Microscan MS-810, User Manual

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Bar Code Symbology
MS-810 Industrial Scanner User’s Manual
A-31
Appe
ndices
Appendix K — Bar Code Symbology
Before choosing a bar code symbol, consider:
1
Microscan standard scanner firmware supports the following five bar code symbologies.
(Firmware can also be custom ordered to support other symbologies.)
Code 39. An alphanumeric code with unique start/stop code patterns, composed of nine
black and white elements per character, three of which are always wide. Considered the de
facto standard for non-retail symbology.
Codabar . A 16-character set (0 through 9, and the characters $, :, /, ., +, and –) with
start/stop codes and at least two distinctly different bar widths. It is commonly used in
libraries, photo finishing, and air parcel express applications. (A check digit is highly
recommended.)
I 2 of 5 . Interleaved 2 of 5 is a high-density, continuous numeric symbology used
mainly in the distribution industry. I 2 of 5 encodes two digits: one in the bars, and one
in the spaces. (A check digit is highly recommended.)
UPC and EAN. UPC (Universal Product Code) is a fixed length numeric, continuous
symbology used in the supermarket and retail industry. The European Article Number-
ing (EAN) system is a well-known variation of UPC. Both UPC and EAN can have two or
five digit supplemental bar code data following the normal code.
Code 128. A very high density alphanumeric symbology. Will encode all 128 ASCII
characters, it is continuous, has variable length, and uses multiple element widths mea-
sured edge to edge. It is widely used in the non-food distribution industry and shipping
containers.
• the type of information to be
scanned (numeric only, alpha-
numeric)
• the length of the messages
to be encoded
• how and where labels are
to be applied
• label printer capabilities
• scan speed
• beam width
• the space available on the
object to be identified
• host software limitations
• range of the scanner
• the speed of the conveyor
1. For further information about symbology, see The Bar Code Book, by Roger C.
Palmer, Helmers Publishing, Inc., 1989.