EN ISO/IEC 15421:2024

Information technology - Automatic identification and data capture techniques - Bar code master test specifications (ISO/IEC 15421:2010)

ISO/IEC 15421:2010 specifies the requirements and test methods for physical and related attributes of a bar code master. It covers all forms of bar code master, irrespective of the mode of origination of the initial image, intended for reproduction by conventional printing processes. ISO/IEC 15421:2010 does not cover processes in which there is no master, such as computer to plate (CTP).

Informationstechnik - Verfahren der automatischen Identifikation und Datenerfassung - Testspezifikationen für Strichcode-Master (ISO/IEC 15421:2010)

Dieses internationale Dokument legt die Anforderungen und Prüfverfahren für physikalische und damit in Zusammenhang stehende Eigenschaften eines Strichcode-Masters fest. Sie umfasst alle Arten von Strichcode-Mastern, unabhängig von der Art der Entstehung des ursprünglichen Bilds, das zur Vervielfältigung mittels üblicher Druckverfahren verwendet werden soll. Diese internationale Norm deckt keine Verfahren ab, in denen es keinen Master gibt, wie z. B. die digitale Druckplattenbelichtung (CTP, en: computer to plate).

Technologies de l'information - Techniques automatiques d'identification et de capture des données - Spécifications pour essai des codes à barres de base (ISO/IEC 15421:2010)

La présente Norme internationale spécifie les exigences et les méthodes d’essai pour les attributs physiques et associés d’un code à barres de base. Elle couvre toutes les formes de code à barres de base, quel que soit le mode d’obtention de l’image initiale, destinées à la reproduction via des procédés d’impression conventionnels. La présente Norme internationale ne couvre pas les procédés pour lesquels il n’y a pas de code à barres de base, par exemple le computer-to-plate (CTP, «ordinateur vers plaque»).

Informacijska tehnologija - Tehnike za samodejno razpoznavanje in zajem podatkov - Specifikacije za glavni preskus črtnih kod (ISO/IEC 15421:2010)

Nova delovna postavka za uskladitev standarda EN ISO/IEC 15421:2000 z dokumentom, ki je prevedena identična različica standarda ISO/IEC 15421:2010.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 19-Mar-2024
• ICS: 35.040.50 - Automatic identification and data capture techniques
• Technical Committee: CEN/TC 225 - AIDC technologies
• Drafting Committee: CEN/TC 225 - AIDC technologies
• Current Stage: 6060 - Definitive text made available (DAV) - Publishing
• Start Date: 20-Mar-2024
• Due Date: 01-Jul-2025
• Completion Date: 20-Mar-2024
• Ref Project: SIST EN ISO/IEC 15421:2024 - Information technology - Automatic identification and data capture techniques - Bar code master test specifications (ISO/IEC 15421:2010)

Relations

• Replaces: EN ISO/IEC 15421:2001 - Information technology - Automatic identification and data capture techniques - Bar code master test specifications (ISO/IEC 15421:2000)
• Effective Date: 08-Apr-2024

Overview

EN ISO/IEC 15421:2024 (identical to ISO/IEC 15421:2010) defines requirements and test methods for a bar code master - the first physical image of a complete bar code symbol from which printing image carriers are produced. The standard applies to masters intended for reproduction by conventional printing processes (offset, gravure, flexography, screen, hot-foil, etc.) and explicitly excludes processes with no master (for example, computer-to-plate, CTP). It was adopted by CEN in March 2024 and is part of AIDC (automatic identification and data capture) standardization.

Key Topics and Technical Requirements

The standard addresses physical and related attributes of bar code masters and specifies measurable criteria and test methods. Important topics include:

• Material and dimensional stability
  • Limits on dimensional variation: 0.01% per 1% change in relative humidity and 0.01% per 1 °C change in temperature, valid across 0 °C to 60 °C and 10% to 70% RH.
  • Archival/storage guidance referencing ISO 18911 for photographic film masters.
• Element geometry and tolerances
  • Target bar and space widths, achieved bar width measurements and defined tolerances (uniform bar width adjustment rules).
• Bar edge characteristics
  • Definitions of bar edge, bar edge contour and bar edge gradient derived from optical density profiles.
• Optical characteristics
  • Optical density, base density, polarity (positive/negative images) and optical density profiles (see informative Annex A).
• Symbol features
  • Quiet zones, corner marks, encodation accuracy, and human-readable interpretation.
• Test methods and traceability
  • Procedures for bar/space width measurement, reporting and traceability to ensure consistent reproduction and quality control.

Applications and Who Uses It

EN ISO/IEC 15421 is useful for organizations involved in bar code production, quality assurance and reproduction workflows:

• Prepress and printing houses producing plate/artwork from a master.
• Label and packaging converters ensuring barcode fidelity after printing.
• AIDC equipment manufacturers and test laboratories validating barcode masters and reproduction processes.
• Brand owners and retail operators requiring reliable barcode reproduction for scanning accuracy.
• Standards and compliance teams implementing barcode quality control procedures.

Using this standard helps reduce scanning errors downstream, maintain symbol integrity across print runs, and improve traceability and reproducibility in barcode production workflows.

Related Standards

• ISO 5‑3 - Density measurements (spectral conditions)
• ISO 18911 - Storage practices for photographic film
• ISO/IEC 19762‑1 / 19762‑2 - AIDC harmonized vocabulary (general and optically readable media)

Keywords: EN ISO/IEC 15421:2024, bar code master, barcode master test specifications, AIDC, optical density, bar edge, bar width tolerances, barcode printing, barcode quality control.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-junij-2024
Nadomešča:
SIST EN ISO/IEC 15421:2003
Informacijska tehnologija - Tehnike za samodejno razpoznavanje in zajem
podatkov - Specifikacije za glavni preskus črtnih kod (ISO/IEC 15421:2010)
Information technology - Automatic identification and data capture techniques - Bar code
master test specifications (ISO/IEC 15421:2010)
Informationstechnik - Verfahren der automatischen Identifikation und Datenerfassung -
Testspezifikationen für Strichcode-Master (ISO/IEC 15421:2010)
Technologies de l'information - Techniques automatiques d'identification et de capture
des données - Spécifications pour essai des codes à barres de base (ISO/IEC
15421:2010)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN ISO/IEC 15421:2024
ICS:
35.040.50 Tehnike za samodejno Automatic identification and
razpoznavanje in zajem data capture techniques
podatkov
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EN ISO/IEC 15421
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
March 2024
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 35.040.50
English Version
Information technology - Automatic identification and data
capture techniques - Bar code master test specifications
(ISO/IEC 15421:2010)
Technologies de l'information - Techniques Informationstechnik - Verfahren der automatischen
automatiques d'identification et de capture des Identifikation und Datenerfassung -
données - Spécifications pour essai des codes à barres Testspezifikationen für Strichcode-Master (ISO/IEC
de base (ISO/IEC 15421:2010) 15421:2010)
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 16 March 2024.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2024 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN ISO/IEC 15421:2024 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 3

European foreword
The text of ISO/IEC 15421:2010 has been prepared by Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1 "Automatic
identification and data capture techniques” of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
and has been taken over as EN ISO/IEC 15421:2024 by Technical Committee CEN/TC 225 “AIDC
technologies” the secretariat of which is held by TSE.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by September 2024, and conflicting national standards
shall be withdrawn at the latest by September 2024.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national standards body.
A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN website.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of
North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the
United Kingdom.
Endorsement notice
The text of ISO/IEC 15421:2010 has been approved by CEN as EN ISO/IEC 15421:2024 without any
modification.
INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC
STANDARD 15421
Second edition
2010-06-01
Information technology — Automatic
identification and data capture
techniques — Bar code master test
specifications
Technologies de l'information — Techniques automatiques
d'identification et de capture des données — Spécifications pour essai
de base des codes à barres
Reference number
ISO/IEC 15421:2010(E)
©
ISO/IEC 2010
ISO/IEC 15421:2010(E)
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ii © ISO/IEC 2010 – All rights reserved

ISO/IEC 15421:2010(E)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction.v
1 Scope.1
2 Normative references.1
3 Terms and definitions .1
4 Symbols.2
5 Physical requirements .3
5.1 Material .3
5.2 Physical requirements controlled by the manufacturing process.3
5.3 Tolerances.3
5.4 Bar edge characteristics.5
5.5 Defects.5
5.6 Quiet zones .5
5.7 Corner marks .6
5.8 Optical densities.6
5.9 Orientation .6
5.10 Polarity.6
5.11 Encodation .6
5.12 Human readable interpretation .6
6 Test methods .7
6.1 Bar and space width measurement .7
6.2 Test report and traceability .8
Annex A (informative) Optical density profiles.9

© ISO/IEC 2010 – All rights reserved iii

ISO/IEC 15421:2010(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are members of
ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical committees
established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical activity. ISO and IEC
technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international organizations, governmental
and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the work. In the field of information
technology, ISO and IEC have established a joint technical committee, ISO/IEC JTC 1.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of the joint technical committee is to prepare International Standards. Draft International
Standards adopted by the joint technical committee are circulated to national bodies for voting. Publication as
an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the national bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO/IEC 15421 was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology,
Subcommittee SC 31, Automatic identification and data capture techniques.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO/IEC 15421:2000), which has been technically
revised.
iv © ISO/IEC 2010 – All rights reserved

ISO/IEC 15421:2010(E)
Introduction
The technology of bar coding is based on the recognition of patterns encoded in bars and spaces of specified
dimensions. A wide variety of methods exists by which these bar and space patterns can be reproduced as a
physical image. Conventional printing processes such as offset lithography, photogravure, letterpress, screen
process, hot foil stamping and flexography require one or more intermediate image carriers, for example
artwork, photographic film, printing plates or cylinders, screens or dies.
The term bar code master refers to the first physical image of the complete bar code symbol from which the
other image carriers can be produced. Some processes directly create an image carrier without generating a
master that would be covered by this International Standard. In order to make allowances for variability of the
production processes, and to ensure the correct encoding of the data to be represented, certain
...