Five Essential Things to Think About Before Buying a Barcode Verifier
Barcodes allow companies to manage inventory, track and track products, market their offerings, and manage workflow efficiently. They can help improve throughput, as well as increase sales and revenue. However, they need to be scanned properly to avoid causing problems in the supply chain. Barcode verifiers are important because they can check barcode quality, eliminating downtime, preventing fines and chargebacks, as well as ensuring companies meet industry standards. Before you explore your options for barcode verifiers, here are things you need to consider:
The Kinds of Codes You Must Verify
Before you buy a TSC barcode verifier, you should consider whether you print label-based 1D or 2D barcodes, 2D direct part mark barcodes, or all of these. Even if you are currently printing 2D codes, think about what codes you might use in the future. The kinds of codes you are using can affect the right verifier style and lighting options you must go for.
ISO Standards Compliance
A barcode verifier and software can provide a report on the parameters of code quality and validate data in compliance with ISO guidelines. However, not all barcode verifiers are ISO compliant, so pick a verifier that can meet ISO standards requirements and give reports detailing results.
Code Size Range
Barcodes have varied heights and weights and some verifiers can only grade smaller 2D codes. But other verifiers are designed for bigger linear barcodes. To know the required camera resolution, ensure the verifier must have a minimum x-dimension that is equal to or smaller than the smallest module or bar width. The required field of view is determined by the biggest code’s total width. The field of view of the barcode verifier has to be big enough to demonstrate the entire code.
The Codes You Need to Print
Codes look differently to the camera of a barcode reader depending on the material used for printing them. For some surfaces, proper illumination can be achieved by using specific lighting angles. The majority of verification standards for codes such as 1D and 2D require 45-degree lighting when printing codes on labels.
Some barcode verifiers come with adjustable height stands, which allow for easier positioning of codes on small codes under the cam.
Where Codes Must be Verified
Are you going to set up a station or move around the factory floor? Where you will physically verify the codes will determine if you should invest in an inline, handheld, or a desktop verifier. Also, this can help you decide on things such as portability and battery life.