"We needed a simple barcode creation solution for our product rollouts that was easy to use and ensured accuracy. Print Studio 2.0 has performed admirably on both accounts."

Clifton Robin
Brand Manager
3Dlabs, Inc.

About 3dlabs
3Dlabs, a wholly owned subsidiary of Creative Technology, Ltd., is a leading provider of graphics accelerators for Computer Aided Design (CAD), Digital Content Creation (DCC) and visual simulation professionals.

Challenge
Known for its innovative visual processing solutions, 3Dlabs is recognized as a primary resource for solutions to industry's most challenging graphics processing needs. To stay on the cutting edge, new products are developed and released continuously. As new products are developed, getting those products to market quickly requires significant coordination of various departments and tasks on a global basis. Designing and producing product packaging is an integral part of that process.

Ensuring the accuracy and adherence to industry standards of barcodes is critical, particularly as products are rolled out to 3Dlabs' worldwide sales and distribution network. Finding a barcode label design and printing solution is an important step in making that happen.

Solution
Prior to using Print Studio, 3Dlabs relied on other third parties to design and produce barcodes for product packaging using standard graphic design software. After encountering problems with the readability of barcodes on a product package, it was determined that accuracy cannot be sacrificed at any cost. After extensive research into various barcode printing software applications, Print Studio was selected because of it simplicity and flexibility.

"While we don't release hundreds or thousands of new products each year, every new product release is seen as critical," said Mr. Robin. "To help ensure that each product release comes off without a hitch, we rely on Print Studio for generating and printing our UPC and product part number barcodes."

Using Windows XP, Print Studio output for product specific UPC and part number barcodes is generated as TIFF graphic files, imported and integrated into retail box graphical designs, sent overseas via FTP to manufacturing facilities and printed out at various locations as part of product retail packaging.

Benefits

• Improved accuracy of barcode printing
• Cost savings by avoiding costly packaging printing errors

In Summary
"Print Studio 2.0 is solid and dependable, and that's what 3Dlabs needs to make sure its worldwide distribution requirements are correctly barcoded," says Mr. Robin.

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