Barcode Quality Metrics (BQM) are used to verify the quality of your printed barcode so you know you can count on it to perform in its necessary setting. Enabling BQM reports an overall grade for the decoded barcode and grading based on various sub-components.
The BQM mechanism in Zebra Aurora implements the ISO15415 / ISO15416 standard. Per ISO specs, “the reference optical arrangement requires high resolution, such as an effective resolution of not less than ten pixels per module in width and height.” Refer to ISO 15415 for additional information.
Zebra BQM measures the barcode quality in the captured image, not the barcode itself. BQM score stability is dependent upon image quality stability. To calculate the quality of the barcode, measure it in a strictly controlled manner using an image acquisition procedure.
The current implementation of BQM in Zebra Aurora uses coarse grading. For example, the score step size is 1, per the ISO specs. A specific score of 2.9 is graded as 2 (C), although it is close to 3 a (B).
