Information Transfer in a Whole New
Dimension
Imagine a database that's totally portable — freed from
the computer to go anywhere and yet be accessed immediately at
any time. Or a paper-based communication medium that makes
documents, labels and cards “live” with
machine-readable information, including text, graphics,
biometrics or other data. And imagine capturing this
information quickly, easily and inexpensively. There's a
technology that offers all this — and it's here today.
It's PDF417 from Symbol Technologies.
PDF stands for “Portable Data File.” A
two-dimensional symbology, a single PDF417 symbol carries up to
1.1 kilobytes of machine-readable data in a space no larger
than a standard bar code. And, unlike traditional
one-dimensional bar codes, which depend on real-time links to a
larger database, PDF417 symbols are the database. PDF417
symbols travel on paper, packages or parts. With people, too.
PDF417 technology translates into productivity. Easy to use
and easy to integrate, a PDF417 application delivers the
benefits of digital data communications with the simplicity of
bar coding. It's very low in cost... printable in various sizes
on a wide variety of media using traditional printing
technologies...easy to support...and highly robust in its error
correction capabilities. Moreover, PDF417 has been recognized
as the standard among two-dimensional symbologies by leading
organizations worldwide.
Equally important, any business, government agency or
service organization must be assured of a low-risk, long-term
return on its technology investment. Symbol's PDF417 scanning
equipment can also read all conventional one-dimensional bar
codes, assuring compatibility with your installed bar code
systems.
Another plus: PDF417 was invented by Symbol Technologies,
the company with the innovative products, industry systems
expertise and global support to overcome the barriers that
stand between you and your vision to transform it into a vision
without boundaries.
PDF417: Much More than Meets the
Eye
PDF417 answers the need to capture, store and transfer large
amounts of data inexpensively. It can exchange complete data
files (such as text, numerics or binary) and encode graphics,
fingerprints, shipping manifests, electronic data interchange
(EDI) messages, equipment calibration instructions and much
more. It provides a powerful communications capability —
without the need to access an external database. And, for
virtually no incremental cost, you can add a PDF symbol to the
documents and labels you are already printing.
Think of PDF as an independent database with complete
freedom of movement, traveling together with a person or on an
item, object, package, form, document, card or label. It does
what wired networks can't: allows you to immediately access
your data regardless of location. Plus, encryption is available
as an option when additional security is required.
Moreover, because PDF417 is a machine-readable method of
transporting data, it eliminates time-consuming and error-prone
manual data entry. It functions as a paper-based computer
memory that can be written once and read over and over again.
And, as a universal machine language, it communicates with all
host operating systems. PDF417 encodes full ASCII, numeric or
binary data and it uses sophisticated error correction
algorithms to keep intact 100 percent of the data — even when
as much as half the symbol is damaged. And it's self-verifying,
so data errors can be detected and data integrity maintained.
PDF417 from Symbol Technologies: all of the rewards of
leading-edge technology with none of the risks. Benefits like
these are well worth capturing today.
A Technology You Can Trust
PDF417 is the de facto standard 2-D symbology. In addition
to its performance capabilities and application value in a wide
range of industries, PDF417 technology is in the public domain
— placed there by Symbol — and it conforms to
industry and international “open” standards. For all
of these reasons, PDF417 is emerging as the standard 2-D
symbology by leading standards — setting organizations:
- The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has just
published a new 2-D standard: ANSI MH 10.8.3M unit loads and
transport packages for two-dimensional symbols. It
recommends the use of PDF417 for all shipping, receiving
and supporting EDI documentation. Most standards
associations will use this ANSI standard as the basis for
their specific industry's application specification.
- AIM USA and AIM Europe, accredited ANSI
standards-developing organizations, which have approved
and published PDF417 as a Uniform Symbology Specification
(USS) standard.
- The U.S. Department of Defense, which has designated
PDF417 as the standard 2-D bar code for logistics
applications and EDI formatting on paper labels.
- The American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators
(AAMVA), which has approved and published PDF417 for a broad
range of driver and motor vehicle applications.
- The Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) 2-D
Applications Committee, which has selected PDF417 for its
key 2-D production and logistics applications, is
completing their B-10 standard for shipping and receiving.
- The Telecommunication Industry Forum (TCIF) is reviewing
PDF417 as the 2-D standard for product marking.
In addition, the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of
Personnel and Readiness, has issued millions of military
identification cards with PDF417 symbols for use on a global
basis.
Flexible Technology that Adapts to
You
Unlike some new technologies, PDF417 doesn't require users to
learn different procedures, abandon existing hardware or
software, or commit to costly reinvestment in facilities or
systems. A PDF417 solution can often be added with little
change to current applications and it can make use of existing
printers and other equipment.
It's compatible with all the same printers used to print 1-D
bar codes, including laser, thermal direct, thermal transfer,
ink jet and others — and all are widely available today.
Mainframe solutions are also available for high-speed printing
applications. You can print on a wide variety of
materials-paper, cards, labels, plastics, metals and others.
You can even fax PDF417 symbols. And, software packages are
available for DOS/Windows-based applications.
Because PDF417 can be printed in various shapes, users can
create custom layouts for the requirements of specific
applications. Symbols may also be printed at various densities
depending on printing technology, scanner type, and application
requirement.
PDF: Expanding on Your Bar Code
Capabilities
The two-dimensional benefits of PDF417 symbols are ideal for
applications that are limited by the natural constraints of 1-D
bar codes. The amount of data needed as well as the environment
it exists in are key deciding factors when choosing to
implement a system using 2-D symbols. A single scan of a PDF417
symbol can easily replace multiple 1-D bar codes while
delivering more information more quickly.
In addition, the PDF417 symbols were developed to survive in
tough environments. Robust by design, these symbols use an
error correction algorithm to correct lost or missing data for
damaged symbols. Up to half of the symbol can be destroyed or
missing, yet it can still be decoded.
