Can I use the Scan Reflectance Profile to accurately improve the quality of the barcode?
The primary advantage of the scan reflectance profile assessment over the traditional element width/PCS measurement is that it provides a far better indication of how well a symbol is likely to perform when read under typical application conditions, at the point of sale, or in back of store and distribution operations. But where it falls down is that it is difficult to deduce from the scan reflectance profile grading what specific corrective action needs to be taken to improve quality grades, in terms of aspects that the symbol producer can easily control. Scan reflectance profile grading on its own is of little help for process control purposes, one of the two reasons for which symbols are verified. So direct measurement of bar width gain or loss as measured in the traditional verification method, is the most useful process control tool since it provides the symbol producer with an easily understandable and quantifiable measurement.
