With So Many Barcode Printing Technologies, Which One is Right for My Business?

First of all, it is not necessary to have a dedicated barcode printer. Any printer that can print labels will print barcode labels with the right software. But, in almost every serious business situation having a dedicated printer makes sense.

Dedicated barcode printers are designed to work with barcode software applications and with many types of barcode media. They do an excellent job of printing accurate labels which at first glance may not seem like much. But, consider that the barcode is an intricate pattern that must meet exacting specifications in order for barcode readers to understand the code. Most shared document printers are not designed to meet these specifications. Yes, you can make a document printer work, but the time and cost in all but the simplest business situations is prohibitive.

Barcode printers can be segmented into three main categories based on their intended environment. They include:

1. Small offices where cost effectiveness is important and speed is not an essential requirement. These are the least costly if you are not printing labels often.

2. Industrial applications such as hospitals and industry where reliability and durability are critical. These printers have the most flexibility when it comes to speed, label quantity, and type of media. They are constructed to work in harsher environments than the average office.

3. Portable barcode printers where your needs are to print receipts at a customer site, prescriptions, or other types of forms. These portable printers sometimes use wireless connectivity, especially when used for credit card processing applications. A few of the more popular models work with portable Palm devices.

Most barcode printers use thermal direct or thermal transfer. In most cases, you want to use thermal transfer because thermal direct paper is sensitive to light and will deteriorate in a few days. It is used mainly for mail labels. The thermal transfer process uses a ribbon that is poked with a hot pin to transfer the ink to the label, making a very reliable label.

Many dedicated barcode printers come with WYSIWYG label design and printing software. For some, this is the best way to start. But you need to do a full evaluation of your needs to make sure you are getting what you need.

If you have a bigger organization you will probably need a professional label design software solution that works with many types of printers and computers, and integrates well with your other applications.

You also need to consider if you want to print barcode fonts, or bitmaps. Which you decide upon will determine what kind of software you buy; the interfacing requirements would follow. The decision as to font or graphic is based on quality and flexibility. Good quality barcode fonts give you the best print quality, flexibility and control. They are easy to use, faster to print, and produce higher quality printed images. They also give you flexibility in heterogeneous computing environments. But, they may not be suitable for your situation if you are designing or printing barcode labels using a web application or browser. This is because the fonts have to be located on the local computer. However, solutions to this problem do exist.

In the end, putting together a bar coding system is relatively easy, but it does require careful planning. We recommend having a barcode coordinator and process in place to document all your barcode processes so others can step in. The coordinator will determine the requirements, analyze, design, and implement the barcode system. This is a fulltime effort that obviously requires a dedicated person or small team, depending on the complexity of the transition.

Vaughn Balchunas writes about technology in business, with emphasis on business processes, automation, and automated data collection. You can read more about the different types of bar codes and wireless barcode printers available for your business at http://barcodegeek.com