Free Barcodes Online: Getting What You Pay For
Friday, March 14, 2008
Posted in: Barcodes
Was that “free” barcode really free, or was it actually very, very expensive? Sometimes free stuff is worth what you pay for it. Sometimes it is worth even less than that. The web is well populated with free barcode generator sites. Why should you pay Fotel $25 or more for a barcode file when you can get it for free?
It is an excellent question and I’m glad you asked. There is no single answer. The complete answer is an aggregate of many factors. In other words you have to know what you are ordering before you’ll know what you’ve got.
The barcode file itself is a good starting point. In its most basic form, a computer file is either a graphics file or a font. Barcode generators usually produce a barcode from a font, but not always. Speaking in the most general terms, the graphics file is better than a font file. The reason for this is more technical than most people would want to know, but here is a layperson’s explanation.
A font places the characters, whether they are alphanumeric characters in words and sentences or bar-space patterns in a barcode, in a single line, placed at a defined spacing from each other. Character placement and spacing is not critical with letters and numbers, but it is very critical for barcodes. For example, in the UPC system, the difference between bar and space widths in some characters is as small as .0010”. If the computer rounds off the accuracy of positioning the font, the bar and space pattern for the intended character can closely resemble the wrong character. This is called a transposition error and when it happens, the check digit becomes a mismatch and the barcode fails.
Barcode generators usually try to make it very simple for the user—so simple, they omit some design choices that could be critical. The most-often omitted parameter is bar-width reduction. This compensates for press gain by narrowing the bars in anticipation that they will gain it back on press. In some print processes the compensation is minimal, but in others it can be 50% of nominal bar width, so if bar width is not compensated, the symbol gains more width than the tolerance permits. Again, the barcode fails.
There are myriad other error-opportunities with online barcode generators, that a reputable service bureau can help you avoid. But the bottom line is liability for non-scanning or poorly performing barcodes. The question you have to consider is, do I have risk if this barcode doesn’t scan as it should?
If the answer is anything but “no”, then consider carefully what you are actually saving when you use an online barcode generator. Fines from major retailers are $100,00 or more for bad barcodes from their vendors.
Was that “free” barcode really free, or was it actually very, very expensive?
Comments
free
Posted by on 09/14 at 08:23 AMThanks for making it so clear and for taking the time to write it.This is very useful information.
Posted by on 02/26 at 02:47 PM
we want a free barcode to test it ourselves
Posted by on 06/25 at 12:44 PM