Barcode Equipment and Labeling Solutions

Tips and Reviews Covering Barcode Scanners, Printers, Labels and Equipment

How To Apply Your Labels or Pressure Sensitive Nameplates

December 17, 2009 – 12:30 pm

How To Apply Your Labels or Pressure Sensitive Nameplates

 Whether you print your own labels, or if you purchase them from a supplier, there are a few things you should know to make sure your labels will adhere how they are supposed to. The most common reason labels do not maintain their adhesion is due to elements present on the application surface, such as grease, oil, wax, moisture, silicone, mold and dirt.

A few easy steps to remember that will keep your labels sticking correctly. First, before picking up those labels, make sure that you clean the surface where your labels will be placed very thoroughly with and industrial cleaning solution, or isopropyl alcohol. This will remove any unwanted impurities, and allow a strong adhesion from the labels to their surface.

After you’ve cleaned your application surface, it is time to put your label on your desired surface. Be sure to handle your labels be the edges once you have removed the protective liner, and avoid touch the exposed adhesive.

After you have applied your label firmly, be sure to use a finger or a roller to get all excess air out from under your label.  Always remember to clean the surface of your equipment before placing your labels even if the equipment is brand new, because even new equipment can still have impurities on the surface.

When storing your labels, it is best to store them in a cool, dry location, as the labels will retain their adhesive properties longer if stored under the correct conditions. Be sure to keep those labels out of high humidity and direct sunlight, as those will corrode away at your adhesive over time.

By following these easy steps, you can be sure that your labels will properly adhere to their respective surfaces saving you time and money.

By Tommy Schweller | Posted in Barcode Equipment Ideas, Barcode Industry, Barcode Label Information, Custom Labels, How to Information | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Zebra Thermal Printers Improve Police Ticketing Efficiency

December 15, 2009 – 12:19 pm

Zebra Thermal Printers Improve Police Ticketing Efficiency

Nobody likes to see those red and blue sirens in the rear view mirror, but it does happen to the best of us. Getting a ticket is never a good experience, but the slow process of creating a citation and filling out the forms and submitting the ticket can take police officers quite some time, delaying you further from your destination. In the Chicago area, some of the police forces will soon begin to try a new method of issuing citations; via thermal printer.ZebraRW420

Six Chicagoland counties, Kane, Will, DuPage, Cook, DeKelb and McHenry will soon be switching over to an electronic citation system that will save time money and resources on all involved parties. The way this new electronic system is designed to allow police officers to enter and access all necessary date via laptops in the squad car, and then allow them to print the citation on the Zebra RW 420 mobile thermal printer.

Although this is not the first time a thermal printer idea was brought up for squad car use, the Zebra RW 420 is a small, compact mobile printer at only 6” in length, these printers can easily fit anywhere in the squad car. The old printers that were used were too bulky, and often jammed and had many technical issues. These Zebra mobile printers are rugged enough to withstand drops, shock and other interferences that would come up.

After turning to Zebra for rugged, reliable mobile printers, the police departments picked up QuickTicket citation software from the Advanced Public Safety (APS).  With the swipe of a drivers license, a police officer will now be able to access your driving and personal records, issue a citation and print that citation in only a few short minutes.

This ticketing solution will also be applied to other sectors of the cities citations, such as parking & towing.  With all the detailed information printed out immediately, both the officer and the alleged offender will quickly both have all the information needed for their respective purposes. The QuickTicket software will even allow multiple languages for urban areas with multi-cultural and lingual citizens.

Along with saving money wasted on extra paper, Officers will also be able to clearly read the tickets, a common issue that can clog the phone lines of a station. With the citation process taking less time, the police officers will have more time to patrol and do their job, while getting citations issues in less time.

I believe it is safe to say that this trend of using mobile thermal printers will only grow among police departments across the country, as it saves all parties involved time, money and other valuable resources.

By Tommy Schweller | Posted in About Thermal Transfer Ribbon, Barcode Equipment Ideas, Barcode Software Ideas, New Barcode Equipment, Thermal Bar Code Printers | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

“Fingerprinting” RFID Tags

December 14, 2009 – 12:03 pm

“Fingerprinting” RFID Tags

In recent years, RFID tags have been a growing trend in many sectors of business worldwide, as RFID tags have allowed more efficiency out of companies who have begun to use them. RFID tags could soon even be in your passport or drivers license, as they can store such information on small chips that would be scanned at the border or airport upon exit or entry to the United States. Using a new method developed at the University of Arkansas, engineers have found a way to “fingerprint” your RFID tags, allowing you to distinguish originals from clones.

Radio Frequency Identification tags are used in many industries, and provide a wide range of services. RFID tags have been used in hospitals to help monitor patients, in airlines to track luggage, by construction companies to track equipment and so much more.

With all the great things RFID chips have done, and will doing in the months and years to come, there are a few major problems with the RFID solution. One of the biggest issues in the industry is RFID tag security. Hypothetically, lets say you have an RFID chip in your Passport. Contained in that RFID tag could be your name, address, social security info, places traveled and other personal information. Currently, if somebody were trying to steal you identity off a RFID tag, they simply would require basic RFID knowledge, a cheap RFID Tag reader and a computer.  From there, the thief could simply look at all of your information, take down what he or she wants or even clone your RFID tag and copy all of your private information onto another copy/clone.

The reason the engineers at Arkansas refer to the system as a fingerprint, is because they have discovered that individual tags are unique, not because of the data or memory they contain, but because of radio-frequency and manufacturing differences.

A passive RFID tag harvests its power from the RFID reader, which in turn sends radio frequency signals to the tag. The tag, which consists of a microchip connected to a radio antenna, communicates back to the reader. Working to determine the best placement of RFID tags on packages, engineers  measured tags’ minimum power response at multiple frequencies.

The researchers did this by using an algorithm that repeatedly sent reader-to-tag signals starting at a low power value and increasing the power until the tag responded. Radio frequencies ranged from 903 to 927 megahertz and increased by increments of 2.4 megahertz. These measurements revealed that each tag had a unique minimum power response at multiple radio frequencies. Moreover, power responses were significantly different for same-model tags, which means that even tags of the same make and model containing the same information can still be uniquely identified.

This is an important discovery, as the security of businesses, government/military and consumers needs to always be a top priority, especially for such a growing industry. RFID tags have only become more useful, and will continue to grow more secure and useful.

By Tommy Schweller | Posted in Barcode Equipment Ideas, Barcode Industry, Barcode Label Information, Barcode Scanners, How to Information, Latest Barcode Scanners, New Barcode Equipment | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (0)

RFID Tags Prevent Lost Luggage

December 10, 2009 – 2:38 pm

Lost luggage becomes a thing of the past thanks to RFID!

Have you ever had an airline company lose some of your luggage while on vacation or business? Well you’re not alone, and after many years of painful losses, airline companies have found a solution that might just be the answer. By taking advantage of  existing RFID technology, airport and airline companies will use RFID tags on their high speed conveyor belts to ensure every piece of luggage stays on track.

With lost luggage comes angry customers, as well as an average $100 per lost piece of luggage. Especially during these trying economic times, airlines have tried to find a solution that is economically feasible, while delivering results that can make a difference.

Other methods have been tried, such as manual inventory, GPS technology and even simple barcodes, however none have been as effective as the RFID tags. So far during this trial-benchmark period, the RFID tags have been 99.9% effective at correctly monitoring luggage. With an almost near perfect trial, it is clear that RFID tags provide the perfect method of baggage inventory.

RFID solutions are affordable, and can be easily set up and run. RFID tags are small microchips that contain antennas, and when these tags pass under the scanners, a computer program will keep an electronic inventory of everything passing through.

Although these RFID tags have not been implemented yet nationally, I believe it is safe to say with such a high rate of effective tracking, low cost, and ease of use, you can be sure to see more airports taking advantage of this great technology.

By Tommy Schweller | Posted in Barcode Equipment Ideas, Barcode Industry, Barcode Scanners, How to Information, New Barcode Equipment | Comments (0)

Stamps.com Labels

December 7, 2009 – 2:58 pm

Stamps.com Shipping Labels

If you or your company currently uses 4×6 shipping labels, you might be overpaying considerably. These labels can be used as shipping labels, and are printed from your Inkjet/Laser printers. These labels are easy, low maintenance shipping labels that you can make from home. Just simply add these shipping labels into your Inkjet/Laser printer, fill in your shipping information, print and ship!

stamps.com labels

stamps.com labels

By printing your shipping labels from your Inkjet/Laser printer, you can save time and money that would otherwise be spent going to a local post office or shipping store. These labels will work will all major postal companies, and can be read universally by barcode scanners. These labels print clear and hassle free. Just click – print – ship and you’re done!

 These 4×6 shipping labels come packaged four labels per sheet, and 250 sheets per pack, making a total of 1,000 labels, and use permanent adhesives, so you can be sure your shipping labels will be intact no matter where they are shipped to.

Need more than 1,000 labels? Adazon also sells full cases of shipping labels, and will provide same-day shipping and the best pricing available on all of our labels. Don’t be fooled into over-paying for your labels.

Adazon offers the best pricing on shipping labels available! Some websites and stores charge considerably more for the same shipping labels! Other competitors, such as Stamps.com sells their 250 sheet pack for over $120!  Adazon offers the SAME shipping labels at only a fraction of the competitions cost, at only $33! That is almost a 75% price difference for the same labels!

Adazon ships most labels same day, and has every label to meet your labeling needs. If we do not carry the label you need, we also custom made labels to meet ANY needs or specifications.

Don’t be fooled by other online label retailers, only Adazon is able to provide warehouse direct prices on all of our labels. Adazon offers huge savings and fast service that cannot be beat. For all of your shipping label and other label needs, contact the barcode and label experts at Adazon.

By Tommy Schweller | Posted in Barcode Label Information, Custom Labels, How to Information, Laser Printer Labels | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Holiday Labels

December 7, 2009 – 1:10 pm

Holiday Labels from Adazon

It’s that time of the year again, and as the holidays approach be sure to check out Adazons new customized holiday labels! Our new customizable labels feature your choice of holiday graphics, as well as your customized name on each label! Brighten the holidays of those around you with Adazons customized holiday labels.holidaycoupontwitterPromo

 Whether for holiday cards, gifts or just for the added holiday spirit, Adazons customized holiday labels are sure to leave a great impression on all!

Our professional labels come in multiple sizes, all with permanent adhesive. These labels are made from paper, and are made individually for each customer. These labels can be customized to your family name, business, or other name of your choice! All you provide is the name you would like on your holiday labels, and we’ll do the rest.

To make this holiday special even better, for a short time if you visit Adazon on our Twitter or Facebook, you can take advantage of an extra 10% off of your customized holiday labels using our holiday special coupon code! Be sure to take advantage of this great offer, because it is only here for a short time! Visit Adazon today for all of your label needs!

By Tommy Schweller | Posted in Barcode Label Information, Custom Labels, Custom Labels Chicago, Fun Labels, How to Information, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (0)

Optimizing Digital Plate Production

December 1, 2009 – 1:09 pm

Optimizing Digital Plate Production

If you or your company has invested in digital platemaking, you know the importance of having high-quality plates, as well as consistency during production. To achieve these goals, there a few steps you can take that might just make your printing process more efficient. And cutting down on costs is always a useful tool, especially during recessionary times when budgets are tight.

First, before considering imaging anything at all, you must check your plate’s carbon mask density to ensure all UV light is blocked out during the exposure process. Your goal is to have a black density above 3.5 density units.

Then you must check your laser optics, to ensure the laser is in focus to allow the sharpest possible image. This is important especially when printing small fonts or pictures, because having a clear image allows smaller fonts. With more required out of your labels today than ever before, more information is being printed on labels, especially for multi-lingual labels, medical, food and other labels. The more clear your font, the smaller the font can be while still being legible.

Storage of your plates is also a very important factor in your digital printing process. Use extreme care and caution when handling the plates to ensure they are not scratched or damaged. You should store your plates in a light and heat controlled environment, and minimize light, dust and heat exposure, as these will wear down the plates.

Consistency during the exposure process is also another great way to ensure high quality results, as a standardized exposure process is sure to cut down on errors, as well as increase productivity.

By following these simple steps, you can start saving time and money with your digital press. Remember that consistency and standardizing procedures also cuts down on the chance for human error.

By Tommy Schweller | Posted in Barcode Equipment Ideas, Barcode Industry, How to Information, New Barcode Equipment | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Stanford Hospital improves Patient Safety using bar coding

November 30, 2009 – 12:37 pm

Stanford Hospital improves Patient Safety using bar coding

Internationally acclaimed Stanford Hospital & clinics are some of the most advanced and respected medical facilities in the United States today. Often known for the high level of patient care, as well as treatments of rare, complex disorders have made the Stanford medical facilities one of a kind. And with the help of some bar code scanners and some bar code labels, Stanford medical has been able to stay state-of-the-art with their technology, further improving their excellent service.

Already well known for their pioneering in the departments of Cardiac care, Cancers, Neurosciences, Organ transplants and more, as part of Stanford medical has sought out another way to enhance its patient care. Bar coding patients, medicine, equipment and more.

The Stanford hospitals have recently installed the Epic Electronic Medical Record System, (EMR) that allows them to keep all of the Stanford doctors and nurses connected via Bluetooth at all times. So far, over 1.3 Million medications have been delivered to patients using this system, and with little or no error.

By switching over from the traditional clipboard-style, method of patient care to the new electron bar coding system, Stanford has already seen noticeable advantages, and the patients have too. While improving staff accuracy, reliability and overall efficiency as well as improved overall quality of care. Stanford medical patients have also spoken out, stating they too have noticed an improvement in overall quality of care.

One of the most important benefits that the electronic system has provided has also been patient safety. The bar coded system help identify errors or questions before medications are administered, as well as checking to make sure the patients current medications are at correct levels and are not being mixed with other medicines, an often dangerous problem.

The Stanford medical facility is another great example of how bar codes and bar code scanners can help  improve efficiency and overall quality to any business of any kind.

By Tommy Schweller | Posted in Barcode Equipment Ideas, Barcode Industry, Barcode Label Information, Barcode Scanners, Latest Barcode Scanners | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (0)

What They Don’t Tell You In The Barcode Scanner Manual

November 13, 2009 – 12:09 pm

Have you ever plugged your blue tooth barcode scanner into your computer with a keyboard wedge, taken the scanner off the base station, scanned a barcode and all looks good, except the barcode does not scan into the computer? You try scanning the barcode on the base station to re-sync the scanner to the base station, then you try unplugging the base station from the computer, and it still does not work.

Barcode Scanner Fix

Barcode Scanner Fix

After many tries, you then turn to the manual to see if there is a barcode you need to scan so the device is activated and you see you have done everything right. The scanner scans and displays the correct data in the handheld, the base station makes the right sounds, but the information does not populate the field in your computer. What do you do?

You are not going to find this in the manual, but from experience all is not lost. All you have to do is take the cable that connects the base station to the computer and disconnect it from the base station. Not the computer as you would think. When you do this, it clears the base station and resets it as you reconnect the cable. Then sync the handheld with the base station again and the keyboard wedge should now work perfectly.

This is a simple solution to a common problem that can cause a lot of headaches in your business. My hope is that this will also save some time for others that find this same issue. Good scanning!

By John Barth | Posted in Barcode Equipment Ideas, Barcode Scanners, How to Information | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

RFID Enhanced Drivers Licenses Replace Passports

November 12, 2009 – 2:31 pm

RFID Enhanced Drivers Licenses Replace Passports

Only six months ago, the Secretary of state for Michigan began taking applications for RFID chip enhanced drivers licenses. Since then, over 80,000 applications have been received, and the trend is growing. Why are so many people in Michigan switching over to these high-tech drivers licenses? The main reason: to replace their passports.

The enhanced drivers’ licenses are embedded with a small Radio Frequency Identification chip, (RFID) and an antenna so they can be scanned quickly by an electronic RFID reader. Contained in these paper-thin chips is the same information that would be found on your passport, as well as your basic drivers’ license information.

RFID Chips can vary in size, and can store different volumes of information. These chips can only be read by RFID scanners within the antennas range, which in the case would only extend a few feet around the ID. RFID chips are being implemented in various institutions around the world to improve efficiency and to save time and money.

What this means for the citizens of Michigan is, for a small fee of $45, they can now get an RFID equipped drivers license that will be accepted as a passport, and can be used to leave and re-enter the United States by land or sea (This license is not yet acceptable for international flight because it is not federally approved yet for security reasons). With the enhanced drivers’ license, citizens can come and go from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and many other Caribbean countries with ease.

Instead of the traditional passport, where customs officials would have to verify authenticity, possible background check, stamping etc, all that will be done to cross the border is scan your drivers’ license.

Not only should this make traveling in and out of the country less stressful, but it should also speed up the process as a whole. US Customs and Border protection support the enhanced license, saying that the new system is faster and provides all necessary information to agents on the spot.

If this trend continues, I would not be surprised to see more states around the country offer enhanced drivers’ licenses, and possibly even a federally approved replacement for the passport for all citizens, although no such plans are currently being taken.

This is another great example of how RFID technology can be applied to make our everyday lives just a little bit easier. For more information or questions related to RFID technology, contact the experts at Adazon.

By Tommy Schweller | Posted in Barcode Equipment Ideas, Barcode Industry, Barcode Scanners, New Barcode Equipment | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)