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Different Types Of Bar Code Scanners

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.

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.

Here are the three most popular types of bar code scanners currently in use:

1. Wand Scanners - The least expensive type of bar code scanner is the wand system. And even though it is less expensive, it still is a great choice for most uses. Typically wand prices are a tenth of laser gun prices and about a fifth of CCD scanner prices.

It is necessary to keep a wand scanner in touch with the UPC code while scanning it. The wand scanner, which is a pen-like scanner, is the simplest type of UPC scanner. It gives off a light that reflects off the UPC code, which in turn is decoded by the POS system to recognize the product.

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 all the different types of bar code scanners, CCD readers are considered the most straight-forward to use. They are manufactured in widths that start at about 2 and go up to 4 inches. A CCD reader is expensive compared to a wand (about four times the cost), but is a bargain compared to the laser scanner (about one third the cost).

A new barcode technology similar to CCD is called FFO (Fixed Focus Optics). And FFO scnner is a non-contact reader which can read barcodes from as much as 20″ away. They are also able to read two-dimensional barcodes which are going to become more widely used in the future.

3. The Laser Scanner - More sophisticated high volume applications use laser scanners to read and record bar codes. The bar code label is scanned quickly by a laser scanner using a beam of light. This means that there is no need for the bar code label to touch the scanner, and the scanner isn’t portable. Since scanning occurs when the object is simply held in front of the scanner, item scanning is essentially automatic.

Such a system has benefits in a variety of situations. For instance, because the scans are accomplished with great speed, it is possible to embed laser scanners inside of conveyor systems. When items pass by rapidly, scanning takes place automatically. In a retail environment, the clerk merely moves each item over the glass to engage the scan. Such a system can easily keep pace with a clerk who simply moves objects from one side of the scanner to the other other. Laser systems are much more rapid and accurate than any other widely-used alternative.

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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