Code and symbology
EAN/UPC, Code 128, GS1-128, ITF-14, QR, Data Matrix, GS1 DataMatrix or another agreed type.
Project specification checklist
How to specify an in-line barcode inspection system
A useful quotation depends on more than code type and line speed. This checklist captures the imaging, data and handling information needed to engineer a dependable system.
Short answer
Define what must be checked, the smallest physical code, the full product and speed range, the source of the expected data, and exactly what the line must do after a failure. Real samples should then prove the proposed imaging window.
Ten specification inputs
Information that changes the system design
Physical dimensions
Code width, height, module or X dimension, quiet zone and expected position tolerance.
Print and substrate
Inkjet, thermal transfer, laser, label or direct marking on matt, glossy, curved or flexible material.
Production rate
Maximum products per minute, conveyor speed, pitch, stop-start behaviour and product gaps.
- 5. Product presentation
- Orientation, movement, rotation, vibration, pack height range and available camera positions.
- 6. Acceptance rules
- Presence, decode, symbology, expected value, format, grade, location, duplicate and sequence logic.
- 7. Data source
- Recipe, PLC, scanner, SQL database, MES, ERP, API, label software or production order.
- 8. Failure action
- Reject, divert, alarm, line stop, rework route and rules for consecutive failures.
- 9. Evidence
- Counts, images, timestamps, decoded data, grades, operator events and record-retention period.
- 10. Controls and access
- HMI, user levels, recipe selection, changeover confirmation, audit needs and validation documents.
Send samples before final hardware selection
Representative products let us prove lighting, resolution, reading margin and practical tolerances.
Technical content reviewed by the Oxford Vision Systems engineering team. Updated 26 August 2026.
Common questions
Direct answers for project teams
Concise answers to the questions manufacturers ask when defining a barcode inspection application.
Ask an engineerWhat samples should be supplied for a barcode inspection trial?+
Provide representative good products, known failures, the smallest and largest packs, challenging print or substrate variants and any available customer code specification.
Why are code dimensions and module size important?+
They determine the image resolution needed. A wide field of view may not resolve a very small module unless the camera, lens and position are selected accordingly.
Should the reject system be included in the specification?+
Yes. Define product tracking, reject mechanism, confirmation, bin capacity, full-bin sensing, line-stop conditions and the required recovery sequence.