In recent years the supply chain has seen unprecedented demands on the volume and speed of courier and parcel delivery expectations. The United States Postal Service (USPS) is an example of a very efficient company that plays a large role in the sortation and delivery of millions of pieces of mail daily. This high volume of throughput calls for reliable, accurate, efficient, and traceable logistics to be in place. The USPS has very detailed parcel tracking systems in place that incorporate various postal service barcodes. Dependent on what type of postal office barcode solutions services maybe employed, the postal office barcode solutions can not only identify the shipping, location, and delivery points but also success of direct marketing campaigns.
Barcodes are thoroughly integrated into our everyday lives and can be found on packaging in the grocery stores, airline tickets, entertainment gate control access, pharmaceuticals, and on our daily mail. In each industry the codes used are dictated by the information needed according to specific rules. For instance, pharmaceutical products can be tracked to origin, lot numbers, expiration dates etc. Similarly, the United States Postal Service employs specially encoded barcode postal and parcel tracking systems that offer various bits of information that provide the ability to track mailings and more. The USPS has developed various postal service barcode systems that have offered information to the mail service that track mailings, confirm service, and success in the reception of direct mail campaigns.
The USPS barcodes are comprised of a mix of long and short vertical lines of varying lengths, all designed to aid and improve courier and parcel deliveries. Generally, they will convey zip codes, Zip+4 codes, and delivery address. Different facets of a postal service barcode may also include additional purchased items such as registered mail or USPS tracking services. Items’ barcodes are read through automated sorting machines where data contents are read and items sorted for delivery.
The IMb, also known as the USPS 4-State Customer Barcode, was developed by the United States Postal Service for use in sorting and tracking letters, cards, mailers, and flats. It combined features from the Postnet and Planet barcode technologies into a larger barcode that offers other traceability features. The IMb is a group of 64 long and short vertical lines that comprise its structure. This barcode contains embedded information such as delivery point, mailer ID (identifies the mail owner), discounts, and much more details that help increase throughput and traceability when read by USPS sorting machines. If mail using an IMb code meets specific USPS criteria, it can qualify for automation discounts and will be included in the barcode. Mailers can apply for full-service certification from the USPS when they meet the requirements giving them higher visibility in their mailing efforts.
Datalogic provides a wide range of products for high-performance and reliable barcode reading of postal barcodes on parcels and packages with varying shapes and sizes. The ability to receive incoming products faster and tracking them as they move through the supply chain helps to maximize efficiency while keeping costs down. Quick and accurate reading of the USPS Intelligent Mail Barcode captures crucial feedback needed to analyze success of mail campaigns. Dependent on the size of the operation and sortation systems, automatic or manual, Datalogic has the best fitting technology for the job. Here are a few scanning solutions designed to improve the comfort, performance, and accuracy of the operators involved with induction and sortation.
