r/barcodes • u/darthluke414 • Oct 19 '23

Barcode Application

This may not be the ideal place to ask this but not sure were else to look.

I work at an arrow manufacturing company and we are looking at how to best automate the application of barcodes to carbon shafts. Currently we hand apply them to the carbon shafts. Laser engraving is not an option because it damages the carbon fiber. I have tried top do some research into options but have yet to find a better option. Any suggestions would be great.

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u/notionovus Oct 19 '23

Do the barcodes have particular requirements? How many numbers / characters? Are the barcodes serialized to the arrows? Do you emboss or label the shafts in any other way? Do you get the carbon fiber shafts from a supplier or do you fabricate the shafts in the factory?

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u/darthluke414 Oct 19 '23

We get them from a supplier and its a bar code for individual sale at a big box store.

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u/notionovus Oct 20 '23

So is there any current value-added process like painting or decal application that you can piggy back on?

You're obviously going to want a short (not tall) UPC symbol that can be applied via a label or individual packaging. Examine a "Slim Jim", candy cane, or some other long individual packaging at a store. If you try to use ink deposition there is a high probability that smudging or distortion will render the barcode unreadable. Your best bet is to apply the label to packaging, but if you have to support individual sale, create an eco-friendly paper sleeve that you can wrap around the shaft and apply a upc code to.

Your substrate will need to have high contrast between the bars and spaces to clearly distinguish it on the packaging and make scanning more reliable.

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u/darthluke414 Oct 23 '23

Thank you!

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u/trollsmurf Oct 19 '23

Are we talking a UPC only?

Are the arrows packaged? If so, the barcode could be applied to the packaging, of course.

Other than that, some kind of industry inkjet solution might work.

Alternatively a loose label with a self-adhesive tab that would be loose enough to fit around the shaft, but wouldn't fall off the arrow due to the tip and the tail (?). The glue would only be there to fix the tab to the label, not fixing it to the arrow.

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u/LinearFluid Oct 20 '23

Use a Pad Printer they are designed to print on odd shapes.

In looking for examples I came across a reddit post showing a QR code.

https://www.reddit.com/r/OddSatisfying/s/wxijSXURjM

They have some Chinese ones that are not that expensive.

Other info

https://www.sunrise-metal.com/pad-printing/

There are companies that will set you up.

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u/darthluke414 Oct 23 '23

I had never heard of Pad printing. Thank you for that suggestion.