A verifier measures a set of print quality parameters under controlled conditions and reports an overall grade from A (4.0) to F (0.0), based on the lowest-scoring parameter. The grade predicts how reliably the barcode will scan across different scanners and conditions. Specifications state the minimum grade and the measurement conditions together.

Why it matters for labeling

Some rules refer to these standards directly. For the EU unique identifier on medicines, a print quality of at least 1.5 under ISO/IEC 15415 is presumed to meet the requirement. But a grade only measures print quality, not content: a well-printed barcode can still encode the wrong data, so grading has to be paired with checking the decoded data against the approved values.

Common mistakes

  • Treating a barcode that scanned once as a graded barcode
  • Grading the printed output but never checking the encoded data
  • Quoting a grade without the measurement conditions
  • Forgetting that grading has to be done on the physical print, not the artwork file

Sources