a-bar-code-business

Important Update: Material Pricing Changes

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:22:09 GMT

To Our Valued Customers:

Over the past several weeks, we have received price increase notifications from most of our major raw material suppliers. The driving forces behind these increases are consistent across the board: newly imposed tariffs on imported materials, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East disrupting global energy supply and the resulting inflationary pressure on petrochemical-derived products like adhesive, ink and even packaging materials.

The supplier increases we have received range from approximately 7% to 13% depending on the material type, with film materials and direct thermal paper at the higher end of that range and paper materials like thermal transfer toward the lower end. Freight and fuel costs have also risen sharply, adding further pressure to overall material costs.

We have and will continue to work hard to absorb as much of these costs as we can, but the breadth and magnitude of these increases have made that increasingly difficult. We are continuing to work with all our supplier partners to identify material alternatives, control costs, and maintain supply continuity.

As a result, effective April 27, 2026, A Bar Code Business, Inc. will start implementing some of the raw material suppliers and manufactures price increases, as we receive them. Our estimating team will continue to provide quotes/estimates, with price breaks, that are valid for 30 days to help you manage the material increases.

Transparency is a priority for us, and we want to make it easy to keep you informed. We’ve gathered official statements from our key suppliers for your reference. Please feel free to use the link below to download and share these materials with your team.

If you have questions or would like to work through updated pricing, please reach out to your Account Manager or our Quotes team, they are ready to assist you.

We greatly value your partnership and appreciate your understanding as we all navigate these industry shifts; in what continues to be a challenging and fast-moving environment.

Cleaning & Maintaining Your Printer Zebra ZT411

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:58:22 GMT

Results of A Dirty Printhead

Why Cleaning Your Zebra Printhead Matters:

A dirty printhead results in poor heat transfer, that creates poorly printed images and barcodes. Inconsistent print quality, such as voids in the graphics or barcodes may indicate a dirty printhead. Which may result in barcodes that will not scan or scan incorrectly.

Best Practices:

For optimum performance, the printhead should be cleaned regularly. A Bar Code Business, Inc. recommends performing the cleaning procedure when installing a new rolls of ribbon, or after 3 rolls of label stock.

Items You Will Need:

Canned Air (Compressed Air)
Rubbing Alcohol (99.7% pure medical-grade isopropyl alcohol)
Q-Tips (Johnson & Johnson)
Cleaning Pen/Cleaning Cards (Optional)

Before You Start Cleaning Your Printhead...

Allow the printhead to cool for at least 1 minute.

*Note: You are not required to turn off the printers power to perform this procedure.

If you turn off the power, you will lose all temporary settings, such as label formats, unprinted labels and you must reload them before you resume printing.

Another Important Cleaning Point...

Now is a good time to clean another critical part of the printer, the printer sensors. Remove labels & ribbon. Blow out the sensors with canned air.

Recommended: After every 3 rolls of labels, inspect the media compartment for paper dust, lint or other foreign particles. Using a soft bristled brush or vacuum, clean the media compartment. Using a can of "compressed air" blow out any paper dust or particles out of the media sensors and away from the printer.

Precautionary:

Remove all rings, watches, hanging necklaces, identification badges or other jewelry that could touch the printhead or get caught in the printer.
Use NO stronger than 99.7% pure medical-grade isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab to clean the printhead elements from end to end (the print elements are located in the dark line on the printhead).

Raise the media door.
Open the printhead assembly by rotating the printhead-open lever upward.
Remove the ribbon (if used) and the media.
Rub the cotton swap (with alcohol) or cleaning pen across the dark area of the printhead. Clean from the middle to the outside, to move adhesive transferred from the edges of media to the outside of media path.

Bonus Tip : Don't Forget The Platen Roller

While you're inside the printer, take an extra 30 seconds to wipe down the Zebra platen roller (the rubber roller beneath the labels). Keeping the platen roller clean helps prevent label slippage, misfeeds, and blank label printing—all common issues in Zebra printer support calls.

The platen roller can be cleaned with a fiber and lint free swab (such as a Texpad swab) or a lint-free, clean, damp cloth very lightly moistened with 99.7% pure medical-grade isopropyl alcohol.
Clean from the center out. Discard the used swab or cloth.
Repeat this process until all of the roller surface has been cleaned.
If there has been heavy adhesive build-up or label jam, repeat with a new swab to remove residual contaminants. (Adhesives and oils, for example, may be thinned by the initial cleaning but not completely removed.)

If you have a Standard Platen Roller (white):

5. While manually rotating the standard platen roller, clean it thoroughly with the swab. Allow the solvent to evaporate.

6. Wait one minute before closing the printer or loading ribbon to allow all components to dry.

7. Rotate the printhead-open lever downward until it locks the printhead in place.

8. Close the media door.

The printer is ready to operate.

9. Press PAUSE to exit pause mode and enable printing.

The printer may perform a label calibration or feed a label, depending on your settings.

Cleaning & Maintaining Your Printer Zebra ZD421

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 18:22:25 GMT

Results of A Dirty Printhead

Why Cleaning Your Zebra Printhead Matters:

Best Practices:

Items You Will Need:

Canned Air (Compressed Air)
Rubbing Alcohol (99.7% pure medical-grade isopropyl alcohol)
Q-Tips (Johnson & Johnson)
Cleaning Pen/Cleaning Cards (Optional)

Before You Start Cleaning Your Printhead...

Allow the printhead to cool for at least 1 minute.

*Note: You are not required to turn off the printers power to perform this procedure.

If you turn off the power, you will lose all temporary settings, such as label formats, unprinted labels and you must reload them before you resume printing.

Another Important Cleaning Point...

Now is a good time to clean another critical part of the printer, the printer sensors. Remove labels & ribbon. Blow out the sensors with canned air.

Precautionary:

Remove all rings, watches, hanging necklaces, identification badges or other jewelry that could touch the printhead or get caught in the printer.
Use NO stronger than 99.7% pure medical-grade isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab to clean the printhead elements from end to end (the print elements are located in the dark line on the printhead).

Clean the window of the movable sensor by gently brushing away dust or using a can of compressed air. If necessary, use a dry swab to brush away dust.
If adhesives or other contaminants remain, use a swab moistened with 99.7% pure medical-grade isopropyl alcohol to break them up. Discard the used swab(s).
Use a dry swab to remove any residue that may be left from the first cleaning.
Repeat the preceding steps as required until all residue and streaks are removed from the sensor.

If ribbon is installed, remove it before proceeding.
Rub the cotton swap (with alcohol) or cleaning pen across the dark area of the printhead. Clean from the middle to the outside, to move adhesive transferred from the edges of media to the outside of media path.
Wait one minute before closing the printer or loading ribbon to allow all components to dry.

Bonus Tip : Don't Forget The Platen Roller

The platen roller can be cleaned with a fiber and lint free swab (such as a Texpad swab) or a lint-free, clean, damp cloth very lightly moistened with 99.7% pure medical-grade isopropyl alcohol.
Clean from the center out. Discard the used swab or cloth.
Repeat this process until all of the roller surface has been cleaned.
If there has been heavy adhesive build-up or label jam, repeat with a new swab to remove residual contaminants. (Adhesives and oils, for example, may be thinned by the initial cleaning but not completely removed.)

Direct Thermal vs. Thermal Transfer Printing

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 20:48:54 GMT

What Is the Difference Between Direct Thermal and Thermal Transfer Printing?

Direct Thermal Vs. Thermal Transfer: What's the Difference?

There are two thermal printing methods: direct thermal and thermal transfer. Each method uses a thermal printhead that applies heat to the surface being marked. Direct thermal printing uses chemically treated, heat-sensitive media that blackens when it passes under the thermal printhead, while thermal transfer printing uses a heated ribbon to produce durable, long-lasting images on a wide variety of materials.

Overall thermal label printers are ideal for barcode labels because they produce accurate, high-quality images with excellent edge definition. Thermal transfer printers are engineered to print within tight tolerances and to produce the exact bar widths that successful barcode printing and scanning require. Each technology can produce one-dimensional and two-dimensional barcode symbologies, graphics, and text at the same print resolutions and speeds.

Direct Thermal Printing

Because they print without a ribbon, direct thermal printers are noted for their simplicity. Direct thermal printed labels typically have a considerable shelf life but are not well suited for environments that expose them to heat, long periods of direct sunlight, or abrasion. Direct thermal printers have no ink, toner, or ribbon.

If the label is overexposed to heat, light, or other catalysts, the material will darken and make the text or barcode unreadable. For these reasons, direct thermal printing is not used for lifetime identification applications. The readability of direct thermal labels, wristbands, and receipt papers varies greatly, depending on the usage conditions, but the technology provides ample lifespan for many common barcode printing applications including shipping labels, patient, and visitor identification, receipts, and ticket printing.

Direct Thermal Printing Advantages

Direct thermal printing produces sharp, quality labels with good scannability.
Direct thermal is ideal for applications requiring only a short shelf life — meaning the label image does not need to last very long. Shipping labels and receipts are ideal applications, for instance, while product labels are not.
Direct thermal printers are simple to operate compared to most other print technologies because there is no ink, toner or ribbon to monitor or replenish.
With no supplies to replace other than the material to be printed, long-term maintenance costs remain low.
Direct thermal enables batch or single label printing with virtually no waste.
With recyclable materials available, direct thermal printers offer environmental economy.
Direct thermal printers are typically built more durably than dot matrix or laser printers, allowing reliable operation in industrial as well as office applications.

Direct thermal limitations

Direct thermal printing is extremely sensitive to environmental conditions such as heat and light (fluorescent and/or direct sunlight).
Direct thermal paper remains chemically active after printing. Because of this, thermal labels, tags or ticket stock are often top coated to resist UV light exposure, chemicals, and abrasion.

Thermal Transfer Printing

Thermal transfer printed labels are easily identified by the crisp, often glossy, printed surface. The clarity is achieved by using a thin ribbon roll that when heated by the printhead melts onto the label to form the image. The ink is absorbed so that the image becomes part of the media. When matched with suitable media, thermal transfer technology is not only impervious to heat and moisture, but the image cannot be rubbed off, making the printed labels the most durable available. An additional benefit of this technology is the continuity of the printed image. Because the color and density of the printed image is determined by the ribbon and the resolution of the printer, thermal transfer printing produces consistent, reliable printing on every label. This technique provides image quality and durability that is unmatched by other on-demand printing technologies.

The specific label material and ribbon must be carefully matched to ensure print performance and durability. By selecting the right media-ribbon combination, as well as specialty adhesives, users can create archival-quality labels to withstand temperature extremes, ultraviolet exposure, chemicals, sterilization, and more. Typical thermal transfer applications include: product identification; circuit board tracking; permanent identification; sample and file tracking; asset tagging; inventory identification; certification labels such as UL/CSA; laboratory specimens; cold storage and freezers; and outdoor applications.

Thermal Transfer Printing Advantages

Thermal transfer delivers crisp, high-definition text, graphic, and barcode print quality for maximum readability and scannability.
Thermal transfer printing produces long-life image stability.
Thermal transfer enables batch or single label printing with virtually no waste.
Long-term maintenance costs are low compared to dot matrix, ink jet, and laser printing.
Thermal transfer technology can print on a nearly unlimited variety of media stock (except multi-form).
Thermal transfer printers are typically built more durably than dot matrix or laser printers, allowing reliable operation in industrial as well as office applications

Thermal transfer printing limitations

Since thermal transfer printers require ribbon, supply costs are higher than direct thermal; however, thermal transfer printheads last longer than direct thermal printheads.
Single-pass thermal transfer ribbon can be wasteful if little is printed on it.
Thermal transfer ribbon is a poor candidate for recycling.
To obtain optimum print quality in thermal transfer printing, the ribbon, and media substrate MUST be compatible. Otherwise, the heat from the printhead could melt the ribbon onto the label causing internal printer problems.

Certified Print Supplies Improve Operations

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 19:25:57 GMT

Print Confident. Print Quality. Print Zebra.

Printing supplies are not interchangeable commodity items. The quality of the images they create and their physical integrity are critical to the continuity of your operations. If a barcode label isn’t scannable or it falls off of a container, for example, operations get interrupted, productivity and efficiency suffer and costs rise. Choosing supplies on a low price rather than on suitability to your thermal printer or application is risky. Reprinting, printer adjustments, downtime and unhappy customers can result from this approach.

Certified Print Supplies Improve Operations

The wrong label can halt your operations and cost you money and time

Turning Potential Into Profit

The right labels work for you, not against you. In fact they support your workflows so you can improve KPIs. Labeling should be a central part of your business strategy.

Labels are not a commodity—they are a business solution.

When labels do the work right—in every capacity—you can eliminate workarounds and complexities to reduce time, expenses and waste. It’s amazing how a simple solution, like integrating the right supplies, can improve overall operations.

Scannable labels enable faster work, avoid risk of

returns/rejects/fines.

Placing clear labels on top of white to scan data

slows down work and leads to errors.

Labels with dependable adhesive increases productivity, prevents rejects/returns/fines/theft.

Labels with weak adhesive need extra time and

money for taping/gluing.

Labels designed for your application eliminate costly,

on-the-fly solutions.

Workers waste time and money inventing

workarounds to labels not suited for the job.

Labels that are worked into the overall business

strategy lower costs.

One-off, over-engineered or under-utilized labels

create financial and material waste.

Labels that can be printed in color & on-demand

reduce errors for cross-docking and sorting.

Manually applying color takes time away from more

high-value tasks.

Labels that streamline complex manufacturing

processes like labeling parts, components and assets

help to lift KPIs and profits.

A loose labeling process can cause shipment

delays, loss of contracts, supplier ratings drop and

productivity.

Choose labeling innovation

30+ years of creating custom-aligned workflows and working with new IT systems has made us experts in finding the right labeling solutions for our customers. Let Zebra help you build, implement and manage a labeling solution that supports your business strategy—helping you to improve your KPIs while minimizing your hard and soft costs.

Top 3 Reasons to Retire the G-Series

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 18:26:52 GMT

We’ve infused the quality and reliability you expect from your G-Series printers, and advanced the legacy with more connectivity, features, performance and security. Be confident that Zebra’s ZD Series is ready to take on the job—and deliver above and beyond.

1. Ready to grow with your business, and evolve with technology

Get what you need now, and add new capabilities later with field-upgradeable features. The difference is dynamic.

• Wireless, Ethernet or Serial communications

• Add a cutter or peeler to improve workflows

• Battery for on-the-go power

• Carrying case for added portability

• Secure printer with a mounting kit

• Linerless option to improve sustainability

2. There’s so much more to love

Make work easer with many models to match your use case including direct thermal, thermal transfer, healthcare, linerless, ribbon cartridge, and RFID.

• More ways to connect, including USB 2.0 and USB Host

• Easy printer setup with mobile device via Bluetooth® Classic, BTLE,Wi-Fi or USB*

• Pair with a tap via Print Touch*

• Easier and more intuitive to use

• Faster print speeds and better performance

• Premium 300 dpi resolution print quality

3. Unparalleled, peace-of-mind printer security

ZD4 and ZD6 Series printers include PrintSecure, a set of industry-leading security tools that are part of Zebra’s exclusive Zebra DNA™ software suite.

• Protect data with encrypted connections

• Manage printers from any location and automatically update Wi-Fi Certificates with Printer Profile Manager Enterprise

• Secure Wi-Fi and Bluetooth default settings

• Prevent accidental or unwanted printer setting changes with Protected Mode

Expect the best, and experience the best

Print Confident. Print Secure. Print Zebra. All with the ZD Series.

Go Zebra Trade-In Rebate Program

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 18:03:49 GMT

Yesterday’s technology is no match for today’s challenges

How well your front line performs depends in great part on the technology used. If it’s outdated, it’s not made to outsmart errors, delays and complexity. Give workers the tools to get the job done. Go from lagging legacies to leading-edge solutions with GO Zebra.

Swap setbacks for savings on smarter, harder-working technology:

• Exchange complicated workflows for one-step simplicity

• Work nonstop with technology built tough

• Remotely manage with set-it-and-forget-it ease

• Preempt problems before they become disruptions

How to benefit from this offer?

Eligibility:

Any Zebra or competitive Thermal Barcode Printer is eligible for the trade-in, but must power up and include the printhead.
Any Zebra or competitive ID Card Printer is eligible for the trade-in, but must power up and include the printhead.
Any Zebra or comparable Scanner is eligible for the trade-in.
GO Zebra is available only to Zebra customers in the continental U.S. (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and territories) and Canada (excluding the province of Quebec).
This offer is not valid when combined with any other offer, promotion or special pricing.
This offer may end at any time (This offer is being made from Zebra Technologies to end users in the form of a rebate for purchases made between January 1, 2026, and December 31, 2026).

Glossary of Bar Code Terms

Mon, 19 May 2025 14:30:37 GMT

Bar Code Symbologies (types)

Sat, 03 May 2025 04:30:26 GMT

Bar code symbologies differ in the amount of data that can be encoded.

Some symbologies (such as UPC) are fixed in length; other symbologies can encode truly variable data. Some bar code symbologies also contain various characteristics to minimize errors, such as self-checking characters, start and stop characters, check digits and error correction characters.

Benefits of Bar Coding

Sat, 03 May 2025 03:43:24 GMT

Bar codes offer the simplest,

most accurate,

cost-effective method

of data entry and collection.

Compared to manual entry methods which possess an error rate of one in every 300 characters entered bar coding is virtually error-free. With less than one error per one million characters entered, bar coding offers numerous advantages over traditional, manual methods of data entry.

Bar codes can be printed at a low cost with a wide variety of printing techniques.

Symbols can be scaled to suit particular requirements, can be printed at very high speeds, and can be read by a variety of readily available reading/scanning equipment. Bar codes offer exceptional security, minimize errors and offer highly successful first-time read rates. Scanning a bar code brings speed and productivity improvements, and real-time data interchange (via radio frequency scanning equipment) allows timely information to be accessed almost instantly while the data is still current. Bar codes are frequently printed with human-readable text, which allows for simultaneous automatic and human decoding.

Additionally, reduced labor costs, improved organizational productivity and profitability can be realized with the implementation and use of a bar coding system. Any process or procedure that involves manual entry can be made faster and more accurate by using bar codes.

Summary:

Accurate data collection
Faster data entry
Real-time collection and dissemination of data
More effective use of human and physical resources Elimination of manual data entry/retrieval systems

Bar codes typically employ a parallel arrangement of varying-width bars and spaces, arranged in a particular pattern to incorporate data. Both the black bars and white spaces in bar code symbols are used to enter and decode data. While some bar codes use the bar height and/or diameter to incorporate data, linear symbologies are the most common form of bar codes in use today.

Linear bar code symbols use a single row of parallel bars and spaces to encode information.

The term “Symbology” is a set of rules describing how the data is incorporated into the various arrangements of bars. Symbology refers to the bar code language. Each language has different capabilities, rules and characteristics, much like human language. Scanners are typically programmed to decode one or more different symbologies, and communication cannot occur unless the reading and printing equipment use compatible symbologies (i.e., a scanner programmed to decode Code 39 will not be able to decode Code 128).

Bar code symbologies differ in the amount of data that can be encoded. Some symbologies (such as UPC) are fixed in length; other symbologies can encode truly variable data. Some bar code symbologies also contain various characteristics to minimize errors, such as self-checking characters, start and stop characters, check digits and error correction characters.

How To Apply for a UPC Code

sales@abarcodebusiness.com (Erik Russell) — Fri, 02 May 2025 16:59:23 GMT

UPC Labels

HOW TO APPLY FOR A UNIVERSAL PRODUCT CODE NUMBER
(UPC RETAIL BAR CODE NUMBER)

Call, write or e-mail the Uniform Code Council, Inc. and ask for an application for an UPC Number.

Uniform Code Council, Inc. (UCC)
7887 Washington Village Drive, Suite 300
Dayton, OH 45459
Phone: (937) 435-3870
Fax: (937) 435-7317
Or visit on-line at: http://www.uc-council.org

The Minimum fee is $750.00, which is the initial application fee for a nine digit manufacturer number that will be assigned to your company. When your application is sent, information on fees and other valuable information will be mailed to you.

After receiving you manufacturer number, your next step is to assign a three or five digit number (depending on the number of digits provided to you by the UCC) to each different product in your line.

These numbers can be assigned in any manner you choose; however, the numbers must be numeric no alpha characters are allowed. Each item must carry a different product number, anything that differentiates one item from another, i.e. weight, color, size etc. must have its own unique product number.

Your product number, used in conjunction with the numbers assigned by the Uniform Code Council, will yield your eleven-digit number. The last and most important number is called a check digit. The check digit is a mathematicaly calculation of your first eleven numbers and becomes the 12th and final digit that makes up the UPC Bar Code Symbology. All twelve digits should be printed in human readable form below the bar code.

At this point, it will be necessary to have the actual bar code symbology made for each product. This is where A Bar Code Business, Inc. can be of service to you. We can provide you with:

Free Check Digit Calculations with all orders
Express Service, for over night delivery
Pre-Printed and Verified Bar Code Labels (Shipped Within 1 to 3 Business Days)
Required Equipment and Labeling Media For In-house Printing
Technical Assistance and Support

History of Bar Coding

Fri, 02 May 2025 16:59:20 GMT

Bar Coding is an automatic identification (Auto ID) technology that streamlines identification and data collection.

With some of its first concepts developed in the mid 1930s, bar coding has since grown into a $3.3-billion worldwide, multi-industry technology that is forecasted to grow annually by as much as 20% through the end of the century.

Let's take a look at the history.

The evolution of bar coding standards brought with it the need for greater precision, technical refinement and uniformity.

Responding to this need, the trade organization of Automatic Identification Manufacturers (AIM) developed Uniform Symbol Specifications (USS) for numerous bar code symbologies which have standardized the technology throughout the world. Bar code technology is the cornerstone of the Auto ID industry, but it does not work alone.

The combination of bar coding with the appropriate computer hardware, application software, training and utilization create the potential for improved performance, productivity and profitability in virtually any industry.