As BM Aluminium launches the new Simply Tag traceability module for its LogiKal aluminium processing software, the company has revealed some ‘Quite Interesting’ facts about the QR code technology which helps to make Simply Tag such a user-friendly solution:
- QR stands for Quick Response
- A QR code will scan even if 30% of the code is damaged
- QR codes are 30 years old this year (They were invented in 1994 by Masahiro Haro in Japan to track parts in car assembly)
- QR codes don’t have to be black and white – they can be any colour with a light and dark contrast
- QR codes work no matter which way round you scan them on your phone.
- 86% of smartphone users have scanned a QR code at least once (and 36% scan them at least once a week*) *2022 figures
When fabricators add Simply Tag to their LogiKal factory set ups, they can embed all the paperwork, compliance data and maintenance information about a frame in a digital format which users access via a QR code, generated by the software itself. The QR code is printed onto a self-adhesive tag which is applied to the inside of the finished frame, and it does away with the need for reams of paperwork. It means there’s no risk of documentation being lost or mislaid during or after delivery and installation, and all the information about the frame – from the U-value certificate to the glass specification, finish and hardware – is available digitally for users to check at any point in that frame’s lifecycle.
Daniel Hodges, BM Aluminium’s technical manager, explained: “Most people thought QR codes had had their day in the early 2000s, and then the pandemic came along and changed all that. Now they are being used on everything from restaurant menus and remote ordering to reality TV voting. They’ve become a routine part of everyday life, so it makes perfect sense to make them a routine part of aluminium fabrication and supply.
“To show you how easy it is to use Simply Tag, take the example of a customer who finds themselves with a broken sealed unit. All they have to do is scan the QR code on the frame and open up the free Simply Tag app. From there, they click the service button to report the breakdown and the fabricator gets an instant notification of that via LogiKal. There’s no time wasted rummaging through paper folders or even online documentation to identify the replacement needed, the fabricator can see instantly which glass and components are needed from the information embedded within the frame’s QR code and can arrange a quick and efficient repair/replacement with minimum fuss and disruption.
“It’s a nice user-friendly feature to be able to offer to both installers and homeowners and a real USP in the current retail landscape when QR codes are more popular than ever.”
