| p>Putting a bar code on your product involves several | | | | over 100 degrees. |
| steps; | | | | 3. As mentioned in part 2 above, labels may require |
| 1 - having a code or creating one. | | | | special adhesives. If the code is to be used for tracking |
| 2 - choosing the right place to put the code | | | | fixed assets - like desks, chairs, file cabinets, |
| 3 - choosing the method to affix or print the code | | | | computers, or construction machinery - you will want |
| 4 - having a perfect image of the bar code itself | | | | labels or tags that will not come off and will not be |
| Lets take these one at a time. | | | | easily destroyed. There are many companies that can |
| 1. If you are producing items that will be sold in retail | | | | provided coded tags made out of metal, with |
| stores and you need bar codes for those products, | | | | permanent adhesives that can withstand extreme |
| you will have to buy them somewhere. You cannot | | | | temperatures. |
| just make up your own codes. (Example - your | | | | It is often worthwhile to purchase a dedicated bar |
| company is going to product various types of funny | | | | code printer to produce large quantities of labels |
| t-shirts that tourists will buy, in different colors and sizes | | | | cheaply and without trouble. There are many types of |
| and sell them through local stores in your town.) More | | | | label printers and generally these are easy to use and |
| on how to get a code later. | | | | fit right on your desktop. |
| If you intend to use the bar codes for purposes only | | | | For large quantities of labels, or for printing codes on |
| internal to your business, then you may be able to print | | | | tags, wristbands and other interesting places - a |
| your own. An example of this would be a serial | | | | specialized bar code printer is the best method. |
| number that goes on a product you are using. Each | | | | 4. Have a perfect image - there are very precise |
| serial number will be different and you want to print | | | | specifications for the creation of these codes. What |
| them out yourself. This can be okay, but if security is a | | | | you can create on your own computer and printer |
| concern you might not want to. | | | | may not meet those specifications. If you are putting |
| 2. Where to put the bar code - Are you going to put | | | | your products into the retail environment, they will have |
| the code on the product itself? This can be | | | | to be able to be scanned by hundreds of different |
| complicated. If the product is say a circuit board that | | | | types of readers. Therefore the actual printing of the |
| will go inside a computer, then the bar code will need | | | | code should be done by a specialist who will test the |
| to be very small and resistant to heat - it will probably | | | | code with a special device (called a Verifier) to ensure |
| be necessary to have these labels printed by a | | | | it is 100% accurate. |
| company that specializes in such a thing. On the other | | | | If the bar codes are simply to be used in your own |
| hand, if the label is going to go on the outside of a box, | | | | company, you can easily print some yourself and then |
| you may be able to print these yourself, perhaps using | | | | test them. It is highly recommended to test the printed |
| a dedicated bar code printer and/or special software. | | | | label before you print thousands of them. Plenty of |
| If the boxes are going to be exposed to long periods | | | | people have gone and printed codes without ever |
| of sunlight, or extreme temperatures, be sure you get | | | | testing them, only to find that eventually, for some |
| labels that can withstand such factors. Labels for | | | | reason, the code was not readable. Always test your |
| jewelry tags may sit in display cases where | | | | codes before you put them on things. |
| temperatures can easily get into the high 90s or even | | | | |