BARCODE READER MECHANISM

ASeminarReport Submitted
InPartialFulfilment of the Requirements
For the Degreeof

BACHELOR OFTECHNOLOGY
In
MechanicalEngineering

By
HIMANSHU SINGH
(RollNo.1616440046)

UndertheSupervisionof
MR. ANSHU ANURAG
Assistant Professor
Departmentof Mechanical Engineering
Pranveer Singh Institute of Technology,Kanpur

Dr. A. P. J. ABDUL KALAMTECHNICALUNIVERSITY

LUCKNOW
March2020
 CERTIFICATE

Certified that HIMANSHU SINGH (Roll No. 1616440046)hascarried out the seminar work
presented in this seminar entitled “BARCODE READER MECHANISM”for the award
ofBachelor of Technologyfrom Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Technical University,
Lucknowunder my supervision. The seminar work embodies results of original work, and
studies are carried out by the student himself and the contents of the work do not form the basis
for the award of any other degree to the candidate or to anybody else from this or any other
University/Institution.

Mr. Anshu Anurag

Assistant Professor,
Department of Mechanical Engineering Date:
PSIT, Kanpur

ii | P a g e
ABSTRACT

We live in an information age characterized by rapid change. Today's world moves faster than
earlier eras, and the pace continues to speed up. Continuous developments with computer
technology in manufacturing, distribution, communications, transportation, healthcare and other
sectors have played, and continue to play, a large part in accelerating change For any business in
this fast changing world, the importance of collecting and processing information on a timely
basis is essential. Managers must act quickly to be effective to initiate changes in manufacturing
or distribution, or to otherwise respond to new customer requirements. Doing so requires reliable
information in real time or as close to it as possible. As computers have proliferated and data
processing has become more powerful, the data collection function on which processing depends
has not kept pace. Acquiring the fastest, most effective computer hardware and software
available makes little sense if the system cannot acquire data accurately and expeditiously. A
data collection gap, the difference between data processing and data collection, has been the
result. Narrowing this data collection gap promises to improve the quality of information that
serves as the basis for management decisions affecting production, productivity, and
profitability. Automatic identification is the essential first step, accomplished by attaching a bar
code label to a part, document, package, personal identification badge or some other item to be
tracked. The data collection phase occurs when a part moves in or out of inventory, a work piece
comes in or out of a given stage in the manufacturing process, and/or an employee checks in or
out of work. These actions are instantly and accurately captured by scanning the bar code label.
Scanners can read information far faster than humans can write or type and they are far more
accurate. Compared to the average human-transcription error rate of one per 300 characters, the
automated error rate is in the range of one per 3 million.

iii | P a g e
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I wish toexpress my sincere gratitude to Mrs. Anshu Anurag,Assistant Professor, Department

of Mechanical Engineering, Pranveer Singh Institute of Technology, for providing me kind
guidance, continuous encouragement, extend help and support during my thesis work.
I would also like to offer thanks to Prof. Nitin Srivastava, (HOD), Department of Mechanical
Engineering, Pranveer Singh Institute of Technology, Kanpur, for allowing me to do this
work.
I am also thankful to all the faculty members of Pranveer Singh Institute of Technology,
Kanpur, for providing me various kind of support and help directly or indirectly, during my
present work.
Finally,Iamextendingmythankstomyparents for their blessings, strongsupport,encouragement
and love thathelpedmeto completethiswork.

Himanshu Singh
Date:Roll No. 1616440046

iv | P a g e
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page No.

CERTIFICATE ii

ABSTRACT iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT iv

LIST OF FIGURES

CHAPTER 1INTRODUCTION 9

1.1 Introduction 9
1.2 Objective 10

CHAPTER2HISTORY OF BARCODES 11

2.1 Early developments 11

2.2 Industrial demand for barcode 12

CHAPTER 3TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS15

3.1 RFID technology 15

3.2Barcode technology15

3.3 UPC technology16

v|Page
3.4 2D barcodes 16

CHAPTER 4 SYMBOLOGY 18

4.1 Introduction 18

4.2Standards 19

CHAPTER5 DIMENSIONS OF BARCODE21

5.1 One dimensional vs two dimensional 21

5.2About PDF417 21

5.3Start/stop patterns25

5.4 Codewords 25

5.4.1 Data codeword region 26

5.4.2 Rows 26

5.4.3 Columns 26

CHAPTER 6ERROR CORRECTION 28

6.1 Introduction 28

6.2 Error correction capacity 29

6.3 Row and column limits 29

CHAPTER 7RESULTS 30
7.2 Difference a dimension makes 31
CHAPTER 8READING BARCODE 30

8.1Decoders 31

vi | P a g e
 8.2Barcode accuracy and misreads 32

CHAPTER 9 SCOPE IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY 32

9.1 Scope 32

REFERENCES 34

CURRICULUM VITAE 35

vii | P a g e
 LIST OF FIGURES

Description Page No.

1) Figure 1.1Barcode 9

2) Figure 4.2Barcode symbology 19

3) Figure 5.2Dimension of barcode 22

4) Figure 5.3PDF417 patterns 25

5) Figure 5.4 PDF codeword 25

6) Figure 5.4.1 Codeword region26

7) Figure 5.4.2 5Row PDF417 symbol 26

8) Figure 5.4.3 3 Comumn PDF417 27

9) Figure 6.1 Correction chart 28

10) Figure 7.1 Compaction chart 29

11) Figure 8.2 Types of barcodes 30

viii | P a g e
 CHAPTER 1
INTRODUTION
1.1 Introduction
In a simplest form, barcode is a set of bars and spaces representing alphabet and
numeric data for identification of a particular product, service or a process.A barcode is
an optical machine-readable representation of data, which shows data about the object
to which it attaches. Originally, barcodes represented data by varying the widths and
spacings of parallel lines, and may be referred to as linear or 1 dimensional (1D). Later
they evolved into rectangles, dots, hexagons and other geometric patterns in 2
dimensions (2D). Although 2D systems use a variety of symbols, they are generally
referred to as barcodes as well. Barcodes originally were scanned by special–optical
scanners called barcode readers, scanners and interpretive software are available on
devices including desktop printers and smartphones.A bar code is simply a series of
stripes (usually black) on a light background (usually white) that can be scanned and
read directly into a computer. They are interpreted virtually instantaneously and without
errors by a bar code reading system. The elements (bars and spaces) in a bar code
symbol must be of a consistent, proportional thickness and thinness. The widest element
could be as thick as a pencil or as thin as a business card, as long as the corresponding
thin bars and spaces in the bar code remain proportionally. Bar codes are read the same
way that people read text from a page; the reflectance and absorption of light.

Figure 1.1
A light of a given wavelength is beamed and moved across a bar code at a consistent
speed. The reflected light is measured with a photoreceptor, tuned to look for light of
the given wavelength. The off- and- on (white and black) pattern of the bar code creates
an electrical wave that is sent on to a computer chip called a “ decoder.” The decoder
then deciphers the signal into something the waiting computer understands.The first use
of barcodes was to label railroad cars, but they were not commercially successful until

9|Page
they were used to automate supermarket checkout systems, a task for which they have
become almost universal. Their use has spread to many other tasks that are generically
referred to as Auto ID Data Capture (AIDC). The very first scanning of the now
ubiquitous Universal Product Code (UPC) barcode was on a pack of Wrigley Company
chewing gum in June 1974.Other systems have made inroads in the AIDC market, but
the simplicity, universality and low cost of barcodes has limited the role of these other
systems until the first decade of the 21st century over 40 years after the introduction of
the commercial barcode. It costs under 0.5¢ (U.S.) to provide a barcode. It was not until
late 2008 when the barcode began getting its first significant challenge in the retail
industry from radio frequency identification or RFID specifically passive Radio
Frequency Identification RFID in 2011 costs about 5¢ to 15¢ per tag. RFID is seen as
the clear replacement to bar code since it is an order of magnitude more productive
allowing scans of thousands at a time.

1.2 Objective
In 2010 a Korean company successfully printed a chip and inlay onto paper substrate
and predicted a 3 cent tag by 2012.Barcode technology is the best-known and most
widely used method of Automatic Identification. Automatic Identification or “Auto ID”
encompasses the automatic recognition and recording of data, most commonly through
the printing and reading of information encoded in barcodes thereby eliminating risk of
human error.Early applications of barcode scanning, which included retail point of sale,
item tracking and inventory control, have been expanded to include more advanced
applications such as time and attendance, work-in-process, quality control, sorting,
order entry, document tracking, shipping and receiving, and controlling access to secure
area. Barcodes have been instrumental in revolutionizing, and significantly increasing
efficiency and productivity across the entire supply chain from manufacturers to
distributors to retailers worldwide. The packet of Wrigley’s chewing gum was the firs-
ever product to be barcoded and scanned at Marsh’s supermarket in Troy.

10 | P a g e
CHAPTER 2

HISTORY OF BARCODES

2.1 Early developments

The industrial use of barcodes can be traced back as far as the 1960s, in some cases as a
means to identify railroad cars. Common linear barcodes started appearing on grocery
shelves in the early 1970s as the UPC barcode to automate the process of identifying
grocery items. Today, barcodes are just about everywhere and are used for identification
in almost all fields of business. When barcode technology is utilized in business
processes, procedures are automated to increase productivity and reduce human error.
Bar coding should be used whenever there is a need to accurately identify or track
something. In 1948 Bernard Silver, a graduate student at Drexel Institute of Technology
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA overheard the president of the local food chain,
Food Fair, asking one of the deans to research a system to automatically read product
information during checkout. Silver told his friend Norman Joseph Woodland about the
request, and they started working on a variety of systems. Their first working system
used ultraviolet ink, but this proved too subject to fading and was fairly expensive.
Convinced that the system was workable with further development, Woodland left
Drexel, moved into his father's apartment in Florida, and continued working on the
system. His next inspiration came from Morse code, and he formed his first barcode
from sand on the beach. "I just extended the dots and dashes downwards and made
narrow lines and wide lines out of them." To read them, he adapted technology from
optical soundtracks in movies, using a 500-watt light bulb shining through the paper
onto an RCA935 photomultiplier tube (from a movie projector) on the far side. He later
decided that the system would work better if it were printed as a circle instead of a line,
allowing it to be scanned in any direction.On 20 October 1949 Woodland and Silver
filed a patent application for "Classifying Apparatus and Method", in which they
described both the linear and bullseye printing patterns, as well as the mechanical and
electronic systems needed to read the code. The patent was issued on 7 October 1952 as
US Patent 2,612,994. In 1951, Woodland moved to IBM and continually tried to
interest IBM in developing the system. The company eventually commissioned a report
on the idea, which concluded that it was both feasible and interesting, but that

11 | P a g e
processing the resulting information would require equipment that was some time off in
the future.During his time as an undergraduate, David Collins worked at the
Pennsylvania Railroad and became aware of the need to automatically identify train
cars. Immediately after receiving his master's degree from MIT in 1959, he started work
at GTE Sylvania and began addressing the problem. He developed a system called
Kartakusing blue and yellow reflective stripes attached to the side of the cars, encoding
a six-digit company identifier and a four-digit car number. Light reflected off the stripes
was fed into one of two photomultipliers, filtered for blue or yellow.The Boston and
Maine Railroad tested the KarTrak system on their gravel cars in 1961. The tests
continued until 1967, when the Association of American Railroads (AAR) selected it as
a standard, Automatic Car Identification, across the entire North American fleet. The
installations began on October 10, 1967. However, the economic downturn and rash of
bankruptcies in the industry in the early 1970s greatly slowed the rollout, and it was not
until 1974 that 95% of the fleet was labeled. To add to its woes, the system was found
to be easily fooled by dirt in certain applications, and greatly affected accuracy. The
AAR abandoned the system in the late 1970s, and it was not until the mid-1980s that
they introduced a similar system, this time based on radio tags.The railway project had
failed, but a toll bridge in New Jersey requested a similar system so that it could quickly
scan for cars that had purchased a monthly pass. Then the U.S. Post Office requested a
system to track trucks entering and leaving their facilities. These applications required
special retro reflective labels. Finally, Kal Kan asked the Sylvania team for a simpler
(and cheaper) version which they could put on cases of pet food for inventory control.
This, in turn, interested the grocery industry.In 1967, with the railway system maturing,
Collins went to management looking for funding for a project to develop a black and
white version of the code for other industries. They declined; saying that the railway
project was large enough and they saw no need to branch out Collins then quit Sylvania
and formed Computer Identics Corporation. Computer Identics started working with
helium-neon lasers in place of light bulbs, scanning with a mirror to locate the barcode
anywhere up to several feet in front of the scanner. This made the entire process much
simpler and more reliable, as well as allowing it to deal with damaged labels by reading
the intact portion.Computer Identics Corporation installed one of its first two scanning
system in the spring of 1969 at a General Motors (Buick) factory in Flint, Michigan.
The system was used to identify a dozen types of transmissions moving on an overhead
conveyor from production to shipping. The other scanning system was installed at

12 | P a g e
General Trading Company's distribution center in Carlsbad, New Jersey to direct
shipments to the proper loading bay.

2.2 Industrial demand for barcode

The use of barcode technology in an industrial setting can be traced back as far as the
1960s, with some early implementations to identify railroad cars. Common barcodes
began appearing on grocery store shelves in the early 1970s as the UPC code to
automate the process of identifying grocery items. Today, barcodes are just about
everywhere and are used for identification in almost all areas of business. When
barcodes are implemented in business processes, procedures can be automated to reduce
human error and increase productivity. Barcoding should be considered whenever there
is a need to accurately identify or track something.As changes in the world of
commerce happen faster and faster, business owners have to scramble at an ever
increasing pace just to keep up. Day to day office tasks such as stock control, asset
management, and other chores can be performed much more productively because of
the advances in computer technology. These developments have given us the gift of
barcode technology. However, it used to be that only big businesses could afford the
large monetary outlay needed to purchase such a gift. However, this is no longer the
case, as smaller companies can now purchase specially designed systems that will allow
them to flourish in their areas of expertise with increased productivity and a better
bottom line. While the systems have been modified, they still deliver the punch of those
designed for much larger companies. If that weren't
You might think that only grocery stores make use of barcode technology, but look
again. Everything from warehousing and distribution, manufacturing, government, retail
stores, health care facilities and places of learning, use these products. A list of all the
vast uses and advantages of barcodes and barcode scanners, would take up far too much
space, so here are just some of the major points that might be of use to your company.
Barcode scanners can be put to use in all sorts of facilities, not just retail outlets. With
Bluetooth and wireless capability these handheld scanners can give the user free access
to all areas of a warehouse or office building or medical facility. This way inventories
can be tracked from anywhere. Many hospitals use them to inventory their stocks of
medicine, equipment, and to keep track of patients. In a manufacturing plant it is
possible to follow raw material inventory, right to when it emerges as finished
goods.Keeping customers happy and getting them the items they have ordered on time
is a very essential part of doing business. Old methods of obtaining jobs, creating

13 | P a g e
invoices and work orders and sending them in the mail, or by courier, is old and out-
dated. Barcode scanners and printers make it easy to take orders directly and fulfill
them. From start to finish there is virtually no chance that a mistake will occur because
everything is coded and can be tracked or traced all along the production line Barcode
technology can help advertise and promote a business in amazing new ways. Try using
a barcode on the products you produce instead of merely printing your website address
on them. When this barcode is scanned by a camera phone, your customers will have
instant access to the appropriate wireless-enabled website. This way you can promote
special new products, upcoming sales, concerts, or open houses. Imagine the
possibilities you can make happen with relatively simple, easily implemented barcode
technology. This, in effect, turns what you produce into little ambassadors, or an unpaid
sales force, working for you twenty four hours a Law firms can really use barcode
technology in this day and age as well. With a huge client database and an even bigger
amount of transcripts and documents, something simple is required to keep track of all
this data. A simple solution is to barcode each client file. It can even be time-coded so
CCD scanners enable administrators to see how much time each lawyer spends
interacting with each of their clients. It makes billing and all aspects of office
administration much simpler.The era of barcodes is here to stay, and the sooner a small
to medium-sized business, or department of a large corporation embraces this
technology, the more efficiently it will perform on a day to day basis. Then when year-
end comes around, the bottom line will be better too.Since their invention more than 50
years ago, bar codes have been enablers for accurate data capture, the rapid movement
of goods, and all types of automation. Whether at the Point-of-Sale, in a hospital, or in a
manufacturing environment these little black and white images deliver incredible value.
There are many different bar code symbologies, or languages. Each symbology has its
own rules for encoding characters (e.g., letter, number, punctuation), printing, decoding
Rules for representing data in an optically readable format.

14 | P a g e
CHAPTER 3

TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS

3.1 RFID technology

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is still in its infancy as a technology, and

implementation is usually many times more expensive compared to that of barcoding.
There are many additional issues to consider with RFID such as those listed in the
Disadvantages of RFID section in IDAutomation's RFID FAQ. However, RFID also has
many advantages over barcoding. In some cases, these advantages outweigh the
disadvantages and high cost of implementing RFID technology. Decision makers must
carefully consider whether RFID really provides an advantage the traditional use of
barcodes in their business model.

3.2 Barcode technology

Barcodes are typically made up of a prefix that identifies the company (or
manufacturer) and a suffix that identifies the product (or SKU). GS1 (formerly, EAN) is
the world’s most widely adopted supply chain standard for goods, services, assets and
location identification since 1977. Over 1 million companies of all sizes use GS1
standards to execute more than 5 billion transactions a day.A Barcode system consists
of three components:Origin: You must have a source of barcodes. These can be printed
on source or on-demand using thermal barcode printer and software.Reader: A reader is
used to read and decode barcodes. A reader can be either hand held or portable or
mounted as a fixed device.Computer System: A barcode system is usually a part of
larger system or application software for collecting and managing information.

15 | P a g e
Thousand of retail stores around the world, and a rapidly increasing number in India use
barcodes to collect information at the checkout.On its packaging each product carries a
barcode which uniquely identifies it and distinguishes it from all others in a shopping
basket. At the checkout, an automatic scanner reads each barcode. The barcode is
decoded to reveal the Article number it represents. This number is passed to computer,
which matches it against a file and retrieves the price to be charged along with a
description of the product. Both price and description are then printed on
receipt.Retailers for the first time can record the identity of every item sold. They can
reorder more quickly, reduce their stocks and have financial and marketing information
at their fingertips with unbelievable speed, accuracy and detail.

3.3 UPC technology

Barcodes such as the UPC have become a ubiquitous element of modern civilization.
Some modern applications of barcodes include:Almost every item other than fresh
produce from a grocery store, department store, and mass merchandiser has a UPC
barcode on it. This helps track items and also reduces instances of shoplifting involving
price tag swapping, although shoplifters can now print their own barcodes.Barcodes are
widely used in shop floor control applications software where employees can scan work
orders and track the time spent on a job.Retail chain membership cards (issued mostly
by grocery stores and specialty "big box"retail stores such as sporting equipment, office
supply, or pet stores) use bar codes to uniquely identify a consumer. Retailers can offer
customized marketing and greater understanding of individual consumer shopping
patterns. At the point of sale, shoppers can get product discounts or special marketing
offers through the address or e-mail address provided at registration.When used on
patient identification, barcodes permit clinical staff to instantly access patient data,
including medical history, drug allergies, etc.Document Management tools often allow
for barcoded sheets to facilitate the separation and indexing of documents that have
been imaged in batch scanning applications.

3.4 2D barcodes

The tracking of item movement, including rental cars, airline luggage, nuclear waste,
mail, express mail and parcels.Tracking the organization of species in biology. The
barcode assigned is based on the CO1 gene. Since 2005, airlines use an IATA-standard

16 | P a g e
2D barcode on boarding passes (BCBP), and since 2008 2D barcodes sent to mobile
phones enable electronic boarding passes. Recently, researchers placed tiny barcodes on
individual bees to track the insects' mating habits.Barcoded entertainment event tickets
allow the holder to enter sports arenas, cinemas, theatres, fairgrounds, transportation,
etc. This can allow the proprietor to identify duplicate or fraudulent tickets more
easily.They can track the arrival and departure of vehicles from rental
facilities.Barcodes can integrate with in-motion checkweighers to identify the item
being weighed in a conveyor line for data collectionSome 2D barcodes embed a
hyperlink to a web page. A capable cellphone might be used to read the barcode and
browse the linked website, which can help a shopper find the best price for an item in
the vicinity.In the 1970s and 1980s, software source code was occasionally encoded in a
barcode and printed on paper. Cauzin Softstrip and Paperbyte are barcode symbologies
specifically designed for this application.The 1991 Barcode Battler computer game
system, used any standard barcode to generate combat statistics.In 1992 the Veterans
Health Administration developed Bar Code Medication Administration system
(BCMA).In the 21st century many artists started using barcodes in art, such as Scott
Blake's Barcode Jesus, as part of the post-modernism movement.Today, barcodes are
issued by GS1, the most widely used supply chain standards system in the world.

17 | P a g e
CHAPTER 4

SYMBOLOGY

4.1 Introduction

The mapping between messages and barcodes is called a symbology. The specification
of a symbology includes the encoding of the single digits/characters of the message as
well as the start and stop markers into bars and space, the size of the quiet zone required
to be before and after the barcode as well as the computation of a checksum.Linear
symbologies can be classified mainly by two properties:Continuous vs. discrete:
Characters in continuous symbologies usually abut, with one character ending with a
space and the next beginning with a bar, or vice versa. Characters in discrete
symbologies begin and end with bars; the intercharacter space is ignored, as long as it is
not wide enough to look like the code ends.Two-width vs. many-width: Bars and spaces
in two-width symbologies are wide or narrow; how wide a wide bar is exactly has no
significance as long as the symbology requirements for wide bars are adhered to
(usually two to three times wider than a narrow bar). Bars and spaces in many-width
symbologies are all multiples of a basic width called the module; most such codes use
four widths of 1, 2, 3 and 4 modules.Some symbologies use interleaving. The first
character is encoded using black bars of varying width. The second character is then
encoded, by varying the width of the white spaces between these bars. Thus characters
are encoded in pairs over the same section of the barcode. Interleaved 2 of 5 is an

18 | P a g e
example of this Stacked symbologies repeat a given linear symbology vertically.The
most common among the many 2D symbologies are matrix codes, which feature square
or dot-shaped modules arranged on a grid pattern. 2-D symbologies also come in
circular and other patterns and may employ steganography, hiding modules within an
image (for example, DataGlyphs).Linear symbologies are optimized for laser scanners,
which sweep a light beam across the barcode in a straight line, reading a slice of the
barcode light-dark patterns. Stacked symbologies are also optimized for laser scanning,
with the laser making multiple passes across the barcode.In the 1990s development of
charge coupled device (CCD) imagers to read barcodes was pioneered by Welch Allyn.
Imaging does not require moving parts, like a laser scanner does. In 2007, linear
imaging had begun to supplant laser scanning as the preferred scan engine for its
performance and durability.2-D symbologies cannot be read by a laser as there is
typically no sweep pattern that can encompass the entire symbol. They must be scanned
by an image-based scanner employing a CCD or other digital camera sensor
technology.The type of barcode that should be used may depend on several variables,
including the following:Standards and mandatesPurpose and useData encoded Printing
and/or decoding methodsThere are several different types of barcode standards for
different purposes - these are called symbologies. Each type of symbology (or barcode
type) is a standard that defines the printed symbol and how a device, such as a barcode
scanner, reads and decodes the printed symbol.If an industry standard has already been
established for the intended implementation, the standard should be implemented. If a
standard does not exist for the chosen implementation, several symbologies are
available to choose from. Industry standards are usually established when multiple
parties or companies are involved in the ID process. The standard is not necessarily the
same as the barcode symbology. Barcode standards define how to use the barcode
symbology in a particular situation. For example, the two standards to create ISBN
barcodes for books and generate ISSN barcodes for periodicals both use EAN-13 to
encode data into the barcode, but have different methods depending on the specific
ISBN & ISSN standards. In other point of view, a bar code “ symbology” is to bar
codes in much what a particular alphabet is to language. Different symbologies of bar
codes use different combinations of bars and spaces to represent different characters.

4.2 Standards

19 | P a g e
 Figure 4.2

Established
Purpose Barcode Symbology
Standard

ABC Coda
blood bank tracking Coda bar
bar

AIAG automotive item identification Data Matrix

unique identifier for US Department of

DOD UID Data Matrix
Defence

EAN-8 &
items for sale worldwide UPC/EAN
EAN-13

EAN-14 shipping cartons Interleaved 2 of 5 or Code 128

GTIN global trade identification Code 128

GTIN-12 global trade identification UPC

GTIN-13 global trade identification EAN

GTIN-14 global trade identification and POS GS1-DataBar

ISBN, ISSN
books and periodicals EAN-13 with UPC/EAN
& Bookland

20 | P a g e
 LOGMARS US Department of Defense Code 39

MIL-STD-
US Department of Defense Data Matrix
130

POSTNET US mail POSTNET

SCC-14 shipping cartons Interleaved 2 of 5 or Code 128

SISAC serial numbers for serial publications Code 128

SICI Code serial numbers for serial publications Code 128

ISBT-128 Blood, tissue and organ products Code 128

SSCC-18 shipping cartons Code 128

USPS Special
US mail special services Code 128
Services

CHAPTER 5

DIMENSIONS OF BARCODE

5.1 One dimensional vs two Dimensional barcodes

Before beginning a discussion on two- dimensional bar code symbols, some

clarifications must be made regarding one- dimensional symbols.Typical bar code
symbols obviously have both height and breadth. To most people, they’d be considered
a two- dimensional object. So, why do we refer to them as one- dimensional bar code
symbols? Because, when read, it is only the width of the bars and spaces that is taken
into account — the height of the bars is only to give the symbol some built- in
redundancy. Typical bar code symbols, therefore, are only read in one dimension.One
other important aspect of one- dimensional bar code symbols is that they seldom
represent more than a dozen characters. Therefore, the bar code does not contain any
data, per se. Rather, the bar code represents the key to a record in a database, where
related information is stored. The best example is a car license plate which, by itself,
doesn’t mean much but, when entered into a motor vehicle database, can access all sorts
of information regarding the car it is attached to. In the Two- dimensional (2-D)

21 | P a g e
symbols, data are encoded in both the height and width of the symbol, and the amount
of data that can be contained in a single symbol is significantly greater than that stored
in a one-dimensional symbol. In fact, over thousands alphanumeric characters can
potentially be placed in a single symbol the size of a large postage stamp! Obviously,
the main advantage of using 2D bar codes is that possibly a large amount of easily- and
accurately- read data can " ride" with the item to which it is attached. There are new
applications being created for 2D bar code technology every day.One of the amazing
(and beneficial) aspects of two- dimensional symbols is their potential durability. To
sabotage the readability of a conventional 1D symbol, one only has to add another bar
to the beginning or end of the symbol or draw a line through the symbol, parallel to the
stripes. This throws off the checks and a balance built into the decoding algorithms of a
1D bar code decoder and makes the symbol unreadable. By comparison, many degrees
of redundancy can be built into a 2D symbol. While it makes the symbol somewhat
larger, the remaining symbol is remarkably secure. We have experimented with
vandalizing 2D symbols with holes, black marker and tearing. The symbol has remained
readable through all of this abuse.

5.2 About PDF417

It's PDF417. PDF stands for “ Portable Data File.” A two- dimensional symbology, single
PDF417 symbol carries up to 1.1 kilobytes of machine- readable data in a space no
larger than a standard bar code. And, unlike traditional one- dimensional bar codes,
which depend on real- time links to a larger database, PDF417 symbols are the
database. PDF417 symbols travel on paper. Moreover, PDF417 is recognized as the
standard between two-dimensional symbologies by leading organizations worldwide. In
addition, PDF417 is an error- correcting symbology designed for real- world situations
where portions of labels can get destroyed or damaged in handling. It performs error
correction by making calculations, if necessary, to reconstruct undecoded or corrupted
portions of the symbol. Encoding data into a PDF417 bar code is a two- step process.
First, data is converted into codeword values of 0 - 928, which represent the data. This
is “ high- level encoding.” Then the values are physically represented by particular bar/
space patterns, which is “ low- level encoding.” Decoding is the reverse process. At first
glance, a PDF417 symbol looks like a set of stacked bar codes. When we look closer to
analyze how the symbol is put together, there are several key elements. Those will be
explaining below. Bars and Spaces All bar codes are comprised of bars and spaces (dark
and light regions). A bar is a continuous dark area; a space is a continuous light area.

22 | P a g e
 From here on, we will refer to bar and/ or space as simply bar. Most bar codes have a
fixed number of possible bar widths. That is, each and every bar must be one of a fixed
number of sizes. Each bar's width must also be a multiple of the smallest bar width. For
instance, if the narrowest bar is 10 mil, then possible bar widths can be 10 mil, 20 mil,
30 mil, 40 mil, etc... But not, 15mil, or 25mil since these sizes are not multiples of the
narrowest bar size of 10 mil. ( mil, stands of thousands of an inch). X Dimension The
width of the smallest bar is defined as a bar code's ' X' dimension. Each X' dimension is
sometimes referred to as a module. In the following picture, you can easily pick out the
smallest, or narrowest bar. By measuring this bar, we can determine the bar codes ' X'
dimension. You can also see that all of the other bar widths is multiples of the smallest
bar or ' X' dimension. Each bar's width is often expressed relative to the ' X' dimension;
for instance, 3X refers to a bar that is 3times as wide as the narrowest bar.

figure 5.2

The following picture is a PDF417 bar code that looks like it is printed on graph paper.
This image makes it easier to count the number of ' X' dimensions, or modules in each
bar. If we look closely, we will see that each and every bar is an exact multiple of the
minimum bar width. The first bar is 8X wide, the following space 1X wide, etc... In a
validly printed code, without ink spread, you should never see a bar that is 1.5X, 4.2X,
or not a whole multiple of X. In a PDF417 symbol, you will always see 1X, 2X, 3X,
4X, 5X, 6X, 7X, or 8X bars. Keep this in mind, you will see later how to detect, andThe
following picture is a PDF417 bar code that looks like it is printed on graph paper. This
image makes it easier to count the number of ' X' dimensions, or modules in each bar. If
we look closely, we will see that each and every bar is an exact multiple of the
minimum bar width. The first bar is 8X wide, the following space 1X wide, etc... In a
validly printed code, without ink spread, you should never see a bar that is 1.5X, 4.2X,
or not a whole multiple of X. In a PDF417 symbol, you will always see 1X, 2X, 3X,
4X, 5X, 6X, 7X, or 8X bars. Keep this in mind, you will see later how to detect, and

23 | P a g e
avoidprinting problems related to this topic.The American National Standards Institute
(ANSI) has just published a new 2-D standard: ANSI MH 10.8.3M unit loads and
transport packages for two-dimensional symbols. It recommends the use of PDF417 for
all shipping, receiving and supporting EDI documentation. Most standards associations
will use this ANSI standard as the basis for their specific industry's application
specification.AIM USA and AIM Europe, accredited ANSI standards-developing
organizations, which have approved and published PDF417 as a Uniform Symbology
Specification (USS) standard.The American Association of Motor Vehicle
Administrators (AAMVA), which has approved and published PDF417 for a broad
range of driver and motor vehicle applications.• The U.S. Department of Defense,
which has designated PDF417 as the standard 2-D bar code for logistics applications
and EDI formatting on paper labels.The Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) 2-
D Applications Committee, which has selected PDF417 for its key 2-D production and
logistics applications, is completing their B-10 standard for users in the recent
times.Barcode verifiers should comply with the ISO/IEC 15426-1 (linear) or ISO/IEC
15426-2 (2D).This standard defines the measuring accuracy of a bar code verifier. The
current international barcode quality specification is ISO/IEC 15416 (linear) and
ISO/IEC 15415 (2D). The European Standard EN 1635 has been withdrawn and
replaced by ISO/IEC 15416. The original U.S. barcode quality specification was ANSI
X3.182. (UPCs used in the US—ANSI/UCC5).This standard defines the quality
requirements for barcodes and Matrix Codes (also called Optical Codes).As of 2011 the
ISO workgroup JTC1 SC31 was developing a DPM quality standard: ISO/IEC TR
29158. International standards are available from the International Organisation for
Standardization (ISO). These standards are also available from local/national
standardization organizations, such as ANSI, BSI, DIN, NEN and others.When
encoding uppercase and/or lowercase letters, numbers, punctuation, any letter or symbol
appearing on the standard U.S. keyboard and lower ASCII functions such as returns and
tabs, up to about 40 digits, use Code128. All of IDAutomation's barcode components
and applications support Code 128 as the default barcode type.When coding several
lines of data of any type over 40 characters, it is suggested to use the PDF417 or Data
Matrix barcodes.When encoding only numbers, up to about 30 digits, choose Codabar
Barcode Fonts. Codabar is the most dense, self-checking (easy-to-use)
symbology.When encoding uppercase letters, numbers and these symbols (- . $ / + %),
up to about 20 digits, choose Code 39 Barcode Fonts. Code 39 is also a dense self-
checking (easy-to-use) alpha-numeric symbology. When it is necessary to encode

24 | P a g e
uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, punctuation and ASCII functions such as
returns and tabs, up to about 40 digits, use Code 128 Barcode Fonts or the Universal
Barcode Fonts.When encoding any data of any type over 40 characters, use the PDF417
or Data Matrix barcodes.After evaluating several popular barcodes, the Data Matrix
barcode is the most dependable in a faxing environment. Data Matrix is one of the
smallest and most dependable barcode symbologies. Compared to other barcode types,
Data Matrix is approximately 30 times smaller than a Code 39 barcode representing the
same data. This comparison may be seen visually in the Barcode Symbology Evaluation
and Test Sheet. If the DataMatrix barcode cannot be implemented, it is suggested to
print the chosen barcode at the largest X Dimension (or size) as possible, which will
usually allow the symbol to be read by a scanner.When printing to thermal 203 DPI

25 | P a g e
5.3 Start / Stop Patterns

Every bar code has a start pattern on the left, and a stop pattern on the right. These patterns
are unique for each type of bar code. PDF417' s unique start and stop patterns are:

figure 5.3

5.4 Codewords

In a PDF417 bar code, each bar and space does not store data. Data is actually stored in
codewords. A codeword is a consecutive sequence of 4 bars and 4 spaces totaling 17X
wide. The 417 in PDF417 refer to this codeword structure. Codewords reside between the
start pattern on the left, and the stop pattern on the right. This region contains several types
of codewords including data codewords, control codewords, and row indicator codewords.
Each of these codewords abides by the rules described above. The picture below points out
a single PDF417 codeword

figure 5.4

0|Page
5.4.1 Data Codeword Region

User data is first encoded into codeword values. These codeword values are then converted
into physical codewords represented by bars and spaces as described above. Data
codewords are physically located between the left and right row indicator codewords.
Below, you can see the Data Codeword Region:

figure 5.4.1

5.4.2 Rows

If you look closely at a PDF417 symbol, you will notice that it appears to be made of many
" 1D- like" bar codes. In reality, it is made up of multiple rows. A PDF417 bar code can
have anywhere from 3 to 90 rows. This allows a PDF417 symbol to be reshaped by
adjusting the number of rows. The following PDF417 symbol has 5 rows:

figure 5.4.2

5.4.3Columns

A PDF417 symbol is made up of multiple data columns, which are sometimes referred to as
the data column area. The number of data columns can vary from 3 to 30, to accommodate
user's real estate requirements. These columns contain encoded data, as well as error

1|Page
correction information. Within the data column area, a single PDF417 can contain no more
than 928 codewords. An example of a 3 column PDF417 symbol appears below:

figure 5.4.3

2|Page
CHAPTER 6

ERROR CORRECTION

6.1 Introduction

The PDF417 symbology has error correction capability. This capability enables scanners to
read the bar code even if it has been torn, written on, or damaged in other ways. How much
damage a symbol can withstand depends on the amount of error correction in each PDF417
symbol. The user has the ability to select 1 of 9 error correction levels for each symbol
printed. Error correction is specified by selecting a level from 0 to 8. At level 0, a damaged
PDF417 cannot be read, but the damage can be detected. At levels 1 through 8, a PDF417
symbol can still be read, even when damaged. As the error correction level increases, more
damage can occur to the symbol and still be read. Consequently, the higher the error
correction level, the larger the symbol becomes, while the data capacity goes down. The
following table illustrates these facts:

3|Page
 figure 6.1

6.2 Error Correction Capacity

PDF417 symbols can be damaged and still decoded. The amount of damage that a symbol
can withstand is its error correction capacity. For example, at level 5-error correction, 64
codewords of error correction are used. At this level, 31 codewords can have errors, while
still being read correctly. If more than 31 errors exist, the symbol is unreadable. The X
dimension is the width of the narrowest bar in a printed codeword. The Y dimension is the
height of each row within the PDF417 symbol. PDF417 is usually printed with an X to Y
ratio from 1: 2 to 1: 5. By changing the X to Y ratio to 1: 2 or 1: 3, a significant amount of
space can be saved.

6.3 Row and Column Limits

The number of rows and columns can be selected to place the symbol in a specific form.
The PDF417 symbol is limited to 30 columns and 90 rows. When selecting columns, keep
in mind that you are only selecting the number of data columns in the symbol. The normal
PDF417 symbol has two row start columns and two row stop columns. Truncated PDF417
contains only two row start columns. A truncated PDF417 symbol is more area efficient
than normal PDF417. By selecting this option, the right hand side of the symbol is removed
or " truncated". This option should only be used in clean environments, since it is less
immune to damage.

4|Page
CHAPTER 7
DATA CAPACITY

7.1 Amount of Data Encoded

We recommend limiting the amount of data encoded in 2D symbols to 1700 characters if
possible. Although the AIM PDF417 specifications state that " up to 1100 bytes or 1800
ASCII characters can be encoded in a PDF417 symbol", we have found that these numbers
are not realistic. The amount of data that can be encoded will vary depending upon the type
of data, the compaction type, the error correction level chosen and what your scanner can
read. In text compaction mode, the amount of compaction varies due to mode switching
between different types of characters, such as between numbers, upper case, lower case and
punctuation. Because each codeword represents 1 of 929 possible values, data can be
compacted into the codewords to save space. PDF417 has three data compaction modes:
byte, text and numeric. Byte compaction encodes actual bytes of data, text mode encodes
most characters on the US keyboard and numeric compaction encodes only numbers. The
chart below shows more details about these modes.

figure 7.1

7.1.2 PDF417 translates into productivity

PDF417 technology translates into productivity. Easy to use and easy to integrate, a
PDF417 application delivers the benefits of digital data communications with the simplicity

5|Page
 of bar coding. It's very low in cost… printable in various sizes on a wide variety of media
using traditional printing technologies…easy to support…and highly robust in its error
correction capabilities. Moreover, PDF417 has been recognized as the standard among two-
dimensional symbologies by leading organizations worldwide.

7.1.3 PDF417: Much More than Meets the Eye

PDF417 answers the need to capture, store and transfer large amounts of data
inexpensively. It can exchange complete data files (such as text, numerics or binary) and
encode graphics, fingerprints, shipping manifests, electronic data interchange (EDI)
messages, equipment calibration instructions and much more. It provides a powerful
communications capability – without the need to access an external database. And, for
virtually no incremental cost, you can add a PDF symbol to the documents and labels you
are already printing.Think of PDF as an independent database with complete freedom of
movement, traveling together with a person or on an item, object, package, form,
document, card or label. It does what wired networks can't: allows you to immediately
access your data regardless of location. Plus, encryption is available as an option when
additional security is required. Moreover, because PDF417 is a machine-readable method of
transporting data, it eliminates time-consuming and error-prone manual data entry. It functions as
a paper-based computer memory that can be written once and read over and over again. And, as
a universal machine language, it communicates with all host operating systems. PDF417 encodes
full ASCII, numeric or binary data and it uses sophisticated error correction algorithms to keep
intact 100 percent of the data – even when as much as half the symbol is damaged. And it's self-
verifying, so data errors can be detected and data integrity maintained.

7.3 What a Difference a Dimension Makes

One-dimensional bar codes contain an access code that serves as a real-time key for
opening a database. A PDF417 symbol contains a complete data record and requires no
access to an external database. Data, text, graphics, biometrics and voice records are
immediately applied to the application transaction by simply scanning the symbol.

6|Page
CHAPTER 8

READING BARCODE

8.1 Decoders

One of the most common tools for reading barcodes is the hand-held barcode scanner. The
barcode scanners recommended and sold by IDAutomation all have built-in decoders that
can read several different barcode symbologies. There are a few low-priced scanners on the
market, but they require complicated decoders. In the long run, after ordering and
programming a decoder, more time will be spent using the decoder than if ordering a
scanner with a built-in decoder. Most of the barcode scanners sold by IDAutomation
receive their power from the PC keyboard or USB port so no external power supply is
required. When a barcode is scanned, the data is sent to the PC as if typed on the keyboard.
To learn more about scanning barcodes, review how to scan barcode data into applications.
Most barcode scanners can read common linear symbologies such as Code 39, UPC, EAN,
Code 128 and Codabar by default. Some scanner manufacturers’ ship new barcode
scanners with most symbologies disabled, therefore, if a particular barcode cannot be read,
make sure it is enabled in the scanner's firmware. Not all scanners read barcodes that are
printed at small X dimensions (the x dimension is the width of the narrow bar in the code,)
so it is advisable to check the barcode scanner manual to make sure the scanner can read
the small X dimensions.The low-priced IDAutomation Plug 'n Play USB Barcode Scanner
performs like a laser scanner and reads very small barcodes. Barcodes of 4 to 32 mils in

7|Page
size and up to 4.2" in width are easily read from a distance of 4 to 8 inches with this
scanner.

8.2 Barcode Accuracy & Misreads

The accuracy and amount of misreads of several different barcode symbologies were
evaluated in a study at Ohio University Center for Automatic Identification. Studies
indicate that a well-trained data entry operator will usually make a data entry error once
every 300 keystrokes. Therefore, implementing even the least accurate barcode symbology
is a huge step forward to increasing production and reducing data entry errors.

Barcode Type Worst Case Accuracy Best Case Accuracy

DataMatrix 1 error in 10.5 million 1 error in 612.9 million
PDF417 1 error in 10.5 million 1 error in 612.4 million
Code 128 1 error in 2.8million 1 error in 37 million
Code 39 1 error in 1.7 million 1 error in 4.5 million
UPC 1 error in 394 thousand 1 error in 800 thousand

Shotcode High capacity color

Codablock barcode

8|Page
 EZ code
Datamatrix 2D
PDF 417

figure 8.2

CHAPTER 9

SCOPE OF BARCODE IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

9.1 Scope

A large amount is involved in manufacturing and inventory management. In this there is no

waiting time. Manufacturers should have the system tools to manage the inventory and
coordinate supply chain.Using barcode system has greatly helped the manufacturing sector
to achieve success by improving the efficiency, quality and delivery in their business.
Barcodes and barcode labels are used as tools in the efficient and error free tracking of
manufacturing inputs or raw materials and product identification.Barcodes labels are
important to run the business in an efficient way. There are different uses of barcode
technology in manufacturing industry. Barcodes are read by barcode scanners. Barcode
scanners, printers and labels all come under barcode technology.Usage of barcode

9|Page
 technology helps in reducing manufacturing costs and increases profits. Barcodes also help
the regulatory authorities to find out the fakes or counterfeits. This system could not be
successful without an accurate and efficient method of product identification, inventory
management, delivery tracking.

REFERENCES
Automating Management Information Systems: Barcode Engineering and Implementation –
Harry E. Burke, Thomson Learning, ISBN 0-442-20712-3

• Automating Management Information Systems: Principles of Barcode Applications – Harry E.

Burke, Thomson Learning, ISBN 0-442-20667-4

• The Bar Code Book – Roger C. Palmer, Helmers Publishing, ISBN 0-911261-09-5, 386 pages

• The Bar Code Manual – Eugene F. Brighan, Thompson Learning, ISBN 0-03-016173-8

• Handbook of Bar Coding Systems – Harry E. Burke, Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, ISBN
978-0-442-21430-2, 219 pages

10 | P a g e
 CURRICULUM VITAE

+918840561263 | himanshu8singh5@gmail.com

CAREER OBJECTIVE:To utilize my knowledge and skills for the growth of organization
and ultimately contribute towards the betterment of my country.

EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS:

Examination Board/University College Year Of Percentage

Passing
B.Tech AKTU Pranveer Singh - 70%
(Mechanical Institute of (Till 7th
Engineering) Technology, Kanpur sem.)
Intermediate CBSE KV 2 AFS CHAKERI 2015 85%

11 | P a g e
 ,Kanpur
High school CBSE KV AFS 2013 95%
SKILL
MEMAURA,
Lucknow
S:
Enginee
ring drawing, AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, Catia, C++

PERSONAL PROFILE:

Father`s Name: Satya Vir Singh

Date of Birth: 28 March, 1998

Language Known: English, Hindi

Address: J 808 World Bank Barra, Kanpur

DECLARATION: I hereby declare that all the information mentioned above is true and
correct to the best of my knowledge.

Date: (Himanshu Singh)

12 | P a g e