DataMatrix Generator
DataMatrix stores data in a very small area and stays readable when up to 30% of the symbol is damaged. That makes it the standard for electronic components, surgical instruments and laser-marked parts.
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ARTICLE-4711DataMatrix at a glance
- Reed-Solomon error correction recovers heavily damaged symbols.
- Readable from about 2 × 2 mm – far smaller than a QR code.
- Up to 2 335 alphanumeric characters or 3 116 digits.
- GS1 DataMatrix is the same symbol plus GS1 application identifiers, used in pharmaceutical serialisation.
Create a DataMatrix code
- Enter the article number, serial number or text.
- Check the preview – square symbols suit most printers best.
- Download SVG for laser marking or PNG for labels.
What DataMatrix is used for
DataMatrix (formally ECC200 in ISO/IEC 16022) is the 2D symbology of choice whenever the marking area is tiny, the surface is not paper, or the code has to survive handling, cleaning and heat. It encodes data in a square or rectangular grid of black and white modules with Reed-Solomon error correction, so a symbol stays decodable even when a substantial part of it is scratched, over-printed or partially covered.
- Electronics: PCBs, connectors and components marked at 2–5 mm.
- Medical devices: laser-etched instruments that go through autoclave cycles.
- Pharmaceuticals: GS1 DataMatrix on every prescription pack in the EU since February 2019 (Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/161).
- Automotive and aerospace: direct part marking (DPM) by dot peen or laser, often on curved or reflective metal.
- Logistics and production: work-in-progress tracking where a label must stay small and cheap.
How much data fits – and which symbol size you get
An ECC200 symbol always uses an even number of modules per side. The encoder picks the smallest size that holds your data plus its error correction. Numeric data is packed two digits per codeword, so numbers fit roughly 1.5× denser than text. The table below lists the common square sizes; rectangular variants (8×18 up to 16×48, plus the DMRE sizes) exist for narrow marking windows such as cable sleeves.
| Modules | Data region | Numeric capacity | Alphanumeric capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 × 10 | 8 × 8 | 6 | 3 |
| 12 × 12 | 10 × 10 | 10 | 6 |
| 14 × 14 | 12 × 12 | 16 | 10 |
| 16 × 16 | 14 × 14 | 24 | 16 |
| 18 × 18 | 16 × 16 | 36 | 25 |
| 20 × 20 | 18 × 18 | 44 | 31 |
| 22 × 22 | 20 × 20 | 60 | 43 |
| 24 × 24 | 22 × 22 | 72 | 52 |
| 26 × 26 | 24 × 24 | 88 | 64 |
| 32 × 32 | 28 × 28 | 124 | 91 |
| 44 × 44 | 40 × 40 | 228 | 169 |
| 144 × 144 | 8 × (36 × 36) | 3 116 | 2 335 |
Getting the print size right
The single most common cause of unreadable DataMatrix codes is a module size (X dimension) that the printer or marking process cannot hold. A rule of thumb: a thermal transfer printer at 203 dpi resolves about 0.25 mm per module, at 300 dpi about 0.17 mm, at 600 dpi about 0.085 mm. Always print a whole number of printer dots per module – 1.5 dots per module produces ragged edges and a failing grade.
- Minimum quiet zone: 1 module of clear space on all four sides. Nothing – no border, no text, no fold – may intrude.
- Contrast: dark marks on a light background. Aim for at least 20% reflectance difference; avoid printing on shiny or transparent film without a white underprint.
- Never scale a rasterised code non-proportionally. Download the SVG when the code goes into artwork or a laser file.
- For DPM on metal, verification follows ISO/IEC TR 29158 (AIM DPM) instead of the paper standard ISO/IEC 15415.
Plain DataMatrix vs. GS1 DataMatrix
The symbol is identical; the difference is the content. A GS1 DataMatrix starts with the FNC1 character and structures its payload with GS1 Application Identifiers, so any GS1-compliant scanner in the supply chain knows what each field means. A plain DataMatrix simply carries whatever string you put in it – perfect for an internal article or serial number, but not interchangeable between companies.
- (01) GTIN-14 of the trade item
- (17) expiry date, format YYMMDD
- (10) batch or lot number, variable length
- (21) serial number, variable length
- Example payload: (01)04012345678901(17)271231(10)AB1234(21)987654321
DataMatrix compared with the other 2D codes
QR is the consumer-facing code, DataMatrix the industrial one, PDF417 the document one and Aztec the ticketing one. The practical decision usually comes down to available area, the reading device and whether the code has to be understood by a third party.
| Symbology | Strength | Typical minimum size | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| DataMatrix | Highest density, 30% damage tolerance | ~2 × 2 mm | Parts, pharma, electronics |
| QR Code | Read by every smartphone | ~10 × 10 mm | Consumer links, payments |
| PDF417 | Large payloads, linear scanners | ~20 mm wide | ID documents, boarding passes |
| Aztec | No quiet zone required | ~10 × 10 mm | Rail and airline tickets |
Why codes fail in practice
When a scanner refuses a code, the symbol is rarely wrong – the production of it is. Working through this checklist resolves the vast majority of real-world failures.
- Quiet zone eaten by a die-cut, a label edge or a neighbouring text box.
- Module size below what the printer resolves, so adjacent modules bleed together.
- Low contrast: grey on silver, or a printhead running out of ribbon.
- The code was placed as a low-resolution PNG in a layout and then enlarged.
- Curved surface: the symbol was applied across a radius the camera cannot flatten.
- The data itself contains characters the receiving system strips – test the full round trip, not just the scan beep.
Frequently asked questions
- DataMatrix or QR code?
- DataMatrix is denser and better for very small marking areas. QR is more familiar to consumer smartphones.
- What is GS1 DataMatrix?
- A DataMatrix that carries GS1 application identifiers such as (01) GTIN and (21) serial number – required for the EU pharmaceutical Falsified Medicines Directive.
- Do smartphones read DataMatrix?
- Modern camera apps mostly do, but industrial scanners are the intended readers.
- How small can a DataMatrix realistically be?
- Around 2 × 2 mm with a laser marker and an industrial camera. With a 300 dpi label printer, plan for at least 6 × 6 mm for a short article number; below that the modules blur into each other.
- How much damage can the code survive?
- ECC200 error correction reconstructs roughly 30% of a damaged symbol, provided the L-shaped finder pattern and the clock track along two edges remain intact. Damage concentrated on those edges is fatal, while random speckle across the data region usually is not.
- Square or rectangular?
- Use square unless the marking window forces you otherwise. Rectangular ECC200 and DMRE variants are supported by industrial scanners, but older consumer decoders often ignore them.
- Do I need a licence to use DataMatrix?
- No. DataMatrix is defined in ISO/IEC 16022 and is free of licence fees. What is regulated is the GS1 data content, not the symbol.
- Can this generator produce GS1 DataMatrix?
- Yes – choose the GS1 DataMatrix option and enter the payload with Application Identifiers in brackets, for example (01)04012345678901(21)12345. The FNC1 handling is applied for you.
Standards and official sources
These links point to the official GS1 and ISO specifications this generator follows. They open in a new tab on the standards bodies' own websites.