Pharmacode | Calculate Pharmacode Value

Pharmacode primary function is to confirm that the pharmaceutical product in a package is the correct product, as well as the relevant associated documentation. It is a packing control system that is intended to eliminate packing errors.

Scanning Direction and Pharmacode Numbers

Pharmacode is only intended to be scanned in one direction. Scanning it from left to right provides a different set of numbers than scanning it from right to left. Pharmacode data is binary rather than decimal, as the name implies. The minimum barcode is narrow 2 bars (number 3) and the highest is sixteen (16 wide bars). (number 1,31,070).

Note: There are no special characters in Pharma Codes that indicate the beginning or end of a code. The pharma code is determined by the machine’s direction. All of the pictures in this guide relate to a left-machine direction, which means that the location with the highest value is always on the left, much like in a decimal number system. Reading always proceeds from highest to lowest value, i.e. the code bar read first has the highest value, while the code bar read last has the lowest value. Because most machines operate to the right, this should be considered while designing packaging materials (the result will appear as in the illustration “machine direction right”).

Benefits of Pharma code system

  • Code is generally a Binary number, not a Decimal, so it is not readable.
  • Pharmacodes provide Security to the Packaging materials in Pharmaceuticals.
  • Pharmacodes are used to prevent a mix-up.

How Calculation of Pharmacode Value

Pharmacode is made from Two lines, One is a thin Bar and the Other is Thick Bar.

To calculate the Pharmacodes Value first understand the Bar Position, Thin Bar Value, and Thick Bar Value.

Position: Left to Right or Right to Left.

Position Value starts from = 0

Thin Bar Value starts from =1

Thick Bar Value start From =2

Pharmacode value calculations
Pharmacode

Example: From Right to Left

  1. Thin Bar at zero Position value is = 1
  2. Thick Bar at 1st Position value is = 4
  3. Thin Bar at 2nd Position value is = 4
  4. Thick Bar at 3rd Position value is = 16
  5. Thick Bar at 4th Position value is = 32
  6. Thick Bar at 5th Position value is = 64

Add all the values: 1+4+4+16+32+64=121 (Result is 121)

Related Post: Pharma packing questions/answer for the interview

Bar Dimensions Table

Bar Dimensions Table
A number of Possible Code Combination:
A number of Possible Code Combination:
Image Credit: http://www.gomaro.ch/
What is the Thin bar width?

0.5 ± 0.1mm for minimum ±0.2 mm for maximum is widely accepted in Pharmaceuticals

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