Appendix F - Bar Code Symbology - Microscan MS-3000 User Manual

Appendix F — Bar Code Symbology
Some factors to consider before choosing a bar code symbol are:
• the type of information
to be scanned (numeric
only, alphanumeric)
• the length of the mes-
sages to be encoded
• how and where labels
are to be applied
• label printer capabilities
Microscan standard decoder firmware supports the following five bar code
symbologies. (Firmware can also be custom ordered to support other sym-
bologies.)
Code 39. An alphanumeric code with unique start/stop code patterns, com-
posed of 9 black and white elements per character, 3 of which are always
wide.
Codabar. A 16-character set (0 through 9, and the characters $, :, /, ., +,
and –) with start/stop codes and 18 different bar widths.
I 2 of 5. Interleaved 2 of 5 is a high-density, continuous numeric symbology.
I 2 of 5 encodes two digits: one in the bars, and one in the spaces. (A check
digit is highly recommended.)
UPC and EAN. UPC (Universal Product Code) is a fixed length numeric,
continuous symbology. The European Article Numbering system (EAN) is a
well-known variation of UPC. Both UPC and EAN can have 2 or 5 digit sup-
plemental bar code data following the normal code.
Code 128. A very high density alphanumeric symbology. Will encode all
128 ASCII characters, it is continuous, has variable length, and uses multi-
ple element widths measured edge to edge.
1. For further information about symbology, see The Bar Code Book, by Roger C.
Palmer, Helmers Publishing, Inc., 1989.
MS-3000 Single Head Decoder User's Manual
Bar Code Symbology
1
• scan speed
• beam width
• the space available on the
object to be identified
• host software limitations
• range of the scan head
• the speed of the conveyor
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