Barcodes are essential elements of any manufacturing process that allow producers and consumers to easily track and identify products. Manufacturing companies use barcodes to ensure kitted packaging contains all the necessary items and keep accurate production counts. Below is an overview of how the set of unique stripes on products of all types work and how they impact the manufacturing process.

How Do Barcodes Work?

Barcodes contain information, usually encoded in a series of vertical stripes. Specialized barcode scanners emit colored light and read the reflection, which is then converted into binary. The black stripes that don't reflect light are read as 1s, while the white space between them represents a 0. Each group of six lines in the barcode represents one digit, which gives the computer the information it needs to look up a product.

Barcodes are generally 12 digits numbers, although manufacturing companies may use more or fewer numbers for different internal applications. The first number typically denotes the product time, and the next five digits indicates the manufacturer. In most barcodes, the next five represent the product number, and the last is a check digit that verifies the code has been calculated correctly.

How Do Manufacturing Companies Use Barcodes?

Because barcodes are unique to each manufacturer, producers will often include product codes on the packaging. These codes are then used by retailers for tracking inventory and calculating prices at the point of sale.

Other barcodes may have interior uses within the manufacturing company’s production process. For instance, different power cables may have different barcodes to ensure they’re packaged with the right products. Each individual component in a kit of medical supplies will also have a unique identifier, which allows the manufacturer to track lots and ensure the correct units are shipped together.

For over 15 years, Pacific Integrated Manufacturing has been the manufacturing company of choice for medical suppliers across the world. At their state-of-the-art near-shore facility in Bonita, CA, they produce a variety of advanced medical supplies and equipment, with a hands-on team that will guide you through every step of the process. Visit their website for more on their manufacturing services, or call (619) 921-3464 to discuss your project with a member of their team.