The History Of Bar Codes
While we might bristle at the thought of a long grocery store line, go back just a couple of decades and the process of checking out of the market was quite a bit more time consuming. Items had no bar codes and there were no scanners, so checkers typed in the cost of every item using a non-electric register. Today, stores have computerized registers, and scanning makes the process of purchasing food and other grocery items far easier, not to mention that scanning also helps to track inventory and even showcase shopping trends.
While the bar code scanners weren't commonplace until the 1980s, bar codes were actually developed as early as the 1950s. The first patent for a bar code was issued in 1952 to Bernard Silver and Norman Woodland who developed the code and reader using a light bulb and movie projector parts. The first bar code scanner for a grocery store was installed in 1974 at a supermarket in Ohio, and the very first item scanned was a package of Wrigley gum, which is now on display at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.
The bar code that you see on your grocery products is called the Universal Product Code, and it was developed in the mid-1960s. Each number represents something very specific. The initial digit indicates the type of item you are purchasing. For instance, if you purchase shampoo or a health product such as aspirin, the number will be a 3. A 5 is printed on coupons, and a 2 is reserved for items that have a random weight, such as sliced meats and cheeses from the deli. The next set of numbers indicates the actual company that manufactures the product. Coca-Cola, for instance, has the number 49000 on its product labels.
We have all seen the UPC bars on products, but there are also many other numbers that are printed on packages. Particularly on a food or drink item, you will see the batch number and expiration number printed somewhere on the label. This printing is done using a type of printer that is called an id coder or an id printer. The coders are fast printers with quick-drying inks that can print on materials such as plastic, glass, metal and many more surfaces.
Typically, a coder is either a drop-on-demand type of printer or a continuous inkjet printer, and there are tons of excellent brands. If you are looking for a printer, you can opt for an Altima coder, a Videojet coder, a Domino printer or perhaps a Maxima printer. A good option also might be to purchase the machine refurbished from a product id specialist. These companies sell refurbished codes, as well as providing a repair service for all brands of coders.
Another good option is purchasing ink from these id companies, as well. They sell carefully formulated inks and make up for any coder. You can purchase Videojet ink, Domino ink or ink for any other brand at much lower prices.
While the bar code scanners weren't commonplace until the 1980s, bar codes were actually developed as early as the 1950s. The first patent for a bar code was issued in 1952 to Bernard Silver and Norman Woodland who developed the code and reader using a light bulb and movie projector parts. The first bar code scanner for a grocery store was installed in 1974 at a supermarket in Ohio, and the very first item scanned was a package of Wrigley gum, which is now on display at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.
The bar code that you see on your grocery products is called the Universal Product Code, and it was developed in the mid-1960s. Each number represents something very specific. The initial digit indicates the type of item you are purchasing. For instance, if you purchase shampoo or a health product such as aspirin, the number will be a 3. A 5 is printed on coupons, and a 2 is reserved for items that have a random weight, such as sliced meats and cheeses from the deli. The next set of numbers indicates the actual company that manufactures the product. Coca-Cola, for instance, has the number 49000 on its product labels.
We have all seen the UPC bars on products, but there are also many other numbers that are printed on packages. Particularly on a food or drink item, you will see the batch number and expiration number printed somewhere on the label. This printing is done using a type of printer that is called an id coder or an id printer. The coders are fast printers with quick-drying inks that can print on materials such as plastic, glass, metal and many more surfaces.
Typically, a coder is either a drop-on-demand type of printer or a continuous inkjet printer, and there are tons of excellent brands. If you are looking for a printer, you can opt for an Altima coder, a Videojet coder, a Domino printer or perhaps a Maxima printer. A good option also might be to purchase the machine refurbished from a product id specialist. These companies sell refurbished codes, as well as providing a repair service for all brands of coders.
Another good option is purchasing ink from these id companies, as well. They sell carefully formulated inks and make up for any coder. You can purchase Videojet ink, Domino ink or ink for any other brand at much lower prices.
About the Author:
Keren Kipfer loves researching products for industrial manufacturers such as ink jet printers. For more details on parts for a Video Jet printer or to find Videojet equipment, please check out the PrintJet site today.
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