Codablock F barcode is a type of two dimensional barcode that belong to the Codablock family of barcodes. Codablock F barcode is basically a 2D version of code 128 barcode which was a linear barcode. Codablock F barcode improves and enhances code 128 in various aspects by introducing several advantages that comes with 2D barcodes and keeping simplicity of code 128 barcodes. Code 128 barcodes is designed in such a way that it can be divided and stacked in the form of multiple rows. Codablock F barcode can consist of 2 to 44 rows stacked over each other and each row can contain 61 data characters or 122 numeric characters.
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Codablock-F_Example.png
History
Codablock F barcode was developed in Germany in 1989 by Henry Oehlmann and Herald Oehlmann, the CEOs of ICS International at that time. Codablock F was developed to remove the deficiencies in code 128 and to store large amounts of data in smaller space which is possible with 2D barcodes.
Advantages
Codablock F barcode has all the advantages of a traditional 2D barcodes. Some of them are as follows:
· Codes of variable height, width and density can be used to store information which makes these barcodes extremely flexible and adapting.
· Codablock F barcode can be encoded and decoded using simple devices as internally code 128 algorithm is being used to encode the information.
· Checksum digit has been introduced to improve the security of Codablock F barcode.
· Block concatenation feature is also available in Codablock F through FNC2 technology.
· Numeric compression capability allows the compression of numbers and only 50% of the space is utilized for this purpose.
· High fault tolerance makes this barcode securer than the traditional code 128 barcode.
Limitations
There is one limitation in case of Codablock F barcode; these barcodes are not dense as compared to other 2D barcodes because actually they are a variation of 1D code 128 barcode.
Applications
Codablock F was standardized under AIM USS Europe - Codablock F standard and was widely used in the last decade of the 20th century. Following are some of the areas where Codablock F barcode is used.
· Medicine and health industry; where Codablock F barcode is used to label blood bottles, and surgical equipment.
· Retail stores where Codablock F is used to scan and identify retail sales item.
Conclusion:
Codablock F is a lightweight, 2D version of code 128 that couples simplicity of code 128 linear barcode and complex and advanced features of 2D barcodes.
