| Today, emerging enterprises are acknowledging the | | | | needed. The sequence of requirements and make to |
| demand to stay updated as well to streamline their | | | | order requirements are part of JIT inventory. All this is |
| business. To make their operations run effectively it is | | | | heavily dependent on barcoding and RFID tags to |
| necessary to eliminate data entry inaccuracies and to | | | | track products properly in real time. |
| enhance more efficiency. At every manufacturing | | | | • Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and |
| step, more and more stringent controls are | | | | Warehouse Management Systems (WMS): Today |
| implemented. Bar coding has provided cost reductions, | | | | manufacturers are greatly dependent on software |
| lesser errors, which can be easily rectified and high | | | | that helps in ERP and WMS to manage their business |
| levels of efficiency. Tracking at every step has | | | | in a very cost effective way. These systems also |
| become easier thanks to bar coding. The regulatory | | | | include a JIT application, which simplifies knowing |
| authorities have also made use of bar codes and RFID | | | | where what is needed and at what time is it required. |
| to avoid duplicity and counterfeiting. Hence barcode | | | | This results in efficient working. Once ERP systems |
| labels are an emerging trend in the manufacturing | | | | are implemented, it takes time before companies can |
| arena. | | | | implement next printing solutions using suitable |
| Barcodes have become an emerging trend due to its | | | | software. Hence here barcodes become very |
| capacity to hold a lot of information. But unlike before | | | | important to make a remarkable difference in |
| the linear barcodes are being replaced by RFID tags | | | | performance. Barcoding system when upgraded to |
| and 2D barcodes. These barcodes and tags can | | | | RFID systems at a later stage would be a larger |
| withhold much more information. | | | | benefit to the company. |
| Barcodes are important in many manufacturing trends | | | | • Using barcodes in network administration and |
| stated below: | | | | wireless communication: wireless communication |
| • Using barcodes in E-Commerce: Information | | | | available in manufacturing is enabling real-time data |
| technology has made it very easy to connect with | | | | collection in remote parts of a unit. This saves a lot of |
| each other even if physically living very far. Similarly | | | | cost on labor, as the mobile workforce eliminates |
| today business has also become easy to conduct | | | | errors and accomplishes tasks in less time. To avail |
| amongst people in different countries. Business to | | | | this kind of service, all that is needed is to configure |
| business online purchasing is increasing, which calls for | | | | computers, smart phones and mobile printers |
| drop-ship of products directly to the end user It has cut | | | | accordingly. |
| off the presence of agents, middlemen and distributors. | | | | • Global supply chains: As multinational companies |
| The manufacturer can directly deliver to its end | | | | carry out their supplying with many countries, same |
| consumer cutting a lot of overheads. This makes it | | | | product is supplied to many different regions and |
| necessary for accuracy in proper delivery, identification | | | | countries. Due to this, same label has to be printed in |
| of products. Due to this it has become important to | | | | many different languages according to the country |
| have large number of shipping labels, which is made | | | | they are supplied in. This makes it necessary to have |
| simpler by barcodes and RFID tags. | | | | multilingual printers for barcode labels. Nonetheless this |
| • Using barcodes for Just in Time (JIT) operations: | | | | has become rather easy due to Unicode enabled |
| All commercial operations are now focused at | | | | printers available. These printers have international |
| reducing cost and trimming expenses. This also | | | | character printing ability, saving a lot of time as well as |
| involves cutting inventory levels and the overall | | | | money spent on acquiring customized output solutions. |
| inventory carrying costs. The solution to this is to get | | | | Amongst all the available options for printing barcodes, |
| supplies just in time when they are needed. Also | | | | thermal technology is mostly preferred for on-demand |
| avoiding overlap with and waiting period is the ideal | | | | applications. Thermal technology, maybe direct thermal |
| solution. Manufacturers too are responding to just in | | | | or thermal transfer, presents best quality labels which |
| time inventory delivery, which is supplying precise | | | | are long-lasting and crisp. |
| quantity of a specific product at the precise time it is | | | | |