Many of us still remember going to the grocery store and having the checker type in the cost of each individual package and food item. Today's checkers have the convenience of using automated bar code readers, which makes the process much faster and more accurate. In addition to the convenience factor, bar codes help improve the efficiency of inventory and help store owners quickly compile statistics about what products sell the best.
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.
All of the products in the store are printed with the Universal Product Code, which was created in 1966. Each number in the code has a special significance. If you see a product that begins with a 0, this means the product is a national brand. If you purchase an item that has been weighed at the deli, the first digit will be the number 2. Shampoo, make-up and other beauty items begin with a number 3 and so one. The second set of numbers in the UPC identifies the actual manufacturer. Each product can be easily identified using this code.
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.
There are many different brands of coders, and they are either continuous inkjet coders or drop-on-demand coders. If you are in the food product business, you can purchase a refurbished coder such as a Domino coder, Imaje printer or Maxima coder for much less than a new model. There are several product id companies that sell refurbished coders, as well as offering repairs and parts for every major brand.
You might also find that your product id company sells lower cost inks and the necessary make-up fluids you often need to purchase. Buying Domino ink or Videojet ink can be costly, so going through a product id service can serve as an excellent way to cut your costs.
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.
All of the products in the store are printed with the Universal Product Code, which was created in 1966. Each number in the code has a special significance. If you see a product that begins with a 0, this means the product is a national brand. If you purchase an item that has been weighed at the deli, the first digit will be the number 2. Shampoo, make-up and other beauty items begin with a number 3 and so one. The second set of numbers in the UPC identifies the actual manufacturer. Each product can be easily identified using this code.
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.
There are many different brands of coders, and they are either continuous inkjet coders or drop-on-demand coders. If you are in the food product business, you can purchase a refurbished coder such as a Domino coder, Imaje printer or Maxima coder for much less than a new model. There are several product id companies that sell refurbished coders, as well as offering repairs and parts for every major brand.
You might also find that your product id company sells lower cost inks and the necessary make-up fluids you often need to purchase. Buying Domino ink or Videojet ink can be costly, so going through a product id service can serve as an excellent way to cut your costs.
About the Author:
Keren Kipfer loves researching products for industrial manufacturers such as ink jet printers. To get more details on parts for a Video Jet printer or to find Videojet equipment, please visit the PrintJet.net site today.
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