Month: September 2019

Barcode Durability

Our barcodes are built to withstand:

• Prolonged exposure to UV radiation
• Caustic solvents & chemicals
• Repeated abrasion
• Extreme temperatures
• Multiple freeze / thaw cycles
• Moisture & salt spray

Barcode Symbologies

Any linear or 2D barcode symbology can be used, including:

• Code 39
• Code 128
• QR Code
• DataMatrix

Barcode Materials

All manufacturing processes and materials are critical in forming a premium barcodes.

• Aluminum – anodized aluminum barcode labels are printed with an ultra-durable sub-surface image. Barcode and graphics are photo-imaged, dyed, and sealed within the anodic aluminum surface for extraordinary performance and extended durability in the harshest environments.
• Polyester – DuraPoly™ polyeser barcode labels are second-surface printed on the underside of the label surface for extended durability. Metalized polyester barcode labels are printed on metallic polyester for an attractive finish. Standard polyester labels are surface-printed for economical identification.
• Stainless Steel – stainless steel barcode labels & tags are laser-marked or chemically-etched & filled out of corrosion-resistant stainless steel alloy 304 or 316. Stainless steel barcode labels & tags provide aesthetic barcode identification for rugged industrial environments.
• Ceramic – ceramic barcode labels provide the ultimate durability against acids, alkalies, and high temperatures. A rugged borosilicate glass ceramic coating is fused to a stainless steel backing to produce this premium product.
• Vinyl – vinyl barcode labels are printed on premium vinyl with permanent pressure sensitive adhesive backing. Vinyl barcode labels provide economical barcode identification in mild indoor environments.

How to design custom barcode labels?

• The easiest way to design custom barcode labels is through our Universal Designer, where you can specify every label element, including size, text, logo, background, corner radius, hole diameter and placement, and data sequence. You may also submit an engineered drawing or call to speak with one of our design specialists. Our design team and 30+ years of industry experience allow Express to evaluate business needs and develop lasting identification solutions for large-scale deployment.

What factors to consider when choosing custom barcode labels?

• Environmental Resistance – what type of conditions will your barcode label have to endure? Express manufactures barcode labels to withstand prolonged exposure to UV radiation, caustic chemicals, repeated abrasion, extreme temperatures, multiple freeze / thaw cycles, moisture, salt spray, and other environmental challenges.
• Surface – what type of surface will your label adhere to? Smooth and clean surfaces are best for adhesion. Rough surfaces are more challenging and barcode labels may need to be attached with rivets or screws. The surface material is an important consideration because metal and plastic surfaces have different adhesion characteristics.
• Size – barcode label size and X-dimension are critical to ensure barcode integrity and machine readability. In a linear 1D barcode (Code 39 or Code 128), the X-dimension refers to the width of the narrowest bar in the symbol. In a 2D symbol (Data Matrix or QR Code), the X-dimension refers to the height and width measurement of one cell (square element). Express has standard X-dimensions and can advise on the proper label size to ensure barcode quality and integrity.

Benefits of Custom Barcode Labels

• Eliminate human error
• Extremely versatility
• Capture better data
• Drive business efficiency

Barcode labels are usually shrugged off as just being a way to cut costs. In reality, these labels are more than a simple business approach in order to save time and money. Barcodes have a ton of benefits that can improve business’s outlook on the future. Not only do barcodes eliminate human error, but they can also reduce training time, are inexpensive, versatile, have more accurate data and better workplace efficiency. This article takes a closer look at how exactly barcodes are used to help a company grow.

1. Eliminates Human Error

Barcode labels can completely eliminate even the slightest possibility of human error. Without barcodes, data is entered manually, making it easier to enter incorrect information into the system. This risk is very high when manually entering data compared to using barcodes. A barcode scan is fast, has reliable data, and takes far less time to record than if you were to enter it by hand. There’s no way anyone would want to go back to manual data entering with the elimination of all human error.

2. Reduces Training Time

By using a barcode system, employee training time can virtually be cut in half. It is much easier to learn how to train with barcodes over correctly entering data manually. A handheld scanner is used to read barcodes, which means employees don’t need to be familiar with the entire inventory of a warehouse, or any specific pricing procedures.

This reduction in training time also makes employee training less expensive. For any training, employees must be paid as they are still completing work-related tasks. The time spent to train employees is now eliminated, meaning that you won’t have to pay that employee or the one training them for their extra time. Instead, they will be able to learn the system quickly and be able to operate it with ease almost immediately.

3. Inexpensive

Barcodes are surprisingly very inexpensive to design and print off. You can get multiple designs, including ones with your company logo. The different finishes and materials will help to make your brand stand out compared to others in the same business. Regardless of their sole purpose, these cost-effective asset labels are economically the right choice as opposed to buying more expensive options like spreadsheets to enter work manually.

4. More Accurate Data

Barcode labels are far more accurate than manually entered data. This is because there is less room for error when using a barcode system. A single barcode can be created for inventory and pricing information, which means that by scanning the same barcode will allow you to access both of these types of data.

An even easier way to get more accurate data is by customizing barcodes to include relevant information. This essentially means that barcodes can have any information you need it to have and have it provided to you in an efficient manner. Barcode systems can have more capabilities by being used for a variety of applications over just basic information.

5. Improved Workplace Efficiency

Since a barcode system has easily legible identification labels, workplace efficiency can improve greatly. These barcodes make it possible to track any inventory, so that inventory is as accurate as it can be. When these inventory levels are achieved more quickly, the lower the overhead.

With a more efficient system in place, the equipment can also be tracked easier. This can reduce the amount of time spent searching for a specific piece of equipment. Using the barcoding system, you will be able to find the location of the equipment easier. You will be to save money by not having to replace equipment that might have been deemed lost before.

6. Versatile

As mentioned earlier, barcodes are extremely versatile since they can be used for all kinds of data collection. This can include doing inventory using barcodes, or having pricing information attached to them. Ultimately, it’s up to the business to decide what a barcoding system will best be used for.

Barcodes can also adhere to most surfaces, as the sticky underside makes it the optimal choice for warehouse use. Since they can be attached to multiple surfaces, they can tack not only inventory, but any equipment of shipments entering and exiting the warehouse in a more efficient manner. This means any valve tags heading out of the warehouse can be marked accordingly, making easier to find later on.

7. Faster Data

Data can be obtained far faster using a barcode system than manually entered data. The information collected by scanning barcodes is then transmitted directly to your company’s central computer. There, the information is stored until you need to access it. Instead of having to search through hundreds of thousands of documents to find the manually entered data, with barcodes you can access information almost instantaneously. This means that no data will be lost and the quick turnaround makes for far less wasted time.

Considering the data is received faster than before, barcodes can now promote much more efficient decision making. Making more informed decisions on pole tags can help your company save more time, and ultimately more money.

The benefits of using a barcode system are truly endless. They provide faster data, improve overall workplace efficiency, save you time and money, and can also be used for a variety of different applications within your company. Barcode labels can include specific information for these applications that will make your workplace run smoother than ever before. From pricing to inventory, and everything in between, a barcoding system is the right choice for your business in terms of growth moving forward.