What Is a 2D Barcode?

2D barcode labels offer significant advantages over traditional 1D barcodes. A 2D barcode is a graphical image that holds information in its design, not only from left to right but also from top to bottom.

What Are 2D Barcodes?

2D stands for two-dimensional and a 2D barcode contains information in both the horizontal and the vertical, unlike traditional barcodes which are vertical black and white lines and contain a lot less data. A 2D barcode also physically looks different compared to a traditional linear 1D barcode.

Below are two of the typical 2D barcodes that you will see.

In terms of data capture, a 1D barcode can capture a series of digits, like a serial number but a 2D barcode can capture anywhere up to over 7000 characters so it can contain a high amount of information within the barcode itself.

Traditionally, with a 1D barcode, if you are capturing a serial number or information, you would have to connect back to a server and your device would have to connect back to get any information associated with that serial number. With 2D Barcodes, all the information can be contained within the barcode. Information can be data like a product name, product color, category, and other information you want to include. You do not need to connect back to a server to collect the data.

What Are the Applications of a 2D Barcode?

There are many applications for a 2D barcode that can be used across various industries.

2D Barcodes in Retail

2D barcodes can bring a lot of value to retailers. A good example is their use within grocery stores, where they could be added to meat products. This would allow for more information to be included in the barcodes, such as expiry dates and batch information, which, in turn, could help reduce product recalls, food wastage, and the selling of expired goods.

2D Barcodes in Healthcare and Manufacturing

There are many synergies between healthcare and manufacturing when it comes to 2D barcodes. For example, 2D barcodes can be used for the traceability and authentication of pharmaceuticals. Additionally, barcodes can be etched into metal, allowing them to be applied to items such as stents in healthcare or very small metal items in manufacturing, thereby assisting in traceability.

2D Barcodes in Warehousing and Logistics

Often, warehouses receive products that already have 2D barcodes on them. For example, a small parcel may have a 2D barcode displayed on the delivery label, allowing the barcode and information to be easily scanned and parsed immediately without connecting to any backend or third-party systems.

2D Barcodes in Pharmaceuticals

In pharmaceuticals, very small containers are often used, and a 2D barcode can fit into a small space, allowing a lot of information to be included. This information can include a serial number, batch information, product description, and even a URL for looking up more details about the product.

Advancements in Barcode Scanning Technology

There are many benefits to the supply chain as a result of having access to that information, especially when it comes to scanning barcodes. Traditionally, there were 1D laser scanners, which were designed for scanning 1D barcodes. These scanners used a laser line that would move across each line of the barcode to decode it.

The Impact of Mobile Technology on Barcode Scanning

With society changing, we are all carrying our mobile phones with us, and now we see mobile barcodes on our phones for various reasons. This is another advantage of 2D imagers, as they can scan barcodes from backlit devices, such as mobile phones.

Traditional 1D laser scanners cannot scan from a backlit device, so a 2D imager has an additional advantage. For example, when checking out at a supermarket, you probably have your points card on your phone, which has a barcode. You want to be able to scan quickly when you check out, and that is where a 2D imager can help.

How To Scan Barcodes

With a 2D barcode, you need a 2D imager which is dedicated to scanning both 1D and 2D barcode labels and it is a camera that will take a photo of the barcode and decode it very fast and with great accuracy.

Today, 2D imagers match the speed of 1D lasers, making them the preferred choice for scanning. Transitioning to 2D imagers comes with no loss in performance and offers numerous advantages beyond speed.

An operator traditionally with a handheld 1D scanner with a single line would have to line up the barcode with the scanner but with 2D imager scanner, you do not have to worry about orientation meaning you can scan upside-down, the right way up, the camera sees the barcode in 2D and can decode it in any orientation and also 1D barcodes as well so even if you have got 1D barcodes, you still get a benefit by having a 2D imager scanning the 1D barcode because of any orientation, it's going to be able to decode it.

All you need is a 2D Imager and at Zebra we have a range of 2D imagers in most of our portfolio of products including barcode scanners, mobile computers, tablets, and scanner scales. You will need an image-based scanning engine in your device to capture 2D barcodes.

What Benefits Does an Imager Provide Over Traditional Laser Scanning?

A 2D imager can scan 2D barcodes, it can also scan 1D barcodes. In addition, scanning in direct sunlight, with a laser, if the sunlight is too bright, the laser will be washed down and you won't be able to decode the barcode. With a 2D imager, it doesn't matter how bright the sun is, you can still decode the barcode outside.

A 1D scanner will have difficulty scanning dirty or damaged barcodes. 

Another example is the loyalty barcode on your mobile phone. When you go to the checkout at a grocery store and try to scan the mobile phone on the scanner scale, nothing happens because you’re using a laser scanner. However, with a 2D imager, even on the scanner scale, there are bioptic images that allow you to scan a mobile phone.

Speed of scanning is another benefit, you may have had a situation where you've had your mobile phone and you want to scan a QR code off of a poster and you are holding your camera there for a few seconds before it decodes.

Zebra has dedicated imagers for scanning 2D barcodes and it's not just the hardware, we have algorithms inside our devices that are designed for scanning for accuracy and speed so it's the fastest you are ever going to decode a barcode.