Hi: Looking for Data matrix code help?

[Paul D Harrison]

Hi Folks.
I am an ex architectural modelmaker who has just set up a new laser engraving business. ( I have a trotec 30watt and epolog 60watt from my model making days) . My first big job is to laser engrave 500 asset tags in stainless steel. I have tested and am happy with the cermark part of the job. The challange is how do I generate 500 indvidual data matrix codes to import into autcad 2010/ corel x3 for laser etching. I will be getting the data in EXCEL spreadsheet format. I am looking for a program ( or a process ) that i can select 5 cells of EXCEL information , press an button and magically generate a data matrix code, containg ( name of motor + power rateing + service contact + http link to on site data base.) ..
Any help from the community would be much appericated....
Time is tight and my blood pressure is riseing . ahh :confused:

Paul Harrison
Laseretch Security
(Ireland)


I run Corel Draw / auto cad / rhino. Auto cad is my mian program.

[matthew knott]

Does the software for the trotec not do this automatically? First off, that's a lot of data to get in a data matrix code, do you not mean qr code? Check this first, also is this going to be raw or active data! What I mean by this is cheap readers (iPhone etc) will be clever and as soon as it spots the http link in the data it will take you to the website and ignore the text data and effectively it will be lost! You almost need your customer to provide you the codes as a graphic, that way the blame is taken from you if the data translation from text to qr/matrix goes wrong!

[Paul D Harrison]

Hi Matt
Thank you for getting back so soon. ( I thought I was the only person working early Saturday morning).
It is a data matrix code that the client wants. He seems to think you can put the contents of a telephone directory on a data matrix code !!!!
I did not know that that reader would "skip " the text and take the viewer to the web site directly. ( every day is a school day.)
As I mentioned we have a full modelmaking workshop that has a spray shop, so the cermark is not a major problem. ( also, it will keep the lads busy)
Its an old Trotec with the old job manager sofware that is very basic ( I have only used it to vector cut architectural model components .)

The software that you mentioned , does that cost £12.50 ??? Could i run it on the epilog , with corel or autocad. ( the epilog agent is offering Engrave Lab ( expensive)
Drop me a PM with your number. it would be great to chat.

I know that fibre markers are the way to go , but i am basically looking for a way to keep the modelmakers busy between jobs. ( lots of time between jobs these days.)

Thanks again
Paul












Does the software for the trotec not do this automatically? First off, that's a lot of data to get in a data matrix code, do you not mean qr code? Check this first, also is this going to be raw or active data! What I mean by this is cheap readers (iPhone etc) will be clever and as soon as it spots the http link in the data it will take you to the website and ignore the text data and effectively it will be lost! You almost need your customer to provide you the codes as a graphic, that way the blame is taken from you if the data translation from text to qr/matrix goes wrong!

[matthew knott]

Missed a few 0's off, should have said £12500 (for the laser system and software)! There are websites that will create datatrix and qr codes, many people mix these up, they are different but look similar. You can export from the website as a jpeg file that will import straight into Corel or job control! Often find what a customer thinks he wants and what he actually needs are 2 different things!! If he creates the codes then he gets what he wants ! I will find a site and link it here, hold on!!

[matthew knott]

www.invx.com works ok, but normally these ask if you want a website, plain text, email etc as it will automatically but data in so the reader can re-direct to an appropriate place!

[Paul D Harrison]

Hi .. ahh £12,500 for a system sounds good value to me.
I have a look at that site and it seems that you have to make each qr code one at a time.
Does your software take the excel and makes multipe codes ..
Paul.

[matthew knott]

yes it does, works a treat, you set it to bring in the first line of text, then a line return, then the next, until you have for lines! Each time the laser marks it adds all the data from the four lines into a datamatrix, unfortunatley the software would not work with your machine. You can get software that will make a batch of codes, something like this might work http://www.aurora3dsoftware.com/products/barcode-generator.html they have a free trial, but i havent used it as our laser software does everthing we need.