Bar Code Scanning Systems For Your Business

(Author: Wayne Ouellette Sr | Article Views: 8 | Word Count: 864 | Published: May 20th 2008)

Get Html Code Download PDF Print View Subscribe to this Author

By Howard Brule - The most common use of bar code scanners, and the one that most people are aware of, is the scanning of groceries at a grocery store. At the teller the bar code of each package is run past a barcode scanner that tells the system what the item is. The stock control system then feeds back item details and price information to the teller. The cost is automatically added to your bill.

At the same time the stock control system records the fact that you have purchased a can of soup or box of cereal, and the inventory tally maintained in the central database is reduced to reflect the fact that someone has purchased one of these items. Inventory control is more or less automatic, assuming that all the data was input correctly in the first place.

The first step towards installing a stock control system is to install the software that is going to keep track of information about your inventory. You will use bar code scanners in order to get the information about your inventory into the system. Each time you scan an item it changes its count in the database.

It is important that each item has its own unique bar code. Items that don't already have a bar code can have a unique one generated for them by the stock control software. You then use a bar code printer to print out the code which can then be attached to the item.

These are the top three kinds of bar code scanners that are used today:

1. The Wand Scanner - This is the simplest type of bar code scanner. A wand scanner is shaped like a pen and has to be touching the bar code to scan it. The light from the wand scanner is reflected off the bar code and then the system decodes this signal to recognize the product.

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.

However, wand scanners are limited in their operation. To succeed in obtaining a proper reading, the wand has to be positioned correctly with respect to the bar coding label. It is necessary as well to slide the wand along the label neither overly rapidly nor overly slowly. Wand scanners are limited by their resolution requirements too. If a bar code's resolution is too fine, then the wand won't be successful in scanning it properly. For instance, a 5 mil bar code cannot be read by a 10 mil device. You must remember that when you go out to buy a wand scanner.

2. CCD Scanners - CCD stands for charged coupled device. This type of scanner normally costs less than a laser scanner, and it is a very accurate alternative system for scanning bar codes. Both the wand scanner and the CCD reader have to be in physical contact with the bar code if they are to read the label. However, the CCD reader doesn't have to be moved, waved, or slid across the label like the wand scanner. The user can just touch the reader to the bar code and pull the trigger to activate the scanner.

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.

A promising new technology similar to CCD is called FFO (Fixed Focus Optics). These scanners are non-contact readers, which means they can read bar codes from as much as 20" away. They will also be able to read two-dimensional bar codes as they become more popular.

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.

No matter what your ideal scanning system might be today, you need to make certain that you buy a stock control system that allows you to take advantage of future developments in bar code technology. This will allow you to keep your system updated without having to replace the entire system in the future.

About the Author

Howard Brule - Discover how stock management software can benefit your firm. Track business assets with the most productive stock management systems - Article marketing systems.

Source: http://WhoisArticleDirectory.com

Staff: Edit This Article

1: Recruitment Management Software Eases Your Job

2: Management Software: Life Is Full Of Management

3: Bar Code Scanning Systems For Your Business

Rating: Not yet rated
Login to vote

Comments

No comments posted.

You do not have permission to comment. If you log in, you may be able to comment.