In 1932, Wallace Flint, wrote his master thesis describing a system that would use prepunched cards to produce customer’s orders automatically.

  As customers select their products they will also select the cards out of preassembled catalogs. After the customers completed their orders selection:

1. The punch cards would then be turned over to the store clerk, who would place the cards through a scanner.
2. Once the cards were read, the order would be sent to be back of the store.
3. The customer’s order would be assembled by an automated system.
4. Once assembled, the order would be delivered to the customer by a laid out system of conveyor belts.

  Unfortunately, Flint’s system was never implemented. The cost and size of his idea was astronomical for the mid-thirties. Although, Flint did not think of the barcode his thesis is accredited with laying down the foundation for the barcode. Flint went on to become the vice-president of the National Association of Food chains, which he played a very supportive roll in the birth of the Uniform Product Code (UPC).