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

1. Measure the length of the bar code to get a value for L.
2. 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.
3. 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
C_B = number of characters encoded in version B of USS-128
C_C = number of characters encoded in version C of USS-128
C_FNC = number of Function Code characters used in the bar code

X = L / [11((C_C/2) + C_B + C_{FNC 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 (C_C). 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 (C_B). This can be found by looking at a verifier output.
4. Count the number of function code characters encoded (C_FNC). 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.

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