LOGMARS Barcode Creation & Printing
This tutorial outlines how to generate LOGMARS barcodes for military
items and shipments within the Federal Government using the
IDAutomation Barcode Image Generator and the Code 39 barcode font.
If implementing a LOGMARS barcode generation process from another
application, IDAutomation's
Barcode Fonts and
Barcode Components may be integrated using methods similar to what
is defined here.
LOGMARS, an acronym for Logistics Applications of Automated Marking
and Reading Symbols, is a standard based on the Code 39 symbology.
Used by the Department of Defense, LOGMARS is defined by Military Standard
MIL-STD-129N that not only contains information about where the barcode
must be placed on a military shipment, but also what information must
be encoded into the barcode to fit military specifications. This tutorial
focuses on creating the LOGMARS barcode from Code 39 using the
IDAutomation Barcode Image Generator software.
The LOGMARS military barcode is encoded in the Code 39 barcode type,
which is offered in the standard version of IDAutomation's Barcode Image
Generator. The barcode density should be from 3.0 to 9.4 characters
per inch (CPI), and the LOGMARS symbol should contain the following
information depending on location of the label:
Label Type or
Location |
Items to Encode |
| Unit Packs & Intermediate Containers |
NSN/NATO Stock No. |
| Exterior Containers |
NSN, Contract/PO/Call No. |
| Ammunition Items |
NIIN (-dash), Lot No. (dash), Qty |
| DD Form 1387 (Dept. of Defense) |
TCN, DoDAAC, Piece No. |
Generating
LOGMARS barcodes requires a Code 39 barcode. The
Barcode Image Generator
software is used to create the LOGMARS barcode in this tutorial, although
in other cases it may be better to use IDAutomation's
Code 39 Barcode Fonts.
If other types of barcode automation are preferred, IDAutomation offers
a variety of barcode
font tools, components and stand-alone applications for this exact
purpose.
Because
manually
calculating a LOGMARS Mod43 check digit can be complicated, IDAutomation's
Barcode Image Generator used in this tutorial contains a useful capability
that allows automatic check digit calculation simply by checking
the appropriate box.
Creating LOGMARS barcodes with the
Barcode Image Generator
is outlined as follows:
- Install the
Barcode Image Generator.
- Open the Image Generator. Under the Barcode Properties
tab in the Data to Encode in Barcode field, enter the LOGMARS
code without dashes.
Choose 0.90 for the Bar Height and .025 for the X dimension.
Choose CODE39 for the Symbology.
Make sure "Use Check Digit" is checked.
- In the Text & Color Properties tab, make sure the
Show Human Readable Text and Show Check Digit in Text
check boxes are not populated:
- In the Caption Properties tab, click the set button for
the Bottom Caption Font and enter your code with dashes:
- In the Image Properties tab, choose the resolution of
the image (if unsure, select 300) and select Bitmap for the image
type.
- Choose Generate Image File and save the image to the
hard drive. The LOGMARS barcode is now ready to be imported and
placed in the appropriate location. If it is desired to create multiple
labels, this same process may be used with
IDAutomation's
Barcode Label Software.
When the Code 39 barcode of the LOGMARS number is scanned to create
a LOGMARS barcode, the data should match the numbers printed below the
barcode. A common method of
reading and testing barcodes is with a hand-held
barcode scanner.
Most of the barcode scanners recommended by IDAutomation perform keyboard
emulation and receive power from the USB port, so that no external power
supply is required. When a barcode is scanned using keyboard emulation,
the data read appears at the cursor as if it had been typed in from
the keyboard. Most barcode scanners have the ability to read LOGMARS
barcodes by default, such as the hand-held
IDAutomation USB Barcode Scanner.
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