Barcode scanners are a part of our daily lives—grocery shopping wouldn’t be possible without them. But for warehouse workers, barcode scanners are even more important for the ease of a shift.
In fact, inventory inaccuracy through the use of poor barcode scanners accounts for 8.7 percent of lost sales within a company. Therefore, it is important that your laser scanners are up-to-date for the most accuracy possible.
If you’re wondering what makes a great barcode scanner and how the inner workings can help your business, read on!
Below, we outline how barcode scanners work and how they help the logistics industry and shipping industries.
Laser Scanners: How Do They Work?
We use them all of the time, but do you know how laser scanners really work? Laser technology was invented in the 1960s, and there are plenty of benefits of the many types of lasers.
Today we have 3D laser scanners for the purpose of measuring objects for 3D models and maps. You can use a scanner for finding the right dose of medication for a patient, reducing errors by more than 50 percent.
So let’s make this positive change in the shipping industry.
We know that the recipe for barcode scanners takes a black-and-white striped identifier, a red light, and the scanner itself. Those black-and-white squares are not randomly configured, though—they actually represent numbers.
The red light allows for the barcode to emit light into the photoelectric cell; it can detect the lighter light (the white stripes) from the darker light (the black stripes).
The stripes are used for accuracy, as a machine could easily mix up an 8 and a 3 when scanning. It can easily detect sequences of black and white stripes, though. Then they convert those sequences into a unique numbered code for each product.
Those numbered codes are already in a system’s database, allowing it to quickly pick up the identity, price, etc. of the item.
Looking to Update Your Scanners?
If you’re finding inaccuracy within your warehouse’s scanner system, it may be time to update it. Certain models of RF scanners might have only one photoelectric cell, meaning employees would have to move the scanner down the barcode.
This tactic would naturally have more inaccuracy through user error.
More sophisticated scanners have a whole line of photoelectric cells. This means that it can scan the whole barcode in one fell swoop.
Investing in updated RF scanners for a warehouse could drastically improve your company’s efficiency and accuracy. More could be done in a day, fewer items could be lost, and your employees would be happier.
Time for Change
Take advantage of the laser technology we have today and look into a better version of your laser scanners. It is a worthy investment to make that will benefit the future of your business long term.
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