How to Resolve the Issue of Ink Spread on Barcodes During Printing?
Route: FAQ - [ How to Resolve the Issue of Ink Spread on Barcodes During Printing? ]In some ink printing applications, the ink may seep and spread before drying. This can cause the width of standard barcodes to thicken in actual printing—specifically, the width of black bars increases, squeezing the space of white bars. The standard width ratio between black and white bars is disrupted, ultimately rendering the barcode unscannable.
Solution
Use the [Reduce Stripe Width] function in the barcode advanced settings to appropriately reduce the width of black bars, offsetting the width increase caused by ink spread.
The [Reduce Stripe Width] setting is available in DoingLabel’s Batch Barcode Generator, Single Barcode Generator, and the barcode component within the Label Generator, as shown in the diagram below.
- Click [Reduce Stripe Width].
- Select one of the two reduction types based on your printing conditions: [Reduce Unit Width] or [Reduce Whole Width].
- After selecting the reduction type, drag the [The Reduction Value of Stripe Width] slider below to reduce the width of black bars proportionally.
How to Distinguish Between [Reduce Unit Width] and [Reduce Whole Width]?
1. Reduce Unit Width
This option first splits all black bars evenly based on the standard minimum bar unit width. Then, it reduces the width of each split segment according to the [The Reduction Value of Stripe Width].
DoingLabel recommends prioritizing the [Reduce Unit Width] type. The effect is shown in the diagram below.
2. Reduce Whole Width
This option directly reduces the width of every black bar (regardless of their original width) according to the [The Reduction Value of Stripe Width]. The effect is shown in the diagram below.
How to Set the [Reduce Stripe Width] Type and [The Reduction Value of Stripe Width]?
Ink spread is affected by multiple factors, including ink properties, temperature, humidity, and paper absorbency. DoingLabel cannot provide standard setting values. Theoretically, the [The Reduction Value of Stripe Width] should match the extent of ink spread.
DoingLabel recommends:
- Adjust [Reduce Stripe Width] type and [The Reduction Value of Stripe Width].
- Conduct test printing.
- Repeat adjustments until the actual ink spread width exactly matches the [The Reduction Value of Stripe Width].
For the reduction type: Prioritize [Reduce Unit Width]. If it fails to resolve the ink spread issue, try [Reduce Whole Width].
How Does DoingLabel Calculate the The Reduction Value of Stripe Width?
The [The Reduction Value of Stripe Width] is a proportional value.
- For [Reduce Unit Width]
The actual reduction is calculated as: Unit bar width × [The Reduction Value of Stripe Width]. Example: If the unit bar width is 1mm and the [The Reduction Value of Stripe Width] is 0.2, the width of the unit bar after reduction is 1mm - (1mm × 0.2) = 0.8mm. (The unit bar width refers to the width of the smallest bar in the barcode. Bar widths in a barcode range from 1 to 4 unit bar widths.)
- For [Reduce Whole Width]
Each bar (regardless of its original width) is reduced by the proportional value. Example: If the [The Reduction Value of Stripe Width] is 0.2:
- A bar with an original width of 4mm becomes 4mm - (4mm × 0.2) = 3.2mm.
- A bar with an original width of 2mm becomes 2mm - (2mm × 0.2) = 1.6mm.
DoingLabel Reminder
Not all barcode printing will encounter ink spread. If your barcode printing does not have this issue, ensure the [Reduce Stripe Width] function is kept disabled. Otherwise, it may cause the barcode to become unscannable.
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