Attachment H: Calculating Narrow Bar Width

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Directions for Calculating Narrow Bar Width for SSCC-18 Bar Code:

X = narrow bar width
L = measured length of bar code

X = L / 156

• Measure the length of the bar code to get a value for L.
• Divide L by 156 to get a value for X. If you used inches to measure L, then your X value will be in inches also. If you used mm then your X value will be in mm also.
• Convert the X value from inches to mils by multiplying your result by 1000.

Example problem:

1. Length of bar code is 5.22 inches. 
   L = 5.22
2. Narrow bar width is L/156. 
   X = 5.22/156 
   X = 0.0335 inches
3. Convert inches to mils. 
   0.0335 X 1000 = 33.5 mils

   * In case of mm, just apply steps 1 and 2 to get the narrow bar width.

Directions for Calculating Narrow Bar Width for UCC/EAN Bar Code (General):

X = narrow bar width 
L = measured length of bar code 
CB = number of characters encoded in version B of USS-128 
CC = number of characters encoded in version C of USS-128 
CFNC = number of Function Code characters used in the bar code 

X = L / [11((CC/2) + CB + CFNC 1 + 2 ) ]

1. Measure the length of the bar code to get a value for L.
2. Count the number of characters which are encoded using version C of code 128 (CC). This can be found by looking at a verifier output.
3. Count the number of characters that are encoded using version B of code 128 (CB). This can be found by looking at a verifier output.
4. Count the number of function code characters encoded (CFNC). This will include Function Code 1 and Change Code characters.
5. If you used inches to measure L, then your X value will be in inches also.
6. If you used mm then your X value will be in mm also.
7. If you used mm then your X value will be in mm also.
8. Convert the X value from inches to mils by multiplying your result by 1000.