Barcode: 1D or 2D?

The technology that preceded 2D barcodes is familiar to all supermarket visitors. Their checkouts are equipped with scanners for reading linear barcodes. Initially, linear (or 1D) codes were developed for tracking rail cars, but then they were widely used in the process of labeling consumer goods.

The one-dimensional barcode made it possible to automate cash register systems to eliminate errors when manually entering the price of goods. Printing a barcode does not require much effort. Naturally, in this case you cannot do without equipment called label printer.

Most modern scanners recognize all standard linear barcodes, which have been accepted as pan-European standards for almost 20 years. Two-dimensional codes such as Aztec, DataMatrix, QR - can only be read by 2D scanners (for example, CINO A770 barcode scanner).

If your business is retail, then it is enough laser scanner, since you deal mainly with linear barcodes. Linear barcodes contain a limited amount of data. In addition, they can easily be damaged and the data is not available for reading. If your company is in industry or manufacturing, then there may be a need to switch to 2D codes.

Label size 75x50 mm.

A 2D code can contain much more information than a 1D code. Information from three linear barcodes easily fits into one small QR code. This is a significant saving of consumables when printing markings (labels are needed to be smaller, and the ribbon for printing is narrower).

The size of a small label is only 30x20 mm.

The main disadvantage of linear barcodes is unreadability if the barcode line is damaged. In two-dimensional codes, information is encoded with “excess”. A two-dimensional code can be read with significant damage. Also important is the ability to encode a larger amount of information in a 2D code, for example, a link to a website or a page with product specifications. 2D codes have proven themselves to be excellent in automation of vehicle scales. The driver reads only one code, which contains the driver's full name, vehicle type, state number and other information necessary for accounting and control.

Roughly speaking, a 2D barcode is a graphic image that stores unique information. A two-dimensional code allows you to encode thousands of symbols - much more than 10-20 symbols in a linear barcode. A two-dimensional barcode allows you to restore or correct information even if its surface is damaged.

The invention of 2D barcodes opens up the widest range of opportunities for users of mobile phones with cameras. The fact is that a 2D barcode allows you to turn a smartphone into a scanner.

You need to open the camera in your smartphone (in the latest new phone models) or a special program (an application for reading barcodes) and the smartphone itself decodes the 2D barcode, converts it into a hyperlink and offers to open an Internet page with detailed information. The process takes a few seconds and completely eliminates the need to manually enter an Internet address, which is difficult to do on the go.

More and more companies are becoming convinced of the need to implement 2D barcodes. Print and outdoor advertising, product packaging, point-of-sale advertising — Barcodes on such media help to engage the buyer in a dialogue and provide him with access to useful information.

2D barcode is becoming indispensable in the following areas of activity:

• medical industry;
• postal transportation;
• production of electronic equipment and mechanisms;
• automotive industry;
• production of food products;
• aerospace and defense industries.

It is not always appropriate to place linear codes on small products.

With all the advantages of 2D encoding, linear barcodes also have a future. Linear barcode scanners are significantly cheaper than 2D scanners. When automating document flow and accounting (barcode in documents), it is more profitable and easier to use linear bar codes.

When planning the implementation of bar coding, it is necessary to take into account the technical support, include the cost of a 2D scanner in the budget. The optimal method is to use 1D and 2D coding. Document numbers, article numbers, product items, batch numbers, and serial numbers are encoded in linear bar codes. In 2D codes, you can additionally encode links, order code, list of attachments, direct DPM marking (only possible in 2D!).

To standardize barcodes, we recommend obtaining a barcode for your products and joining the global GS1 system.

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