New image

Citation

(2001), "New image", Work Study, Vol. 50 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/ws.2001.07950aad.003

New image

New image

Bar Code Systems is supplying REA Elektronik's PC-Scan digital barcode image verifier that means repro, design and origination houses can now easily check the barcodes contained in their digital artwork are within tolerance guidelines. With barcode verification now made mandatory by the major UK retailers at all stages of production – including origination – Bar Code Systems and REA have created a new digital image specification to go with PC-Scan. This specification guarantees digital barcodes to within plus/minus 10 microns as well as film masters to within plus/minus five microns. All barcodes generated in digital artwork – where tolerances are typically plus/minus eight to 10 microns – can now be easily verified and their integrity guaranteed. Whilst a little caution should be exercised when verifying EAN/UPC retail codes at 80 per cent magnification, a tolerance of plus/minus 10 microns will have no detrimental effect on final printing for the vast majority of symbologies and magnification factors. By verifying origination previously not verified, accuracy levels should improve.

PC-Scan has a measuring accuracy of plus/minus two microns. It can be run on a standard PC, notebook or laptop computer and uses a semiconductor laser reader to measure the metric and reflectance values of each barcode, connecting to a standard Windows PC with a serial interface. Guide ceiling price for the system is £8,154 (ex-VAT) for the standard unit and PC-Scan is available in the UK exclusively through Bar Code Systems.