Bar coding: another advancement to hit woodworking: 1986.

The next stage of automation to hit woodworking may be just around the corner at your local supermarket. You've likely seen those multiple-bar labels on everything from mustard bottles to motor oil cans. Known as the Universal Product Code (UPC), this product identification system is used by more than 14,000 supermarkets in the United States.

Grocery stores use the UPC for purchasing, inventory and pricing. It makes possible speedy customer checkout and retailers can trace product movement and gather marketing information. Similarly, many airlines use a variation of UPC to manage luggage handling.

The key to bar coding is information--the amount that is gathered and the speed and accuracy at which it is processed. This is where the woodworking industry comes in. As we computerize more aspects of our plants, it becomes more important to collect and relay more information.

These labels can be affixed to parts as they come off a computer-controlled panel saw. Then scanners, placed at edgebanders, tenoners and other machines, can read these labels to automatically adjust setup for the required part.

While the concept is still in its infancy in our industry, we are encouraged to know that there are approximately 10 cabinet and door plants in Europe using bar coding in partial applications. It is also encouraging to point out that bar coding was born in the United States and this country has done the most in advancing this technology.