Understanding Industrial 2 of 5 barcode and IATA 2 of 5 barcode
Industrial 2 of 5 barcode
What is Industrial 2 of 5 barcode?
Industrial 2 of 5 (or Industrial 25) is a numeric-only, discrete barcode symbology developed in the 1960s by Computer Identics Corporation and later by Identicon Corporation. It encodes digits (0–9) using five bars per character, of which two are wide and three are narrow—hence the name "2 of 5".
Its simplicity makes it ideal for encoding numeric data in industrial and logistics applications, especially where readability and durability are more critical than data density.
Characteristics of Industrial 2 of 5
The following are the main characteristics of Industrial 2 of 5
- Numeric Only: Supports digits 0 through 9.
- Self-checking: The fixed pattern of two wide bars per symbol helps reduce read errors.
- Low Data Density: More space is needed compared to newer symbologies like Code 128.
- Simple to Print: No complex shapes or characters—easy to produce with basic printing technology.
- Unidirectional: Can be scanned in one direction.
Applications of Industrial 2 of 5
Although older, Industrial 2 of 5 is still used in:
- Warehousing and inventory control
- Manufacturing labels
- Carton and case labeling
- Industrial automation systems
- Document management systems
Its robustness makes it ideal in environments where barcodes may become dirty or partially damaged.
Encoding method of Industrial 2 of 5
The character encoding table for Industrial 2 of 5 is as follows:
In this encoding system:
- "1" represents a wide bar, and "0" represents a narrow bar.
- A wide bar is 2 to 3 times the width of a narrow bar.
- Each data character is encoded using five bars.
- The start and stop characters are each composed of three bars.
- Bars are separated by narrow spaces, and each space is the same width as a narrow bar.
Structure of the Industrial 2 of 5 Barcode
The structure of an Industrial 2 of 5 barcode is illustrated as follows:
- Left quiet zone (blank space)
- Start character
- Data characters
- Check digit(Optional)
- Stop character
- Right quiet zone (blank space)
The width of the left and right quiet zones must be at least 10 times the width of a narrow bar.
Check Digit Calculation Method for Industrial 2 of 5
Typically, Industrial 2 of 5 barcodes do not require a check digit, as it is a self-checking barcode. However, an optional Modulo 10 check digit can be used if needed.
Example: Calculating the check digit for data "9785238"
| Position | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digit | 9 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
1. Sum the digits in odd-numbered positions and multiply by 3:
(8 + 2 + 8 + 9) × 3 = 81
2. Sum the digits in even-numbered positions:
3 + 5 + 7 = 15
3. Add the results of step 1 and step 2:
81 + 15 = 96
4. Find the remainder when divided by 10:
96 mod 10 = 6
5. Subtract the result from 10 to get the check digit (if the result is 10, use 0):
10 - 6 = 4
Another example: "1234567"
Check digit calculation:
10 - [(7 + 5 + 3 + 1) × 3 + (6 + 4 + 2)] mod 10 = 10
So the check digit is 0.
IATA 2 of 5 (Airline 2 of 5)
IATA 2 of 5 (also known as Computer Identics 2 of 5, Airline 2 of 5) is a variable length, discrete, two width symbology, which is fully similar to Industrial 2 of 5 symbology except start/stop symbols. In this way it has all advantages and issues of Industrial 2 of 5 symbology.
IATA 2 of 5 Start/Stop values
Below are the IATA 2 of 5 barcode and Industrial 2 of 5 barcode for "1234", and it can be seen that only the Start and Stop are different.
IATA 2 of 5 was invented in 1974 by Computer Identics Corp. The barcode was used by International Air Transport Association (IATA) for managing air cargo.
IATA 2 of 5 version used by International Air Transport Association had fixed 17 digits length with 16 valuable package identification digit and 17-th check digit. Some readers currently still support this symbology.
