Saturday, November 16, 2013

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Basic Information About Numbers On Products

By Keren Kipfer


Every product manufactured and sold in the market has some type of number on it that most people tend to ignore. Oftentimes, this number can be found on the labeling of the product and occasionally, imprinted to on the item itself. Though they may seem to be nothing of value, those numbers actually were placed there for a reason. It is essential to educate ourselves about what those numbers represent and how they are used especially if you are a business owner, either on the manufacturing or retail side. Here is some important information about the numbers found on everyday products.

You have probably seen a barcode before. They are those black lines within a white box commonly found on a product's packaging with numbers found at the bottom. Bar codes are usually scanned to get the price of a particular product and input it to the POS machine. It is important to note that there are different types of bar coding systems implemented today. Two of the widely used bar coding schemes used by most companies are the Universal Product Code and the Electronic Product Code.

The Universal Product Code or UPC is a barcode system used by most manufacturers from all around the world to keep track of the items they produce and distribute. All products that use the UPC barcode system are assigned with a unique identifier in the form of a 12-digit number. Each number in the series is represented by a vertical black bar and white spaces which forms the barcode. No barcode is the same and the 12-digit number complies with a standard rule. It is fascinating to know that a maximum of 1 trillion barcodes can be made so no two products are the same.

The second widely used product numbering system is created to serve as a universal identifier. The EPC or Electronic Product Code system creates a unique ID number for all material items manufactured in the whole world. They are often used on RFID systems but can also be made to work with the usual barcode programs. This particular number coding scheme was initially created to be flexible enough to cater the needs of various businesses in all industries. EPC is compatible with other number coding systems and has the ability to come up with new code styles if needed.

Regardless of type and location, manufacturers also add coding to many of their products and need to be able to imprint serial numbers or batch numbers quickly. This would also include expiration dates in the case of food items and beverages. A specialized printer is needed to place these numbers on every product. This type of machinery is known as an ID coder. There are plenty of options when it comes to choosing ID coders. Some of the popular brands include VideoJet, Imaje, Altima, and Domino coders.

While you can buy a new CIJ coder or DOD coder, second-hand ID coders are also available for much less. These refurbished coders are sold by special product id companies that cater to businesses that need use these types of printers. Generic inks can be used instead of original coder inks and they still deliver high quality printing. You can purchase generic inks, such as generic Domino ink, from a product id company and save a good amount of money.




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