Common Terms in Industrial Coding and Marking

This reference groups common industrial coding terms by production method, marking content, technology, traceability, and operating quality. It helps customers describe requirements for quotations, sample tests, and technology comparisons, and clarifies abbreviations that are often confused.

Separate the terminology into three layers

The same term can refer to different things in different conversations. When a customer says coding, they may mean the information being printed, the equipment being used, or the production step where marking happens. When a supplier says traceability code, they may mean the data itself or the database record reached after scanning.

A practical way to read coding terminology is to separate three layers. The production method describes where the mark is created, such as pre-printing, manual coding, or inline coding. The content describes what appears on the package, such as a production date, batch number, serial number, or QR code. The technology describes how the equipment forms the mark, such as CIJ, TTO, TIJ, or laser.

Keeping these layers separate makes selection discussions clearer. First confirm what data must appear and what the traceability process must find. Then decide how the mark should be produced.

Production methods and marking content

Term	Meaning	What to clarify
Coding / Marking	The production step that applies text, numbers, barcodes, or graphics to a product or package.	The word may cover inkjet, laser, thermal transfer, and label printing.
Pre-printing	Fixed information applied during package printing.	Dates and batch numbers normally require a later marking step.
Manual / handheld coding	Marking completed by an operator with a handheld device, type, or simple tool.	Suited to low-frequency, small-batch, or touch-up work. Check position consistency, missed codes, and wrong content.
Inline coding	Marking equipment integrated with the packaging line and synchronised with production.	Confirm substrate, speed, mounting position, control signals, and available space.
Variable data	Content that changes between batches or individual products, such as dates, batches, serial numbers, and 2D codes.	A QR code can contain fixed data. Variable data describes how the content changes.
Production date	The date when a product is made or enters the packaging step.	The applicable regulation and company rule determine the date definition and format.
Expiry date	The final date on which a product may be used under the specified conditions.	Define the date format, calculation rule, and print position.
Batch / Lot No.	An identifier for products made under the same production conditions or production run.	A batch identifies a group. It does not identify one individual item.
Serial number	A unique number assigned to one individual item.	Useful for item-level traceability, anti-counterfeiting, or serialisation, with supporting data management.
Traceability code	An information entry point used to find production, distribution, inspection, or other records for a product or batch.	The scope and coding rules depend on the project and applicable standards.

Common technology abbreviations

Use abbreviations in menus, equipment labels, and project discussions after defining them. CIJ, TIJ, PIJ, and VIJ look similar, but their working methods and maintenance needs differ.

Abbreviation	Full name	What it means
CIJ	Continuous Inkjet	Continuous ink droplets are charged and deflected to form characters. Common on high-speed lines and uses ink and solvent.
TTO	Thermal Transfer Overprinter	A heated printhead transfers ribbon ink to the package. Common on flexible packaging and roll labels.
TIJ	Thermal Inkjet	Heat forms a bubble that ejects an ink droplet. Often uses an integrated cartridge for cartons, labels, and 2D codes.
LCP	Large Character Printer	A printer for large marks on shipping cases, building materials, and bulk packaging. It may use piezo or valve-based inkjet.
PIJ	Piezo Inkjet	A voltage pulse deforms a piezo ceramic element and ejects ink. This is a drop-on-demand inkjet method.
VIJ	Valve Inkjet	A valve opens and closes the nozzle to form dots. Common in large-character marking on shipping cases.
Laser	Laser Marking	Laser energy interacts with the material surface to form a mark. The result depends on material, wavelength, power, and settings.
CO2 laser	Carbon Dioxide Laser	Common on cartons, glass, wood, and selected plastics. Validate the result to avoid unwanted burning or penetration.
Fiber laser	Fiber Laser	Common on metal parts and may interact with selected non-metals. Check surface condition and readability.
UV laser	Ultraviolet Laser	Used on selected plastics and films where a surface reaction is needed. Suitability still depends on the exact material.
Print & Apply	Print and Apply	A label is printed and then applied to the product or case. Common for shipping boxes, pallets, and irregular products.

Coding and traceability terms

Term	Meaning	Typical use
1D barcode	A machine-readable code made from bars and spaces of different widths.	Product, batch, and logistics identification. Code 128 supports letters and numbers. ITF-14 is common on shipping cases.
Code 128	A 1D barcode that can represent letters, numbers, and selected symbols.	Industrial batch, logistics, and product information.
ITF-14	A 14-digit shipping-case barcode with thicker bars and tolerance for printing variation.	Shipping, warehouse, and logistics marks.
QR Code	A 2D code with three corner finder patterns.	Product traceability, web links, and marketing information. It can carry a larger amount of data.
Data Matrix	A high-density 2D code with an L-shaped finder pattern.	Small packages, parts, and applications requiring a compact code.
UDI	Unique Device Identification for medical devices.	Device identification and traceability. The exact requirement depends on the market and applicable regulation.
DPM	Direct Part Marking	A machine-readable mark applied directly to a part surface. DPM grading evaluates reading quality, with the target grade set by the project.
Serialisation	Assigning a unique serial identifier to a product and maintaining the corresponding records.	Pharmaceutical, medical-device, and item-level traceability projects. Coding, databases, and verification work together.

Quality and operating terms

Term	Meaning	Why it matters
Resolution (DPI)	The number of dots per inch used to describe character or graphic detail.	Higher resolution is not always the better choice. Print area, speed, and the scanner also matter.
Legibility	Whether the characters are complete and recognisable.	Broken, missing, or blurred marks increase identification and compliance risk.
Adhesion	How well the mark stays attached to the package surface.	Validate rubbing, cold, water, oil, storage, and transport conditions.
Scan rate	The proportion of barcodes or 2D codes successfully read under the test conditions.	Check scanning with the intended reader and distance, not only by eye.
Consumable	Material used up during production, such as ink, solvent, ribbon, or an integrated cartridge.	Consumption, replacement frequency, and disposal affect operating cost.
Printhead	The component that applies ink or heat to the substrate.	Cleaning, consumables, and debris affect print quality and service life.
Downtime	Production time lost to faults, cleaning, replenishment, or adjustment.	Assess common failures and the time needed to restore production.
TCO	Total Cost of Ownership over the expected service period.	Compare consumables, maintenance, parts, downtime, rejects, and changeover costs as well as purchase price.

Using the terms in a project discussion

Describe the requirement through substrate, content, production pace, durability, and acceptance. State whether the package is multilayer film or a carton, whether the code contains a date, batch, and QR code, how many packages the line produces, whether the mark must resist rubbing or cold, and how clarity and scanning will be checked.

When naming a technology, include the abbreviation and the full name. This prevents CIJ, TTO, TIJ, LCP, and laser from being mixed up during equipment or consumable discussions.

When discussing traceability, distinguish a batch from a serial number and the code content from the barcode symbology. Whether the customer must find a batch or one specific item changes the data volume, equipment, and system design.

Clear terminology reduces ambiguity. The final marking content, acceptance level, and regulatory applicability still depend on the project specification and applicable regulations.