Statelines Guide To Choosing The Right Barcode Scanner:
Barcode Scanners are a modern day novelty, having revolutionised the way businesses operate. Due to high demand there are now more options and varieties of barcode scanners to choose from than ever before! Picking the right barcode scanner can be a challenge without understanding the various types and options.
The first step in finding the right barcode scanner is identifying your specific needs:
• Where will the scanner be used? Is it a rugged environment?
• How often will it be used?
• What kind of barcodes will you be reading?
• How will the scanner be used?
• Can you stay connected to a PC?
By asking yourself all of these questions, you’ll be able to determine what scanner type, form factor, and other options you’ll need.
Barcode Scanner Types
One of the most important concerns when choosing a suitable scanner is the type of scan engine it has. This is ultimately dependent on the type of barcodes that you will be reading and how aggressive of a unit you’ll need. There are 3 main types of scan engines:
Laser –
The most well known and frequently purchased is the laser barcode scanner. It uses a red diode laser to read the reflectance of the black and white spaces in a barcode. Laser barcode scanners are only able to read standard linear (1D) barcodes but are also the most cost effective option. Standard laser barcode scanners can read from a few inches to a foot or two away depending on the size of the barcode. There are also extended range laser scanners, like the Motorola LS3408ER, which can read up to 35ft away when using large reflective labels!
Linear Imager –
Linear imager scanners are similar to lasers in that they also only read 1D barcodes. But instead of reading reflected light from the laser, they take a picture of the barcode. It then analyzes this image to extract the information from the code. Linear imagers, like the Honeywell 1300g, have become a very good replacement for laser scanner as their read ranges and costs have become similar. A linear imager also does a better job reading poorly printed or damaged codes compared to lasers. For applications that need a more aggressive scanner, a linear imager will be a great fit for the same cost.
2D Area Imagers –
Like linear imagers, full 2D imagers also capture an image to analyze. But compared to the linear only devices, these scanners can read any type of barcode. 1D, stacked, and 2D barcodes are all supported by a 2D imager. Another advantage these imagers have is that the orientation of the barcode isn’t important when reading. With lasers and linear imagers, you have to line up the indicator horizontally across the barcode. A 2D imager is taking a more detailed image and is more intelligent, so you can read a code in any direction. This results in faster reads with less aiming. 2D imagers, like the Honeywell 1900, can also read barcodes off of any surface including a monitor or phone screen. With their added abilities and very aggressive reading, 2D imagers are becoming more popular in all industries to speed up scanning applications and expand the ways in which barcodes are used.
