What on earth is a QR code?

Have you ever wondered what this image is? If you though your eye prescription needed updating , then you'll be glad to hear that it doesn't, although it still might. It’s called a QR Code, if you want to know what it does....read on

What are QR Codes?
A Quick Response Code, or a QR Code is a type of two-dimensional barcode, except it’s capable of storing up to 100 times the data of its predecessor. Developed by the Japanese Denso Corporation in 1994, QR codes were intended for quick tagging in the manufacture of car parts. However, technology quickly evolved, and the way in which QR codes were used became more creative and diverse (more on that later). They are widely used in Japan, unsurprisingly, as this advert for NTT DoCoMo mobile phones suggests:

How does it work?

This image below explains the code structure for how QR codes work; thankfully the process for you to actually use them is a lot more straightforward.

The camera on the majority of Japanese mobile phones was designed to read the data contained in a QR code; in the US & Europe the majority of handsets will require additional software capable of reading them.

QR Code-reading software for the iPhone

For a limited time only you can get Quickmark for free; which is an application for the iPhone to read both traditional and 2D barcodes. App store link

• Install and open your QR code-reading software
• Take a photo / point your camera at the QR code
• Depending on your handset, your phone’s browser will automatically start and redirect you to the URL or request for you to confirm you wish to visit the link.
  As you can see from the screenshot on the right, Quickmark has some additional options for sharing your QR code including a send to Twitter option, email and the ability to generate QR codes for contact information. Please note, I haven’t used the following software so I have no idea how they work.

QR Code-reading software for Google Android

Google’s Product Search now includes a barcode scanner which is also capable of reading QR codes. At present, this only works in the US & UK, more information here

QR Code-reading software for all other devices

Beetagg Reader seems to support the vast majority of popular brands such as HTC, Nokia, iPhone and Blackberry; simply sign up and you’ll receive an SMS with a download link.

QR Codes can also be read by industrial scanners by companies like Motorola, Sick and Datalogic All of these can be supplied by Weber Marking Systems.

Creative examples of QR-Code usage & opportunities

This is the really interesting part. As smartphones grow in popularity, the higher the likelihood of advertising campaigns using QR-codes as part of its message. Let’s look at some examples of what’s already been done, and what could happen in the future.

Enviromentally Friendly Campaigns - Eventbrite (an online event registration company) tested an event using QR codes for ticketing with the intention to reduce waste and increase efficiency (sadly their blog post is no longer online). On a similar note, I was reading a magazine and there was an advert for Siemens’ environmental policy, linked to from its QR code.
Local Business Listings on Google – the search giant has just sent out up to 190,000 QR codes to the most searched-for business in its local directory. So if you start seeing these in the windows of a restaurant you’ve never visited before, it’s possible you’ll be able to read reviews on the spot.
Bands or artists could produce QR Codes for after exhibitions or concerts – if your budget doesn’t stretch to printed merchandise or CDs, why not print some codes to drive traffic to your website or an alternative shopping link? Or to go one further, like one band did..
Use them to take political swipes at your government – the Pet Shop Boys attacked the UK’s Big Brother surveillance laws by featuring over 2,000 real QR codes. Pause the video below to test the QR codes for yourself, they all link to various articles about personal freedoms and the like.


Increase your own visibility and ‘person brand’ – want more Facebook friends or followers on Twitter? How about having a t-shirt printed with a QR Code that leads to its URL? With the Facebook App, you install it on your profile and it generates the t-shirt. I agree, it's not to pretty.....and it wont make you attractive to women.

What the future has in store

Color Code Technologies showcased its new Colour Construct Code (CCC) back in November 2009 at the Mobile Asia Congress, Hong Kong. This is capable of storing much more data and doesn’t require an internet connection in order to access it. These colour codes can also be printed on inkjet printers, resulting in easier and more cost-effective distribution.

One recent example involved a new record by Japanese group ‘The Tenka’. A colour QR code was included on a promotional leaflet and when scanned, the data was converted into a song and stored on the phone. According to 2d Code, it’s possible to add password encryption and expiration dates, making it ideal for a broad spectrum of promotions. The site also goes on to say that the decoder is available from the Nokia Ovi Store for a limited number of handsets.

Tomorrows world today? ....very possibly.

If Weber can help with any of your barcode needs please let us know.

Is your label design software up to scratch?

Modern manufacturing requires an integrated approach across all aspects of the production process, to ensure not just productivity, but the quality and consistency demanded by the consumer. As demands and expectations have increased within the production processes themselves, so too has the need for concise and efficient marking and labelling.

Whether a label contains simple instructions, a use-by date or traceability information within a bar code, a 2D matrix code or an RFID smart label, it is essential that manufacturers have the confidence that each and every label will be produced and applied to a consistent standard, regardless of where in the production process the operation takes place.

With over 75 years experience in the development and innovation of labelling solutions, Weber Marking Systems has built up an enviable portfolio covering labelling’s three distinct categories: media, hardware and software.

This unique combination of products, backed by unrivalled application knowledge, allows Weber to identify, configure and manage all aspects of labelling. It begins with the humble label itself, through to the latest tracking and traceability technology, and covers all applications areas from the product to the pallet.

This entire process starts with the media. Labels, tags, RFID smart labels and printer ribbons must be of the highest quality to ensure optimum performance using on-line print-and-apply systems. Weber converts and prints labels at its own manufacturing facilities, including its UK plant in Macmerry, just outside Edinburgh. These products range from pressure-sensitive labels, (including stock labels for general-purpose labelling), plus custom, variable-imprint labels and tags for more challenging applications. In addition, Weber has applied its expertise as a leading manufacturer of labels to provide a range of high-quality RFID smart labels.

A typical packaging line will employ a variety of labelling, print-and-apply and data capture systems at strategic points. Historically, labelling systems were seen as stand-alone units that would perform their individual tasks without the need for any cohesive integration into the main packaging line.

As today’s packaging lines have become faster and more complex and with the need to comply with growing regulation on product labelling, it is essential that the individual elements are both compatible and capable of integration to the line and its PLC control system. Meeting these demands requires a comprehensive range of labelling and coding equipment which has been designed for easy integration into virtually any packaging line.

Key elements of a packaging line are pressure-sensitive label printer-applicators and prime label applicators. Weber’s extensive range of labelling solutions has the capability to be engineered to meet the needs of a specific application. Today’s labelling demands also often include RFID compliance labelling, and Weber has developed RFID encode-apply equipment and a unique system that combines smart label printing, encoding and application in a single unit. Both of these systems also verify correct RFID encoding and reject non-compliant labels before they are applied. In addition to equipment designed for on-line integration, Weber also provides a diverse selection of label printers and RFID printer-encoders for off-line labelling needs, plus the necessary material handling equipment such as conveyors, equipment stands, carton feeders and much more. An additional selection of bar code and RFID data capture products can be used to gather information that ensures accurate product identification and provide real-time inventory management data.

Weber’s Legitronic® labelling software is the driving force behind the company’s label printer and printer-applicator systems. This unique software provides a simple yet flexible approach to label design and editing and permits the control and operation of label printers and RFID encoders. This off-the-shelf product, with its easy-to-use design interface, can be found at the heart of a multitude of label printing tasks. Remote input capabilities permit direct access from scales, PLCs and other devices. Legitronic software also is ideal for networks, efficiently handling multiple systems with shared file support, while a built-in security system restricts use and protects valuable information. The software offers many options and can be custom-designed to complement and help control any operation.

Weber’s philosophy of continuous product development has led to the introduction of two new and enhanced levels of software: LegiPlus and LegiMax, which are provided as part of a total systems solution to label printing applications. These fully-managed and implemented solutions build upon the functionality and flexibility of the core software and when combined with Weber’s unrivalled expertise, deliver significant benefits for users of Weber’s print-and- apply technology.

With media, hardware and software covering all aspects of label printing and application Weber can provide the seamless integration required to enable identification and traceability from the product to the pallet.