#BARCODE BASICS SOFTWARE#
#BARCODE BASICS CODE#

If you already have access to label design software and a quality thermal transfer printer (highly recommended for barcode durability) then printing in-house may be an economical option. HOW DO I START BARCODING MY SAMPLES AND SPECIMENS? These do require a more sophisticated scanner to read, however.

#BARCODE BASICS CODE#

Code 128 is also specified in ISO/IEC 15417:2007 for laboratories adhering to those standards.ĢD barcodes are ideal for when space is really at a premium, and the data matrix or QR code format is often chosen – a data matrix symbol can hold up to 2,335 alphanumeric characters. The most popular symbology for linear laboratory barcodes is Code 128, as its high-density format can store a lot of alphanumeric data in a relatively small space. A 2D code on the lid allows quick scanning (the tube doesn’t need to leave its rack), with additional information stuck to the side of the vessel on a larger label. If your media is particularly small (such as a microvial or centrifuge tube), you may want to consider a “cap and tube” label pair. The first step is considering the amount of space you have for a label, and how much data it’s critical to include. WHAT KIND OF BARCODE AND LABEL SHOULD I USE? through long-term freezer storage and cold transit (where most labels typically fall off). A durable label material will also keep data securely attached to microslides, blood tubes, microvials etc. Unlike handwriting, barcodes printed on the correctly selected label won’t fade or smudge during challenging laboratory processes – water baths, handling and rubbing, alcohol wipes and solvent exposure. WHY SHOULD I USE DURABLE BARCODE LABELS IN MY LABORATORY?Īutomating your processes with barcode labels exponentially increases productivity speeding up your data-logging and greatly reducing the risk of error caused by poor handwriting or mis-reading data.

In either case, when that information is required, the markings - and the gaps between them – can be “read” by a scanner or imager and the data relayed back to your computer system, decoded.Ĭlinical trial booklets with 2D data matrix codes It may be a linear barcode, where information is formatted in a series of parallel lines, or a 2D code that uses a grid of squares, rectangles, dots or hexagons. WHAT IS A BARCODE?Ī barcode is simply a computer-readable pattern that contains data about the item it’s attached to.

Barcode labels can be applied to virtually any surface exponentially increasing the speed and reliability of cataloguing chemicals, specimens, samples and patients. The introduction of barcoding and automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) has revolutionised the way we identify, track and trace inventory in every environment – and the clinical laboratory is no exception.

Barcode basics