Healthcare & Pharma · server-powered
HIBC Data Matrix generator.
Generate a HIBC Data Matrix for medical device labeling, free and entirely in your browser. HIBC is the Health Industry Business Communications Council standard: a plus flag, a four character labeler code assigned by HIBCC, your catalog number, a unit of measure digit, and a closing mod 43 check character. Data Matrix is the carrier most device manufacturers pick because it stays decodable at very small sizes and tolerates direct part marking on metal.
HIBC on Data Matrix, device marking.
Standards-based quiet zones are always on. For production packaging, verify a printed sample with a barcode verifier.
Preview
Sample: type to make it yours- Renders on our servers, the one Plume tool that does.
- We keep the code type and content length, never what you encode.
- Free SVG vector + up to 600 DPI PNG, commercial use allowed.
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Valid HIBC Data Matrix input
Enter only the LIC payload, the piece between the plus and the check character. For the sample that means labeler A123, product code BJC5D6E7 and unit of measure 1. Allowed characters are digits, capital letters, space, and the six symbols hyphen, period, dollar, slash, plus and percent; lowercase letters are rejected rather than converted. The generator computes the check character over the full framed string and adds the leading plus itself, so a symbol built from the sample actually encodes +A123BJC5D6E71G.
Do not type the plus yourself. Because plus is a legal data character the renderer will accept it, and the finished symbol then carries two plus signs, a payload that no longer matches your HIBCC assignment. Also note that only the character set is enforced, not the structure, so double check the labeler code against your registration.
Working sample: A123BJC5D6E71 the sample splits as labeler A123, product BJC5D6E7 and packaging level 1, framed to +A123BJC5D6E71G on encode
Where HIBC Data Matrix is used
- UDI compliant device labels where HIBCC is your issuing agency
- Direct part marking on surgical instruments via laser etch or dot peen
- Sterilization tray and kit identification where space is tight
Common errors and how to fix them
- HIBC Data Matrix must contain only digits, capital letters, spaces and the symbols -.$/+%
- Something outside the Code 39 set slipped in, most often a lowercase letter, a comma or an accented character. Retype the payload in capitals and strip any punctuation beyond the listed six symbols.
- Enter the content to encode.
- The data field is empty. Paste your labeler code, catalog number and packaging digit as one unbroken string.
- Content is too long (max 2048 characters).
- The input cap is 2048 characters. A genuine primary string runs well under two dozen characters, so trim back to the payload itself.
Size and printing
Data Matrix packs the sample into a compact square and grows in fixed grid steps as data lengthens. Set the module width in millimeters to match your marking process, keep at least one clear module on every side as ECC 200 requires, and export SVG when a laser marker or plate workflow needs true vectors. For thermal transfer or inkjet, raster PNG at up to 600 DPI keeps module edges crisp at small sizes.
HIBC Data Matrix questions
What is a HIBC Data Matrix code?
It is the HIBC primary data string (plus flag, labeler ID, product reference, unit of measure digit and check character) carried inside a Data Matrix ECC 200 symbol. Healthcare scanners decode the symbol and recognize the string by its leading plus.
Do I add the plus sign and check character myself?
No. Type the bare payload and the generator prepends the plus and appends the mod 43 check character, G for the sample data.
Is HIBC valid for FDA UDI?
Yes. The FDA accredits HIBCC as a UDI issuing agency alongside GS1 and ICCBBA, so a HIBC device identifier is acceptable on regulated labels.
How small can I print a HIBC Data Matrix?
As small as your printer and verifier can hold. Shrink by lowering the module width in millimeters, raise export DPI toward 600, and test a printed sample with the scanner your customers actually use.