Bar code types and how to distinguish them

Now many products will have a bar code or two-dimensional code on the packaging, in fact, in general, whether it is a black and white bar code or a square two-dimensional code, can be collectively referred to as bar code. One-digit bar codes and QR code barcodes or color barcodes are their specific appearance display style. So how to distinguish the one-dimensional code or two-dimensional code, let's take a look in detail:

One-dimensional bar code

One-dimensional barcodes only express information in one direction (usually the horizontal direction), but do not express any information in the vertical direction, and their height is usually to facilitate the alignment of the reader. The application of one-dimensional barcode can improve the speed of information entry and reduce the error rate. However, one-dimensional barcode also has some shortcomings:

* Small data size: about 30 characters

* Contains only letters and numbers

* Bar code size is relatively large (less space utilization)

* Barcodes cannot be read when damaged

Two dimensional bar code

Barcodes that store information in two dimensions, both horizontal and vertical, are called two-dimensional barcodes. Like one-dimensional barcodes, there are many different coding methods, or codes, for two-dimensional barcodes. In terms of the coding principles of these codes, they can generally be divided into the following three types:

1. Linear stacked two-dimensional code is generated by stacking multiple one-dimensional codes vertically on the basis of the one-dimensional barcode coding principle.

* Data Matrix is mainly used in the electronics industry to label small parts, such as Intel's Pentium processor, which is printed on the back of the code.

* Maxi Code was developed by United Parcel Service (UPS) to sort and track packages.

* Aztec was introduced by Welch Allyn and can hold up to 3,832 numeric or 3,067 alphabetic characters or 1,914 bytes of data.

2. Matrix two-dimensional code

It is encoded in a rectangular space by different distributions of black and white pixels in a matrix. Typical codes include Aztec, Maxi Code, QR Code, Data Matrix, etc.

3. The postal code

It is mainly used for mail coding. In many kinds of two-dimensional bar codes, commonly used Code systems are: QR Code,Data Matrix,PDF417, etc., among which:

* Data Matrix is mainly used in the electronics industry to label small parts, such as Intel's Pentium processor, which is printed on the back of the code.

* Maxi Code was developed by United Parcel Service (UPS) to sort and track packages.

* Aztec was introduced by Welch Allyn and can hold up to 3,832 numeric or 3,067 alphabetic characters or 1,914 bytes of data.