How Have Barcodes Made Tracking Easier?

How Have Barcodes Made Tracking Easier?

Barcodes have become exceedingly popular, given their convenience and use in the modern world. Barcodes have practically revolutionised the way merchandise is packed and transported. By definition, it is a graphical representation of a particular product’s identifying information in 2-D black and white stripes.

They help automate the transfer of a product’s information to an electronic system or cash register from the product. In simpler words, you can know the price, manufacturer, and other similar information about a product just by scanning this image. However, it is not easy to recognise with the naked eye. This is where a barcode scanner comes in.

How Can Barcode Scanners Help?

Barcode Scanners help capture, transmit and read this information off of products. There are many kinds of barcodes, mainly differing in the purpose they serve. Barcode scanners can be used to simplify the recognition and tracking of products, inventory, people, and assets to maintain transparent compliance across a supply chain.

What Are The Different Types Of Barcode Scanners Available?

Typically, barcode readers use linear imager, 2-D area imager, or laser scan engines to read and transmit the gathered image to a host machine. However, for a first-timer, having such options can make it challenging to choose the right one.

Therefore, it is imperial to understand the purpose of each and differences to make the right choice. Further explained in this article are these three types and how they can help.

Linear-imager Barcode Scanners: 

Comparatively a more durable option, these scanners are better used for reading poorly printed or damaged barcodes. It can also be used to read barcodes under the plastic film or see-through packaging. This makes it the perfect reader for inventory uses where the products cannot be unpacked. You can find such readers in retail, receiving, shipping, and inventory industries. 

2-D Barcode Scanners:

This type is considered to offer the best of both worlds and the ultimate choice when it comes to barcode scanners. 2-D scanners not only have the ability to read both 1-D and 2-D barcodes but can do it irrespective of damages, covering, or orientations. More so, 2-D scan engines click a picture of the barcode, making them appropriate for environments that require flexibility and reliability. 

Since these scanners do not follow a particular orientation, their capture speeds are relatively faster and more accurate. Such adaptable and useful features of these scanners make it ideal for mostly all environments, especially courier, retail, and manufacturing services. 

Laser Barcode Scanners:

This is the most popular type of barcode reader available in the market as of now. It is essentially used to read 1-D linear barcodes and is reasonably priced compared to the others. Coming in a wide range of forms, such as hand-held, wearable, and pocket-sized devices, it can read a barcode from a distance of up to 3.5 feet.

This feature makes it very convenient to use. You can also find several models and configurations, made especially for all types of environment and industry. However, a laser barcode scanner can be most commonly seen with retailers and grocers.

In Conclusion

Each type of barcode scanner mentioned here has a different role to play. All of them serve different purposes in each industry and are popular for that. To find a barcode scanner that fits your requirements perfectly, you must first list down your needs.

For instance, if you are working in a retail environment, movability is a primary concern, which is not valid in manufacturing services. Knowing what you require out of the barcode scanner can make your decision considerably easier.