - if so, do so. Don't go mad, but in general bigger barcodes read better.
- On 300 dpi printers do not use 1 dot for the narrow bar width. On 200 dpi printers do not use 1 dot for narrow bar width.
- The barcode number itself can be checked with an inexpensive barcode reader (see https://www.barcode.co.uk)
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