5.11.13

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.

UPC is a form of barcode symbology used by most manufacturers from all around the world particularly in the U.S. and U.K. for the purpose of monitoring their items after they have been produced. The UPC is actually the barcode system with which we are most familiar. The barcode represents includes 12 numbers in a combination that is unique for every product. Each of the black horizontal bars corresponds to a digit so no bar is the same. They can be used on various computer systems as data input such as point-of-sale and inventory systems.

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.

There are also special codes that manufacturers place on their products in addition to UPCs and EPCs such as serial numbers and dates of expiration. This specifically applies on medicines, beverages and food items. For this reason, a special piece of equipment known as an ID coder is needed for printing these important numbers onto your products. There are several brands that offer this equipment. Some of the best known names are VideoJet coders, Altima coders or brands such as Domino, Maxima and Imaje.

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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