Product barcodes are read by barcode scanners in more everyday situations than most of us realize. One of the most familiar uses of this technology is with barcodes on product packages at grocery stores. When we buy something a bar code scanner scans and reads the barcodes on each package. Product information such as product name and unit cost is automatically read and processed by the stock control system. A short description and the amount of each item is automatically added to your bill as each new item is scanned.
When the stock control system tallies a purchase, no matter what is actually sold, the inventory records in the central database are simultaneously modified to record the fact that the item has been purchased. If your inventory information was correctly entered into the system when you set it up, inventory control occurs without the need for manual counting or recording of purchases.
Consider a practical example of using this system. Suppose you own a small business, and are tracking inventory manually. You would typically total up your sales at the end of the day and update your records. This is a time-consuming and unreliable process. The use of a bar code system allows you to automatically update your stock control database each time an item is added or removed.
Such a system can even create unique bar codes for items that do not already have them. For new items a unique bar code is generated by the software, and then a bar code printer is used to print a bar code label that is then affixed to the item.
The three most prevalent kinds of bar code scanners available now are:
1. The Wand Scanner - The most basic type of bar code scanner is the “wand”. This is a pen-type scanner that needs to be kept in contact with the bar code when scanning it. The wand emits a light which is reflected off the bar code and then decoded by the system to identify the item.
The wand system works very well most of the time, and is is the cheapest kind of bar code scanner. As far as cost is concerned, one of these wands will cost 1/10th as much as a laser gun, and about 1/5th as much as a CCD scanner.
But wand scanners have their limitations. In order to get an accurate scan the wand must be held at a fairly precise angle relative to the bar code. It must also be slid across the bar code at a speed that is neither too fast nor too slow. And all wand bar code scanners have a resolution limit. If a bar code has a resolution that is significantly finer than the wand scanner, the scanner will not be able to read it correctly. For example, a 10 mil wand cannot read a 5 mil bar code. It is important to keep this in mind when purchasing a wand scanner.
2. The CCD Scanner - CCD (charged coupled device) technology is the next least expensive bar code scanning system. Like the wand scanner, CCD readers must be in direct contact with the bar code label in order to read it. But unlike the wand, there is no need to move the device across the label. The operator simply presses the reader against the label and pulls the trigger. The bar code is then photographed, digitized and decoded by the system.
Of the various types of bar code scanners, CCD readers are the easiest to use, and are available in widths from about 2 inches to 4 inches. A CCD reader is about four times the cost of a wand, but only about one third the cost of a laser scanner.
Fixed Focus Optics, or FFO, is another interesting new technology that resembles CCD. These scanners can read bar codes from 20 inches away because they don’t require contact with the bar code. They also have the ability to read two-dimensional bar codes, which are being implemented in more installations.
3. The Laser Scanner - Laser scanners use a beam of light to rapidly scan across the bar code label. This means the scanner itself remains stationary, and there is no need for direct contact with the bar code label. Scanning is automatic in the sense that the scanning action is initiated when an object is held in front of it.
This system is popular in many different settings. For example, since scanning is done rapidly, laser scanners can be embedded right within conveyor systems. As objects pass quickly by they are scanned and recorded. In retail stores the check out person simply moves objects over the scanner to activate the scanning action. This kind of system is fast enough to keep up with a clerk just taking objects from one side of the scanner and sliding them to the other side. Such a system is much faster and much more accurate than any of the popular alternatives currently available.
When choosing a bar code scanner and an inventory control system, it is important to take into consideration the ability to adapt new scanning technologies to your system as they become available. This will allow you to keep your system updated without having to upgrade or replace the entire system in the future.
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