PostNET barcode is type of numeric barcode which is used to store information about location in US postal service. PostNET stands for Postal Numeric Encoding Technique and is used to encode numeric ZIP codes.
History and Purpose
US postal service introduced 5 digit ZIP code in the year 1965 whose purpose was to categorize different geographical location of the country in a planned manner so that mail delivery system can be improved and more efficient. ZIP (Zoning Improvement Plan) was first introduced by Robert Aurand Moon in 1940. PostNET barcode was developed in order to encode these ZIP codes on the postal packages.
Structure
PostNET barcode is represented using a series of bars and spacing varying in length. The variations in length and pattern contain information about the digit being encoded. The following table explains the digits and corresponding encoding pattern.
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Value |
Encoding |
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1 |
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2 |
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3 |
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4 |
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5 |
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6 |
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7 |
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8 |
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9 |
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0 |
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Source:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/POSTNET
Advantages
· Simple and easy to read, with slight training and barcode symbols understanding, even a lay man can decode the numbers without having the need of any scanner or special device.
· A basic scanner is more than enough to encode and decode data in the barcode. No specialized hardware device is required.
· 2 Check digits ensure the security of the encoded information.
Limitations
· Can only encode numeric digits, although ZIP codes are in numeric form so this is not a limitation as such.
· Fault tolerance of these PostNET codes is extremely low, a slight damage or distortion can cause the package being delivered to wrong destination.
· Low density barcode, very less information in wide area.
Usage
PostNET barcode has been widely used in United States Postal Services department in order to encode ZIP code. However, this standard is now being replaced by one code solution which is officially known as intelligent mail barcode.
