Verifier shortcomings are a neglected side of the barcode verification science. Product literature and over-enthusiastic resellers would have you believe that nothing can go wrong as long as you have XYZ Companies latest verifier and it just isn’t so.

Verifier shortcomings are simply not disclosed by manufacturers and resellers

Data sheets list product attributes, not verifier shortcomings and resellers—especially online discounters, often don’t know. They just want to close the sale.

Overall the largest single factor for these problems is the ANSI specification for barcode quality. For sake of clarity, we will discuss linear barcodes only. The ANSI spec addresses 9 attributes based mostly on reflective properties. What other attributes are not checked by ANSI?

 Verifier shortcomings are critical attributes beyond the ANSI specification

Symbol type or symbology is one example. A contract printer with what seemed to be a solid barcode quality program came to us with a problem: they had printed several hundred thousand consumer product packages, verifying them rigorously and getting consistent, acceptable ANSI grades. Their client, who had supplied the barcode graphics file, was very unhappy: the Codabar symbols he printed should have been EAN 13 symbols. Did the verifier tell him they were Codabar symbols? Well yes it did. But he was looking only at the ANSI grade.

Another example we saw recently was even more subtle. The verifier correctly identified the symbology and graded it; once again, the client was satisfied. But the human readables beneath the barcode didn’t match the decoded information as reported by the verifier. Somehow the bars and spaces in the barcode didn’t match the human readables. Somebody in stripping or graphics did something very creative—and disastrous. Once again, heads rolled. Once again, the verifier did everything it was designed to do, and the human operator failed to notice.

Verifier shortcomings are actually operator error, not equipment failure

These are verifier shortcomings. Call it pilot error, complacency, plain ignorance, reseller neglect, whatever. The smartest component in the verification process is not the electronic device. It’s the user.

Do you have examples of verifier shortcomings? I’d love to hear about them.

 

 

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3db Barcode Testimonial

Our company (an advanced software company) recently worked with Barcode Test to source a barcode verifier.  Not long ago, we were awarded a contract requiring products to be marked with IUIDs in accordance with MIL-STD-130.  For that standard, marking labels must pass a verification test that evaluates many variables (contrast, size, clarity, syntax, modularity, and more).  After a thorough search, we reduced our options to a select few.

In our search for a verifier, the Axicon line caught our attention.  Barcode Test is our regional reseller for this product.   From the beginning, they were very prompt with their responses.  We ended up having a quick call with John Nachtrieb to go over our needs.  John was extremely easy to work with and provided a lot of great information.  He was very knowledgeable on the matter and was quick to offer up a demo unit (free of charge).

Upon receiving the demo verifier and testing it, a few questions arose.  John joined a call with us and answered all our questions.  Ultimately, the Axicon verifier wasn’t the best fit for us, so we shipped the demo back.  John was completely understanding.  A few weeks later, Barcode Test reached back out with another possible verifier for us to try.  While they didn’t sell that brand, they just wanted to help us find the best option that met our needs. They even offered to send us the unit that they have in-house to see if it worked to our liking. 

Barcode Test is truly a great company to work with.  Their service and willingness to help the customer are far beyond what you typically get from other companies.  They are experts in barcode quality assurance and seem willing to help in any way they can (even if that means not getting a sale and recommending another option that better fits the customer’s needs).  If anyone is in the market for barcode verification/scanning services or products, I would highly recommend giving Barcode Test a call.

Regards,

Production Manager