Varnishing, Flocking, Laminating, Numbering, Stamping - Finishing Printed Materials

VARNISHING

After an image has been transferred to a substrate, it is sometimes coated or varnished. The coating becomes a clear protective surface. Usually, the coating makes the surface resistant to moisture and scuffing.

Glossy restaurant menus, annual report covers, and similar products are typical examples of varnishing. The coating materials vary but some of the latest coatings are epoxies that give excellent wear qualities.

Total area coverage can be accomplished by various processes but a planographic press can be used when the dampeners are removed. Letterpress and screen processes can also be used for specific varnishing jobs.

FLOCKING

Whenever the surface of a printed package, T-shirt, or greeting card is fuzzy, the inked surface has been covered with cloth fibers. This called flocking.

The fibers are attached into the ink while the ink is still wet. For example, some wall coverings use this technique to give an unusual texture.

This is a highly specialized finishing process. It is NOT commonly found in the graphic communications industry.

LAMINATING

Laminating is the bonding of two or more material together to become one common unit. If you have attended a conference or convention where graphic communications suppliers have booths, the suppliers of laminators might ask you for your business card. The card will be laminated in plastic. In this case, the card often becomes the identification tag for luggage.

Many of today's restaurant menus also use this process as a protective surface to prevent rapid wear and destruction of the paper.

NUMBERING

The process of consecutively placing a number or skip placing of figures (numbers) in forward or backward order is called numbering.

The figures are transferred from the inked relief image onto the stock, usually paper. The plunger is automatically depressed by the press to ratchet the numbering head. This permits forward or backward numbering, each impression changes to a different figure or digit. See Figure 6-31.

Often, the numbering machine is set to start on the maximum amount. When printed, the last figure will be number one. This prevents an overrun and places the tickets, forms, or other numbered materials in the right order. Numbered tickets or gate passes would be good example of sequential numbering. See Figure 6-32.

STAMPING

Goldstamping is the term commonly used for stamping foil onto a substrate. Gold or simulated gold is commonly used as a stamping material. However, silver and some other colors are also available as hot stamping materials.

Stamping is an image transfer process closely associated with the relief process. Letterpress images, are placed between two jaws which tighten, Figure 6-33, and hold the type characters. The clamping device is heated. Before the image comes in contact with the substrate, a coated foil is placed between the type characters and the substrate. The heated type characters are then depressed. The heat and pressure transfers the image to the substrate. The proper image transfer depends on the amount of heat, the pressure applied, and the dwell time the type characters are in contact with the foil and substrate.

Usually, the relief images are brass or a service type. Service type is more durable and will withstand the heat and pressure longer.

In a production situation, the stamping unit is automated but it can also be a hand-operated process. Some production facilities have platen presses which have been modified for the hot stamping process.

Paper Handling

Not only must paper be handled carefully during shipment but it must able be handled carefully in the plant.

Paper must be brought to pressroom temperature before opening so that it does not curl due to the gain or loss of moisture. Paper should remain tightly wrapped until it is ready for the press, and it should be wrapped tightly after printing to keep the press sheets from developing tight wavy edges.

An instrument called a hygroscope is used to measure the moisture content of a pile of paper relative the humidity of the pressroom. Readings from a hygroscope help the press crew to determine if paper conditioning is necessary.

Figure 5-7 shows the guidelines for decision on printing sheetfed paper, assuming paper at 45% R.H.

Temperature conditioning Temperature conditioning means that the paper is not unwrapped until it reaches the same temperature as the pressroom where it will be used.

In some printing plants, paper is stored in the pressroom. Consequently, it is pressroom temperature when it goes to press. Because the paper is stored in the pressroom, temperature conditioning is unnecessary. In other plants, however, paper is kept in a warehouse or separate storage area. Paper is brought to the pressroom only as needed. Temperature conditioning is necessary because the temperature of the storage room is usually different from that of the pressroom (Figure 5-8).

Temperature changes, which occur when paper a cold warehouse or truck is delivered to a warm pressroom, cause trouble even if the paper is wrapped and sealed to protect it from humidity changes. When cold paper is unwrapped in the pressroom, moisture condenses on the edges of the paper. As a result, the exposed to as wavy-edged paper.

If the temperature of the paper is higher than the temperature of the pressroom when unwrapped, the surrounding air becomes warmer and its relative humidity is lowered. The paper's exposed edges will lose moisture to the atmosphere and shrink; the paper is often referred to as tight-edged paper.

Chilling the air with an air cooling unit dries the air and creates tight edges in the paper. Air conditioning requires control of both temperature and humidity.

Air conditioning paper is manufactured so that it stays flat and does not develop conditioned pressroom greatly reduces moisture problems. If the pressroom R. H. (and temperature) is kept at a constant level, the printer can order paper that is in reasonable balance with a specified relative humidity.

The R.H. of most paper manufactured in the United States and Canada is in the range of 35%~50%. The R.H. of an air-conditioned pressroom should be maintained at a selected value within this range.

Paper with an R.H. 5%~8% higher than the pressroom R.H. is desirable for highquality, close-register printing that requires more than one pass through the press. Paper with this R.H. loses moisture to the pressroom atmosphere at about the same rate that it picks up moisture from the press, assuming that the pressroom R.H. is controlled. Since moisture change is minimal between successive printings, the printing of tight-register work is more easily accomplished.

Paper cannot be produced to meet the R.H. requirements of pressrooms in which the R.H. and temperature are not controlled. Papermakers produce papers that meet the R.H. conditions of the average pressroom. If the pressroom is not temperature-and humidity-controlled, the paper should still be temperature-conditioned.

Storage To ensure that paper is received in proper condition, all deliveries should be checked upon arrival. Wrappings or cartons having minor tears should be repaired. Skids with punctures, tears, or breaks in the protective wrapping should be rejected. The delivery should note the damage on the way bill and initial it. Printers should photograph damaged skids and cartons before they are removed from trucks or railroad box cars. The photograph acts as proof of the paper condition upon arrival. In addition top protecting the printer, the photograph helps the papermill track down the causes of damaged paper. If paper wrappings must be removed for sampling or testing purposes, the wrapped paper should be brought into temperature balance before opening and then rewrapped immediately. Careful handling of paper minimizes unloading damage.

Ideal warehouse and storage conditions minimize the movement and rehandling of paper from the time it is received by the printer until it arrives at the press. Each time paper is moved, either to gain access to other skids of paper or to be transported to the press, the likelihood of handling damage is increased.

Paper must not contact concrete or damp basement floors. The moisture damages and distorts the paper. Consequently, platforms or racks that elevate the paper above the floor are recommended. Papers should be stored away from any object (such as a radiator) that heats the paper, but warehouses should be heated in winter.

After paper is printed, protective, protective plastic covers should be placed tightly over the pile to minimize changes in R.H. Figure 5-9.

Paper Weight And Thickness

Gsm and Micron have no direct correlation. You can’t  just convert 1 into another. GSM is weight and micron is thickness. We have measured some of our most popular card stocks.

115gsm = 90 micron

150gsm = 140 micron

160gsm recycled = 180 micron

235gsm (greetings card) = 355 micron

300gsm = 290 micron

300gsm recycled = 340 micron

400gsm = 420 micron

Example:

2 men both weigh 85kg each. One man is tall and THIN. The other short and FAT.

2 pieces of paper both weight 180gsm. One is thin. The other is thick.

The most asked question. What is ***gsm in micron? or How many Micron is ***gsm.

What you are actually asking is how thick is 3kg? or How much does 10cm weigh.

Paper Weight – What is GSM

Paper weight and thickness, let’s start with GSM – paper weight.  GSM stands for Grams Per Square Meter,  a measurement used to identify the weight of different types of paper and card. The higher the value of GSM, the heavier card or piece of paper. So a 1msq 400gsm board weighs 400 grams.

 So, the difference between our 300gsm Cheap Business Cards and our 400gsm Premium Business Cards is simply, the weight of the card. Similarly, a 120gsm letterhead is bulkier than a 90gsm letterhead. A heavier card or piece of paper contributes to a more premium feel and lasting effect with your customers.

Definition of Micron – The Thickness of Paper.

Card thickness or calliper is traditionally measured in Microns.

1000 Microns = 1mm, so the higher the value, the thicker the card or paper.  

Usually paper or card is sold by weight as opposed to thickness, but sometimes you may see Microns instead. Thickness of card sold usually starts at around 200 microns, and finishes at around 500 microns.

 

 Micron and GSM – are they linked?

Yes and no. It depends on the type of material used.

 Many people confuse paper weight with paper thickness! You could have a situation whereby two 150gsm papers weight the same, But one could be a thick vellum paper containing air and bulk and the other could be calendared a process that involves compressing the paper with high pressure rollers. Both are classified as 150gsm paper stock, but look and feel very different.

 1000 micron waterproof PVC material used for banners, has a different weight to 1000 micron silk paper, and therefore has a different Gramme Per Square Meter. When checking between prices for different print products, it is therefore important you look at the type of material, GSM and micron to get an exact comparison.

Sometimes you may also see the term ‘sheets’ advertised, where thickness of card refers to how many typical sheets thick it is. 

The Thickness of Printing Paper List

Posted on 09-05-2013 by admin

Name	Thickness/mm	Name	Thickness/mm
80gsm art paper	0.065	105gsm matt coated paper	0.09
105gsm art paper	0.085	128gsm matt coated paper	0.12
128gsm art paper	0.105	157gsm matt coated paper	0.16
157gsm art paper	0.135	200gsm matt coated paper	0.19
200gsm art paper	0.17	210gsm matt coated paper	0.21
210gsm art paper	0.19	230gsm matt coated paper	0.23
230gsm art paper	0.21	250gsm matt coated paper	0.25
250gsm art paper	0.23	300gsm matt coated paper	0.34-0.35
300gsm art paper	0.305	350gsm matt coated paper	0.365
350gsm art paper	0.345	60gsm matt coated paper	0.06
400gsm art paper	0.41
60gsm bond paper	0.08	210gsm signle side coated board	0.2
70gsm bond paper	0.09	230gsm signle side coated board	0.295
80gsm bond paper	0.1	250gsm signle side coated board	0.32
100gsm bond paper	0.12	300gsm signle side coated board	0.425
120gsm bond paper	0.135	350gsm signle side coated board	0.46
140gsm bond paper	0.16	400gsm signle side coated board	0.54
180gsm bond paper	0.19
		250gsm ivory board	0.31
		300gsm ivory board	0.32
250gsm grey back MC board	0.295	350gsm ivory board	0.49
300gsm grey back MC board	0.37
400gsm grey back MC board	0.48	100gsm Munken
450gsm grey back MC board	0.55	115gsm Munken	0.15
210gsm C1S art board	0.26	230gsm C1S art board	0.28
250gsm C1S art board	0.325	280gsm C1S art board	0.36
300gsm C1S art board	0.40	350gsm C1S art board	0.48

Name	Thickness/mm	Name	Thickness/mm
300gsm grey board	0.45	400gsm grey board	0.6
467gsm grey board	0.7	533gsm grey board	0.8
600gsm grey board	0.9	645gsm grey board	1
714gsm grey board	1.1	779gsm grey board	1.2
844gsm grey board	1.3	909gsm grey board	1.4
974gsm grey board	1.5	1039gsm grey board	1.6
1104gsm grey board	1.7	1169gsm grey board	1.8
1234gsm grey board	1.9	1299gsm grey board	2
1364gsm grey board	2.1	1429gsm grey board	2.2
1623gsm grey board	2.5	1688gsm grey board	2.6
1753gsm grey board	2.7	1818gsm grey board	2.8
1883gsm grey board	2.9	1848gsm grey board	3
2013gsm grey board	3.1	2273gsm grey board	3.5

Source: http://blog.brunelone.com/paper-weight-thickness-explained/
Source: https://www.zxprinter.com/support/paper-thickness.html

Plastic Materials for Packaging and Label (PVC, PP, PET, PE, BOPP, PS)

Many types of plastic materials are available to produce packaging. When you need to create a design to package your products, you may soon discover that two plastic materials are commonly used: PET and PVC. At Plastic Ingenuity, we have clients ask us which plastic materials prove to be most advantageous for their thermoformed packaging designs. Here, we’ve outlined explanations for these two plastics, as well as which proves to be the most beneficial to help you determine which to use.

PET (Polyester)
is the most expensive, basically weatherproof. Mostly used for outdoor applications, can handle rain or shine.
If you need UV and heat resistance type durability, PET is your choice. Most expensive generally easiest to print on.
PET, or polyethylene terephthalate plastics is one the most widely used plastics for thermoforming. The material is molded into the designated shape, and then dried for increased resistance. The plastic is used to produce food containers, beverage bottles, synthetic fibers and more. PET is the most common plastic for thermoforming packaging designs because of its high-strength barrier that can resist outside tampering or other elements.
The following are the biggest benefits that PET plastic provides:

More versatility—PET plastic can be thermoformed for a variety of applications. Although the material is lightweight, it is still strong enough to withstand outside elements for many applications.
Safer for storing materials, especially food—PET plastic is highly suitable for packaging food items, as well as retail, electronic and other products.
Increased durability —PVC is a rigid plastic that has some durability. Over time, though, the material may break down from exposure to UV rays—something that is not ideal for packaging materials, especially for food or retail designs. PET plastic, however, is designed to withstand UV rays, making it a suitable choice for almost all thermoformed packaging designs.

PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride / Vinyl)
is mostly used for wall and floor graphics with an indoor application. Cheaper than polyester.
Used for outdoor and signage applications. Bumper stickers and grommetted signs. Mostly "bumper-sticker" type applications for labels. More $$ than BOPPs.
PVC plastic, or polyvinyl chloride, is a rigid plastic designed to withstand harsh impacts and extreme temperatures. The material is most commonly used when creating cables, roofing materials, commercial signage, flooring, faux leather clothing, pipes, hoses and more. PVC plastic is created through suspension polymerization to produce a hard, rigid structure.

PP (Polypropylene)
is a cheaper form of polyester, also mostly used for indoor application

BOPP (Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene)
means the film is stretched to increase tensile strength, etc.
Subset of Polypropylene(PP) - Cheap film. You use this when you need a film (i.e. label may get wet), but you don't need outdoor durability. Cheapest MSI.

PS (Pressure Sensitive)
Any paper or film with adhesive 

PE (Poly Ethylene)
is used a lot of in mold labeling, along with PP. MDO and things like Primax (Brand name of MDO) are good for squeezable or conformable labels (for being placed on a curvy surface or squeeze bottle). 

Source: https://printplanet.com/forum/label-packaging-forum/label-discussion/260221-what-do-the-different-types-of-plastic-based-labels-mean-pvc-pp-pet-etc

Raster Images vs Vector Graphics

Computer graphics can be created as either raster or vector images. Raster graphics are bitmaps. A bitmap is a grid of individual pixels that collectively compose an image. Raster graphics render images as a collection of countless tiny squares. Each square, or pixel, is coded in a specific hue or shade. Individually, these pixels are worthless. Together, they’re worth a thousand words.

Raster graphics are best used for non-line art images; specifically digitized photographs, scanned artwork or detailed graphics. Non-line art images are best represented in raster form because these typically include subtle chromatic gradations, undefined lines and shapes, and complex composition.

However, because raster images are pixel-based, they suffer a malady called image degradation. Just like photographic images that get blurry and imprecise when blown up, a raster image gets jagged and rough. Why? Ultimately, when you look close enough, you can begin to see the individual pixels that comprise the image. Hence, your raster-based logo, magnified to 1000, becomes bitmapped before you know it. Although raster images can be scaled down more easily, smaller versions often appear less crisp or “softer” than the original.

To maximize the quality of a raster image, you must keep in mind that the raster format is resolution-specific — meaning that raster images are defined and displayed at one specific resolution. Resolution in raster graphics is measured in dpi, or dots per inch. The higher the dpi, the better the resolution. Remember also that the resolution you actually observe on any output device is not a function of the file’s own internal specifications, but the output capacity of the device itself. Thus, high resolution images should only be used if your equipment has the capability to display them at high resolution.

Better resolution, however, comes at a price. Just as raster files are significantly larger than comparable vector files, high resolution raster files are significantly larger than low resolution raster files. Overall, as compared to vector graphics, raster graphics are less economical, slower to display and print, less versatile and more unwieldy to work with. Remember though that some images, like photographs, are still best displayed in raster format. Common raster formats include TIFF, JPEG, GIF, PCX and BMP files. Despite its shortcomings, raster format is still the Web standard — within a few years, however, vector graphics will likely surpass raster graphics in both prevalence and popularity.

Unlike pixel-based raster images, vector graphics are based on mathematical formulas that define geometric primitives such as polygons, lines, curves, circles and rectangles. Because vector graphics are composed of true geometric primitives, they are best used to represent more structured images, like line art graphics with flat, uniform colors. Most created images (as opposed to natural images) meet these specifications, including logos, letterhead, and fonts.

Inherently, vector-based graphics are more malleable than raster images — thus, they are much more versatile, flexible and easy to use. The most obvious advantage of vector images over raster graphics is that vector images are quickly and perfectly scalable. There is no upper or lower limit for sizing vector images. Just as the rules of mathematics apply identically to computations involving two-digit numbers or two-hundred-digit numbers, the formulas that govern the rendering of vector images apply identically to graphics of any size.

Further, unlike raster graphics, vector images are not resolution-dependent. Vector images have no fixed intrinsic resolution, rather they display at the resolution capability of whatever output device (monitor, printer) is rendering them. Also, because vector graphics need not memorize the contents of millions of tiny pixels, these files tend to be considerably smaller than their raster counterparts. Overall, vector graphics are more efficient and versatile. Common vector formats include AI, EPS, SVG, and sometimes PDF.

Source: https://www.printcnx.com/resources-and-support/addiational-resources/raster-images-vs-vector-graphics/

THE POWER OF DEVICE LINK PROFILES

For many people, the practice of color management is synonymous with using ICC profiles. Profiles describe the specific color space of a device, be it a camera, scanner, or some type of output system like a toner or lithographic printing press. In a traditional ICC workflow, two profiles are required for the complete transformation—an input profile and an output profile, with CIE L*a*b* serving as the color space that connects them, referred to as the Profile Connection Space.

Thinking only of device profiles was understandable because during the developmental years of color management, practitioners were still trying to understand how to apply device profiles, and since early ICC specifications didn’t support device link profiles, creating and using linked profiles was only possible with specialty software.

Times have changed. Last decade the International Color Consortium specifications began to support device link profiles, which expanded the choices of software and RIPs to create and use them. GRACoL and
ISO 12647-2 have also emerged in popularity and device link profiles are ideal to convert content to and from these specifications and standards throughout the myriad of different printing conditions available. Printing companies would be wise to use link profiles in situations when they overcome problems created by traditional device profiles.

What Device Link Profiles Do
Device link profiles convert color directly from one color space to another color space, without the use of an independent profile connection space. It defines the conversion from a source color space to a destination color space by using a look-up table that connects specific input values (e.g., C10 M30 Y20 K10) and corresponding output values (e.g., C9 M28 Y19 K9). In general, the larger the number of “points” in the lookup table, the more accurate the conversion in the link profile. In contrast to device profiles, only one device link profile is needed for the complete transformation.

When to Use Device Link Profiles
By far, the most common use of device link profiles in the printing industry is when it is necessary to repurpose a CMYK file from its original destination color space to a different CMYK destination color space. Examples are when a file is originally separated for a standard condition like GRACoL but must now to be converted to the precise color space of the press that will print the file, or when a CMYK file for the proofer is being converted to the color space for the press. In these instances, using CIE L*a*b* as the connecting space can create undesirable effects such as unsmooth color gradients and converting solid black to a four-color black.

Advantages and Disadvantages
Compared to using traditional profiles, device link profiles have three main advantages when converting from one CMYK space to another:

• Preserving the black channel of the input color space—black text, tints, and solids are maintained as is, thus a 100% black stays 100% black
• Preventing contamination by other colors—the purity of the primary colors (C M Y K) and secondary colors (CM CY and MY) are protected
• Adding some type of ink/colorant optimization that results in ink/colorant savings and better color stability on press

On the other hand, device link profiles are not as flexible as other ICC profiles. A device link profile can only be used for a conversion between two specific device color spaces; a different profile will be needed for each pair of device color spaces. It also can’t be embedded into an image, and only one rendering intent is available—the intent that was selected at the time the link profile was created.

Bottom Line
There are times when device link profiles will result in more reliable color, most notably when converting from one device CMYK color space to another. Newer versions of profiling software can generate such profiles and color RIPs can process them. If your company hasn’t been using them, Printing Industries of America encourages you to take advantage of the power of device link profiles.

How to Make a Contour Cut Outline in Illustrator

Ada 2 software yang biasa digunakan untuk membuat Contour Cut Outline, yakni Corel Draw dan Adobe Ilustrator.

Berikut step-step membuat Contour Cut Online dengan Adobe Ilustrator:
1. Persiapkan Adobe Ilustrator dengan Image yang akan dibuat Contour nya.


2. Buat Layer baru, beri nama misal Layer Cut.


3. Copy Image di Layer Image ke Layer Cut dengan fitur Edit > Paste in Place


4. Lock Layer Image


5. Lakukan Image Trace pada object gambar di Layer Cut. Dapat diakses di Window > Image Trace. Lalu lakukan pengaturan seperti gambar dibawah ini. Geser Threshold ke kanan sampai object image tertutup warna hitam secara maksimal.



6. Klik Object > Expand


7. Berikut hasilnya setelah di Expand


8. Switch warna pada image, sehingga Fill = none, dan Stroke = Black
      

9. Maka akan diperoleh seperti gambar di bawah ini.


10. Matikan Visibility Layer image terlebih dahulu


11. Hapus semua garis vektor yang berada di tengah object image kita, sehingga menjadi seperti gambar di bawah ini.


12. Klik Path > Offset Path (untuk membuat outline yang tidak menempel dengan image)


13. Offset menunjukkan jarak outline baru ke outline yang lama. Untuk Joins bisa dipilih antara Miter/Round/Bevel.


14. Setelah terbentuk outline baru, jangan lupa hapus outline yang lama.


15. Hidupkan Visibilty Layer Image dan Countour telah terbentuk.


Demikian sharing dari penulis, semoga bermanfaat.

Barcode

Definisi Menurut Wikipedia:
A barcode (also bar code) is an optical, machine-readable representation of data; the data usually describes something about the object that carries the barcode. Traditional barcodes systematically represent data by varying the widths and spacings of parallel lines, and may be referred to as linear or one-dimensional (1D). Later, two-dimensional (2D) variants were developed, using rectangles, dots, hexagons and other geometric patterns, called matrix codes or 2D barcodes, although they do not use bars as such. Initially, barcodes were only scanned by special optical scanners called barcode readers. Later application software became available for devices that could read images, such as smartphones with cameras.

Barcode sering digunakan dalam dunia printing, karena kemudahannya dalam menyimpan informasi dan kemudahannya untuk dibaca dengan alat-alat seperti barcode scanner.

Untuk mengenerate suatu barcode, bisa menggunakan berbagai generator yang tersedia di web seperti:
https://barcode.tec-it.com/en

Untuk membaca barcode dapat menggunakan alat barcode reader atau aplikasi-aplikasi barcode scanner yang terdapat di Smartphone. Salah satu Barcode Scanner Apps yang cukup akurat dan cepat dalam pembacaan adalah i-Nigma, bisa di download di Google Playstore.

Mengenal Jenis – Jenis Barcode

Ketika memilih jenis barcode yang sesuai dengan produk, inventori atau aset yang dimiliki, maka kita akan dihadapkan dengan banyak pilihan. Secara umum ada 2 jenis barcode, yakni 1D (one dimensional) dan 2D (two dimensional), yang kemudian masing – masing terbagi menjadi beberapa macam jenis barcode yang lebih spesifik.

Sebelum mulai mengenal macam-macam jenis – jenis barcode, ada baiknya memahami dulu tentang character set yang ada pada setiap jenis barcode.

Character Set

Biasanya ada tiga jenis karakter dalam barcode, yaitu numeric, alpha numeric dan ASCII. Numeric berisi angka saja (0-9). Alpha numeric berisi angka dan huruf (0-9 dan A-Z). Sedangkan ASCII berisi karakter ASCII (0-127) yang lengkapnya bisa dilihat di sini http://www.asciitable.com/..

Berikut ini adalah pembagian isi karakter dari barcode 1D dan 2D.

Character Set	1D Barcode	2D Barcode
Numeric	UPC-A, UPC-E, EAN 13, EAN 8, Industrial 2 of 5, Interleaved 2 of 5, Codebar, Code 11
Alpha-numeric	Code 39, Code 93
Full ASCII	Code 128	QR Code, Data Matrix, PDF417

Setelah memahami character set, maka langkah berikutnya adalah mengenal dan memahami jenis – jenis barcode, sebagai berikut:

• One Dimensional (1D)

Bercode 1 dimensi atau One Dimensional (1D) disebut juga sebagai barcode linear yang digambarkan secara sistematis dalam bentuk garis paralel dengan spasi dan ketebalan yang berbeda. Yang termasuk barcode 1 dimensi ini antara lain.

1. Kode UPC / UPC Code (Universal Product Code)

UPC-A

UPC-A barcode dibuat oleh IBM pada tahun 1971. UPC-A berisi 11 digit informasi ditambah 1 check digit. Jadi total ada 12 digit. Yang 11 digit biasanya dibagi menjadi 3 bagian:

• Digit pertama adalah tipe produk
• 5 Digit kedua merupakan informasi pabrikannya
• 5 digit terakhir adalah informasi dari produk tersebut.

Contoh dari UPC-A barcode adalah sebagai berikut:

Dimana digunakan?

UPC-A barcode banyak digunakan pada POS (point of sales) dalam industri retail maupun gudang.

UPC-E

UPC-E merupakan variasi dari UPC-A tapi lebih ringkas dengan menghilangkan beberapa hal yang tidak perlu. Sehingga ukurannya bisa setengah dari UPC-A. Biasanya digunakan pada space yang tidak muat jika menggunakan UPC-A.

Contoh UPC-A Barcode:

Contoh UPC-E Barcode:

Dimana digunakan?

Sama dengan UPC-A, tipe ini digunakan pada retail maupun gudang terutama di negara Amerika Serikat dan Canada.

        2. Kode EAN / EAN Code (European Articles Numbering)

EAN 13

EAN-13 diciptakan oleh Europe Article Number (EAN). Sehingga jenis barcode ini banyak digunakan di negara Eropa.

EAN-13 terdiri dari 13 digit (12 data dan 1 check digit) yang merupakan modifikasi dari sistem Universal Product Code (UPC). Maka dari itu, banyak reader yang bisa membaca EAN-13 sekaligus dapat membaca tipe UPC-A.

13 digit dari EAN-13 terdiri dari:

• 2 atau 3 digits nomor sistem atau kode negara
• 5 atau 4 digits untuk pabrikan atau perusahaan
• 5 digits untuk kode produk
• 1 digit untuk cek

Contoh EAN-13 seperti berikut:

Dimana digunakan?

EAN-13 banyak digunakan pada POS dan retail.

EAN 8

EAN-8 merupakan versi kecil dari EAN-13, terdiri dari:

• 2 atau 3 digit kode negara
• 4 atau 5 digit data (pabrikan dan produk)
• 1 digit untuk cek

Berikut contoh dari EAN-8:

Dimana digunakan?

Jenis ini biasanya digunakan untuk produk retail yang menyediakan tempat kecil untuk kode seperti permen, rokok, pencil dan permen karet.

     3. Code 39

Code 39 sudah dikenal sejak tahun 1974 dan hingga kini masih menjadi tipe barcode yang paling banyak digunakan di berbagai negara. Code 39 adalah tipe barcode yang paling populer digunakan di dunia barcode non-retail dengan variable digit yang panjang yakni 39 digit atau karakter. Namun seiring perkembangannya kini variabel digitnya mencapai 43.

Berikut contohnya:

Dimana digunakan?

Code 39 biasanya digunakan untuk industri otomotif, pemerintahan, pabrik, logistik, pos, dan kesehatan.

     4. Code 128

Code 128 merupakan jenis barcode dengan kerapatan tinggi yang dapat mengkodekan seluruh simbol ASCII (128 karakter). Dapat memuat kode angka 0 hingga 9, huruf A sampai Z. Dapat menampung data dalam jumlah besar yang kemudian dikodekan dalam ukuran yang kecil. Code 128 seringkali dipilih karena memiliki daya tampung karakter yang besar namun dapat dikodekan menjadi bentuk yang sangat padat dan kecil.

Berikut contoh barcode tipe Code 128 alfanumerik:

Dimana digunakan?

Dikarenakan Code 128 memiliki kepadatan atau tingkat kerapatan yang tinggi maka sangat cocok digunakan di bidang logistik dan industri transportasi.

     5. ITF (Interleaved 2 of 5)

Interleaved 2 of 5 hampir sama dengan industrial 2 of 5 yakni dalam 5 digit selalu ada 2 yang tebal dan 1 yang tipis. Bedanya, interleaved 2 of 5 memiliki tingkat kerapatan yang lebih tinggi sehingga bentuknya lebih kecil.

Berikut contohnya:

Dimana digunakan?

Interleaved 2 of 5 digunakan pada label kemasan, distribusi, gudang, industri, dan logistik.

     6. Code 93

Code 93 diciptakan pada tahun 1982 oleh perusahaan Intermec dengan tujuan untuk melengkapi dan meningkatkan Code 39. Ukurannya pun lebih pendek dibanding Code 39. Setiap karakter Code 93 memiliki 9 modul tebal, dan selalu memiliki 3 batang dan 3 spasi.

Pada umumnya bentuk barcode tipe Code 93 adalah sebagai berikut:

Dimana digunakan?

Code 93 telah digunakan secara luas untuk mengidentifikasi paket logistik, inventori retail, komponen alat elektronik, sektor pabrik, dan POS.

     7. Codabar

Codabar ditemukan pada tahun 1972 oleh perusahaan Pitney Bowes. Bisa memuat hingga 16 digit dengan penambahan simbol di awal dan di akhir berupa karakter A,B,C,D,E,*,N, atau T.

Berikut contohnya:

Dimana digunakan?

Barcode codabar digunakan untuk kepentingan logistik dan alat kesehatan profesional serta pendidikan, yang meliputi Bank Darah Amerika Serikat, FedEx, laboratorium foto dan perpustakaan.

     8. GS1 Databar

Barcode jenis GS1 Databar digunakan pada gerai retail untuk mengidentifikasi kupon yang dimiliki konsumen. Jenis barcode ini memiliki ketahanan yang bagus dan tidak mudah rusak. Dikenalkan sejak tahun 2001 dan hingga kini masih menjadi jenis barcode yang paling direkomendasikan untuk kupon retail di Amerika Serikat.

     9. MSI Plessey

Barcode MSI Plessey adalah jenis barcode yang digunakan untuk manajemen di bidang retail, seperti pelabelan rak – rak di supermarket.

     10. Code 11

Code 11 disebut juga sebagai USD-8 yang mulai dikenalkan pada tahun 1977. Code ini disimbolkan dengan angka dari 0 hingga 9 dengan tanda (-) sebagai pemisah.

Berikut contohnya:

Dimana digunakan?

Code 11 lebih diutamakan digunakan pada Peralatan telekomunikasi.

     11. Industrial 2 of 5

Industrial 2 of 5 telah digunakan sejak tahun 1960. Jenis ini disebut “2 of 5” karena dalam 5 digit selalu ada 2 yang tebal dan 3 tipis.

Contoh barcodenya seperti berikut:

Dimana digunakan?

Industrial 2 of 5 banyak digunakan di tiket pesawat, studio foto maupun di gudang.

• Two Dimensional (2D)

Bercode 2 dimensi atau Two Dimensional (2D) disebut juga sebagai barcode matrix yang bisa dikatakan lebih canggih daripada barcode 1D, karena bisa memuat ratusan digit karakter yang disimpan dalam ruang yang kecil. Yang termasuk barcode 2 dimensi ini antara lain:

1. QR Code (quick response code)

QR Code adalah salah satu jenis barcode 2D atau barcode matrix yang mampu mengkodekan berbagai macam data dalam jumlah besar, meliputi angka, huruf, serta karakter khusus. Tidak seperti barcode 1D yang berbentuk batang atau garis, namun QR Code tampak sabagai rangkaian sel – sel berwarna hitam dan putih. Penggunaan QR Code sangat populer seiring maraknya penggunaan teknologi mobile. Pertama kali dikembangkan oleh Toyota, anak perusahaan Denso pada bulan September 1994, dan telah disahkan oleh ISO dan IEC.

QR Code didisain untuk dapat dipindai dengan cepat. Memiliki keistimewaan dapat dibaca hingga 360 derajat, memiliki kerapatan data yang tinggi, dapat mengkodekan 1817 karakter huruf Cina, 7089 angka atau 4296 huruf Inggris, keakuratan lebih tinggi sehingga meski QR Code mengalami kerusakan tetap bisa dibaca dengan tepat.

Bentuk umum QR Code adalah sebagai berikut:

Dimana digunakan?

Saat ini QR Code sangat umum digunakan pada konsumen periklanan, kode pembayaran, login ke website, enkripsi data, dan berbagai hal yang berkaitan dengan industri retail, hiburan dan periklanan.

     2. Datamatrix Code

Barcode data matrix juga merupakan salah satu jenis barcode 2D. Pertama kali dikenalkan pada tahun 1994, dan saat ini telah mendapat sertifikasi ISO/IEC. Barcode data matrix menunjang kemajuan sistem pengkodean dengan meminimalisir kemungkinan salah dalam membaca barcode. Barcode ini tetap bisa dibaca meski mengalami kerusakan hingga 60 %. Karena sifat ketahanannya yang kuat inilah barcode data matrix seringkali digunakan pada benda – benda di tempat yang bertekanan tinggi atau terpapar bahan kimia, seperti peralatan elektronik, peralatan operasi bedah, dan papan sirkuit.

Barcode data matrix memiliki ukuran yang fleksibel. Simbol barcode data matrix ini bisa sangat kecil mencapai 2,5mm dimana ukuran ini merupakan ukuran paling kecil diantara semua jenis barcode 2D yang ada. Sedangkan, untuk ukuran dan kapasitas pengkodean data tidak terbatas. Hal inilah yang membuat barcode data matrix mempunyai ukuran yang berbeda – beda.

Secara umum bentuk barcode data matrix adalah sebagai berikut:

Dimana digunakan?

Barcode data matrix sangat populer digunakan pada barang – barang kecil seperti komponen alat elektronik yang berukuran kecil, dan botol obat. Namun secara umum juga digunakan pada bidang industri retail, elektronik, pemerintahan, pemasaran, POS, dan kesehatan.

     3. PDF417

Barcode PDF417 adalah barcode yang berbentuk tumpukan garis lurus yang memanjang. Tipe barcode ini mulai dikenalkan pada tahun 1991 dan telah mendapat sertifikasi ISO.

Setiap barcode PDF417 terdiri dari 3 hingga 90 baris, dan terdapat 1 baris yang pada dasarnya sama dengan barcode 1D. Tipe barcode ini disebut PDF417 karena setiap bentuknya memiliki 4 garis tegak dan spasi yang membentuk 17 kesatuan memanjang.

Bentuk umum PDF417 adalah sebagai berikut:

Dimana digunakan?

Barcode PDF417 utamanya digunakan pada bidang transportasi, kartu identifikasi, dan manajemen inventori gudang, serta kearsipan pemerintahan. Sebagian besar wilayah di Amerika menggunakan barcode tipe ini untuk mengkodekan informasi pada surat ijin mengemudi.

     4. AZTEC

Kode Aztec biasanya digunakan untuk industri transportasi khusunya untuk tiket maskapai penerbangan. Kelebihan dari barcode jenis ini adalah mudah dibaca meski resolusinya buruk. Sehingga jika kode dicetak dengan kualitas kurang bagus atau dengan tampilan yang kurang jelas di layar smartphone tetap bisa terdeteksi dengan mudah.

Source: http://blog.kanasecure.com/mengenal-jenis-jenis-barcode/