Go in to any store, anywhere, and look at most of the goods that are on display and available for sale - they've all got a barcode on them somewhere. Just take a look in your own refrigerator or pantry - most of the food that you have that comes from a package will have a UPC code printed on it somewhere. UPC barcodes are now on virtually everything - food, clothing, all manner of appliances and devices whether for entertainment or communication, library books, computer software...you get the picture; they're everywhere and they assist in maintaining order in relation to any type of inventory. About the only thing barcodes aren't used to track and inventory are actual people, and even then, it may only be a matter of time before some government somewhere in the world implements barcoding as a form of population monitoring.
UPC codes were invented about 30 years ago. And ever since their inception, they have been helping businesses manage and track their inventories, streamline product processing and generally making businesses more economical. Initially the technology was quite expensive. For this reason it took some time for it to catch on. Eventually, more businesses realized the cost efficiencies offered by barcode systems and decided it was technology worth investing in. This form of tracking system was essentially born out of necessity and then soon became the retail industry standard method for inventory and tracking.
A simple definition is: a linear code that can be read by a machine. It is a series of bars and spaces that are defined and then printed in different ratios. This is why, at a glance, they appear to be completely random groupings of thick and thin black lines.
Essentially they are a simplified way of storing most products and pricing information of a product. When the scanner reads the barcode of a particular product, it decodes that information into computer-compatible information. For example, as you scan a loaf of bread at the supermarket, you will see the information that is then called up. On your receipt, you can clearly see the item description and price.
The "UPC" designation stands for Universal Product Code and all UPC's originate from The UCC or Uniform Code Council. All manufacturers must receive permission to be entered in to the system. The UCC will issue the manufacturer a standard six-digit identification number. The UPC symbol then has two parts - the series of lines that comprise the barcode, and a series of numbers (usually 12 digits).
The first six digits are the manufacturer's identification number. The next five digits are the item number - the number assigned to that particular product. The last digit is what is known as a check digit. The check digit is used to communicate to the scanning device as to whether or not it has scanned the barcode correctly. A calculation is performed in every instance of a scan, if the scanner interprets a different check digit than the one that has been scanned, and then the scanner will interpret this mistake as a sign that the item has not been scanned correctly.
Currently, there is research being conducted that would see barcoding applied to the world of science as a means of itemizing DNA of individual species with the desired end result being a universal tool to identify organisms. Much like items in a warehouse can now be itemized; identified, and tracked, barcoding of DNA will enable the creation of a database of (possibly) all living organisms. The impact of this on the world of science would be equal to how revolutionary the UPC was when first introduced to the world of manufacturing and retail.
UPC codes were invented about 30 years ago. And ever since their inception, they have been helping businesses manage and track their inventories, streamline product processing and generally making businesses more economical. Initially the technology was quite expensive. For this reason it took some time for it to catch on. Eventually, more businesses realized the cost efficiencies offered by barcode systems and decided it was technology worth investing in. This form of tracking system was essentially born out of necessity and then soon became the retail industry standard method for inventory and tracking.
A simple definition is: a linear code that can be read by a machine. It is a series of bars and spaces that are defined and then printed in different ratios. This is why, at a glance, they appear to be completely random groupings of thick and thin black lines.
Essentially they are a simplified way of storing most products and pricing information of a product. When the scanner reads the barcode of a particular product, it decodes that information into computer-compatible information. For example, as you scan a loaf of bread at the supermarket, you will see the information that is then called up. On your receipt, you can clearly see the item description and price.
The "UPC" designation stands for Universal Product Code and all UPC's originate from The UCC or Uniform Code Council. All manufacturers must receive permission to be entered in to the system. The UCC will issue the manufacturer a standard six-digit identification number. The UPC symbol then has two parts - the series of lines that comprise the barcode, and a series of numbers (usually 12 digits).
The first six digits are the manufacturer's identification number. The next five digits are the item number - the number assigned to that particular product. The last digit is what is known as a check digit. The check digit is used to communicate to the scanning device as to whether or not it has scanned the barcode correctly. A calculation is performed in every instance of a scan, if the scanner interprets a different check digit than the one that has been scanned, and then the scanner will interpret this mistake as a sign that the item has not been scanned correctly.
Currently, there is research being conducted that would see barcoding applied to the world of science as a means of itemizing DNA of individual species with the desired end result being a universal tool to identify organisms. Much like items in a warehouse can now be itemized; identified, and tracked, barcoding of DNA will enable the creation of a database of (possibly) all living organisms. The impact of this on the world of science would be equal to how revolutionary the UPC was when first introduced to the world of manufacturing and retail.
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All Barcode Systems manufactures self-adhesive labels, tags and label rewinders. We are a value-added data collection distributor and have the experience to get the right technology that will exceed your expectations. For more information about our barcode software, visit us online today!
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