Amount of Data Encoded in Different Types of Barcodes

Barcode provides error free and quick means for inputting the data. The man made errors can be reduced using the barcodes. The typing can be reduced using the barcodes. Barcodes are being used in the different types of industries for the representation of the data. Different types of symbologies are being adopted according to the usage, the data in the different symbologies will always differ.

There are different types of encoding schemes called as the symbologies. The capabilities of encoding the data may be different for different symbologies. They usually encode different amounts of data. Some of the symbologies and the amount of data stored is as follows.

• UPC-A: It stores 12 numeric digits, out of which 11 are user specified and the rest is the check digit. It is famous in US. And mostly used for the consumer stores.
• UPC-E: The data capacity is 7 numeric digits which includes 6 user specified and one check digit. It is used for the small packages.
• EAN-8: It has 8 numeric digits, in which one is the check digit and the rest are user specified ones.
• EAN-13: It was first implemented by the international article numbering association in Europe and it is used internationally and the data capacity is 13 numeric digits. Out of which 12 are the user specified and one is check digit.
• Code 39 , Code 93, Code 128, EAN-UCC 128: These always differ in the amount of the data to be stored. The type of the data stored is alphanumeric. The upper limit of the data depends on the scanner and it ranges from 20 to 40 characters. The most efficient one among code 39, code 93, code 128 is code 128. codes 39 and 128 are widely used and the code 93 is rarely used. Code 39 is used for the environment of non retail one.
• I2 of 5: It also varies in length. The upper limit is dependent on the scanner and the range of the upper limit is in between the 20 to 50 characters.
• Maxicode: The number of alphanumeric characters that it can store is around 93 and the numeric digits which are stored are around 138. This is used for the United Parcel Service Package identification.
• Aztec: Both the binary or the alphanumeric data can be stored. And the data should be of length 3750 bytes.
• Data Matrix: Both the binary and the alphanumeric data can be used for storing. And the length of the data will be 3116 bytes.
• PDF417: It is a two dimensional barcode. It stores large amount of data and the text. It is stored in a very small place. Data will not be lost even if the barcode is damaged.