Barcode Printing with Scanned Output Defect Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bar-code printers fail to reliably identify defects in printing members, leading to issues like blank lines in critical patient information, especially in limited printing areas, and cannot detect defects in pollution or substrate absence, affecting the quality of both bar-codes and human-readable information.
Innovation Solution
A bar-code printing device with a scanner and control unit that scans and compares printed bar-codes with stored information, shifting positions to detect malfunctions early, allowing for timely repair and ensuring quality of both bar-codes and human-readable information without requiring separate verification patterns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the bar-code is shifted to avoid defective dot-printing members, then the bar-code can be printed successfully, but the quality of human-readable patient information deteriorates due to blank lines
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of defective printing members before actual printing occurs. By detecting and storing information about defective members in advance, the system can plan bar-code positioning to avoid these defects while maintaining proper alignment of human-readable information, thus preventing blank lines in patient information.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If electronic circuits are used to detect defective dot-printing members, then some defects can be identified, but the detection reliability is insufficient for pollution or substrate absence defects
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where printed bar-codes are scanned and compared with the intended bar-code data. This feedback loop allows the system to detect defects that occurred during printing, including pollution or substrate absence defects that electronic circuits cannot detect, and to identify the specific printing members causing these defects.
3Ease of operation
If bar-codes are printed in fixed positions, then printing is simple, but malfunctions at specific positions within the printable area cannot be detected early
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically varies the printing position of bar-codes across different printable areas. By systematically moving bar-codes to different positions and comparing scan results with expected data, the system can early detect malfunctions at specific printing member locations without significantly complicating the printing process.
4Reliability
If separate verification patterns are added to detect printer malfunctions, then detection capability improves, but the printable area is reduced and layout flexibility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system makes the bar-code itself serve multiple functions: it acts as both the information carrier and the verification pattern for detecting printer malfunctions. By comparing the scanned bar-code with the intended bar-code data, the system achieves malfunction detection without requiring separate verification patterns, thus preserving the entire printable area for useful information.
Data Source
AI summary
A bar-code printing device, a method and a computer program product for printing bar-codes is provided, wherein the bar-code printing device includes a printer that defines a printable area for printing bar-codes on a substrate and a scanner for scanning the bar-codes printed on the substrate, wherein the bar-code printing device is provided with a control unit that is operationally connected to the printer and the scanner and configured for performing the following steps: a) instructing the printer to print the bar-codes on the substrate in different bar-code positions within the printable area; b) obtaining scans of the bar-codes printed on the substrate from the scanner; and c) comparing the bar-code in each scan with information about the respective bar-code at least until a discrepancy is identified.