While we might bristle at the thought of a long grocery store line, go back just a couple of decades and the process of checking out of the market was quite a bit more time consuming. Items had no bar codes and there were no scanners, so checkers typed in the cost of every item using a non-electric register. Today, stores have computerized registers, and scanning makes the process of purchasing food and other grocery items far easier, not to mention that scanning also helps to track inventory and even showcase shopping trends.
For the most part, Americans did not see scanners in supermarkets until the early 1980s, but they were actually invented several decades earlier. In 1952, Norman Woodland and Bernard Silver were granted a patent for the earliest form of a bar code and scanning machine which they built using parts from a movie projector and a light bulb. It wasn't until 1974 that a scanner was installed in a grocery store, and the very first product that went across the scanner was a pack of gum. This package is on display in Washington, D.C. at the National History Museum.
In 1966, the Universal Product Code was created which established guidelines for bar codes on grocery products. This is a 12-digit code that can be used to identify any grocery-related product. The first digit represents the type of product, while the next set of digits identifies the manufacturer. For example, if the first digit is a zero this means that the product is a national brand. A 2 would be placed on item that you had received at the deli, such as cheese or sliced meats or potato salad. A 3 is placed on items that are beauty products, such as shampoo.
We have all seen the UPC bars on products, but there are also many other numbers that are printed on packages. Particularly on a food or drink item, you will see the batch number and expiration number printed somewhere on the label. This printing is done using a type of printer that is called an id coder or an id printer. The coders are fast printers with quick-drying inks that can print on materials such as plastic, glass, metal and many more surfaces.
There are many different brands of coders, and they are either continuous inkjet coders or drop-on-demand coders. If you are in the food product business, you can purchase a refurbished coder such as a Domino coder, Imaje printer or Maxima coder for much less than a new model. There are several product id companies that sell refurbished coders, as well as offering repairs and parts for every major brand.
You might also find that your product id company sells lower cost inks and the necessary make-up fluids you often need to purchase. Buying Domino ink or Videojet ink can be costly, so going through a product id service can serve as an excellent way to cut your costs.
For the most part, Americans did not see scanners in supermarkets until the early 1980s, but they were actually invented several decades earlier. In 1952, Norman Woodland and Bernard Silver were granted a patent for the earliest form of a bar code and scanning machine which they built using parts from a movie projector and a light bulb. It wasn't until 1974 that a scanner was installed in a grocery store, and the very first product that went across the scanner was a pack of gum. This package is on display in Washington, D.C. at the National History Museum.
In 1966, the Universal Product Code was created which established guidelines for bar codes on grocery products. This is a 12-digit code that can be used to identify any grocery-related product. The first digit represents the type of product, while the next set of digits identifies the manufacturer. For example, if the first digit is a zero this means that the product is a national brand. A 2 would be placed on item that you had received at the deli, such as cheese or sliced meats or potato salad. A 3 is placed on items that are beauty products, such as shampoo.
We have all seen the UPC bars on products, but there are also many other numbers that are printed on packages. Particularly on a food or drink item, you will see the batch number and expiration number printed somewhere on the label. This printing is done using a type of printer that is called an id coder or an id printer. The coders are fast printers with quick-drying inks that can print on materials such as plastic, glass, metal and many more surfaces.
There are many different brands of coders, and they are either continuous inkjet coders or drop-on-demand coders. If you are in the food product business, you can purchase a refurbished coder such as a Domino coder, Imaje printer or Maxima coder for much less than a new model. There are several product id companies that sell refurbished coders, as well as offering repairs and parts for every major brand.
You might also find that your product id company sells lower cost inks and the necessary make-up fluids you often need to purchase. Buying Domino ink or Videojet ink can be costly, so going through a product id service can serve as an excellent way to cut your costs.
About the Author:
Keren Kipfer loves researching products for industrial manufacturers such as ink jet printers. For more information on parts for a Video Jet printer or to find Videojet equipment, please check out the PrintJet.net website now.
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