When it comes to quality control in warehouses, the value of a barcode verifier is clear. Verifiers ensure that your barcodes can be read anywhere and are compliant with industry standards, and they also generate key information required to diagnose and fix any errors, improve barcode quality, and reduce waste. Though the value of this technology is evident, the kind of barcode verifier your unique application requires is a little less obvious.
Here are a few questions to ask when deciding which verifier to use:
Will you need a fixed-mount or point-and-shoot model?
Fixed-mount barcode verifiers work well to reduce human error in the manufacturing and logistics industries. They keep fixed scan angles and distances, so you don’t run into the same variances you would with a human operator. If you have barcodes on many products moving along a conveyor belt, fixed-mount models will work well. However, if you have multiple sizes or locations for the barcodes you need to verify, like you would find in the direct part marking process, a point-and-shoot model will work best. These models are handheld, and are more flexible for your operation.
What are you printing your barcodes on?
Will your barcode be printed on a flat surface or curved? Reflective or matte? Depending on the material, you will want to choose the barcode verifier with the correct lighting angle to make sure it can be read accurately. Reflective surfaces, or dot peen symbols read best under a 90-degree lighting angle. Curved or textured surfaces with DPM barcodes are easiest to read with a 30-degree or dome lighting angle, whereas a 45-degree lighting angle is used for 1-D and 2-D codes printed on flat surfaces.
Do you have in-house resources available to handle calibration and maintenance?
Calibration is necessary to ensure your barcode verifier is operating correctly, and must be done periodically to account for any changes in the environment like lighting and temperature, and for changing characteristics of electrical components. Maintaining your technology is another piece of the puzzle to consider. Do you have the in-house resources necessary to provide the proper maintenance required to get the most out of your device’s lifecycle? If not, you will want to look like for a verifier from a company that offers these services.
Will you need it verify both 1D and 2D barcodes?
A majority of today’s barcodes are 1D, and the barcode verifier you select for these barcodes will largely depend on the size and material the barcode is printed on. These barcode verifiers should grade against ISO 15416. 2D barcodes contain much more information, and are more difficult to verify. 2D barcodes require specific verifiers built for verifying these codes. You will want to make sure these grade against ISO 15415 standards.
Deciding on the correct barcode verifier is one of the many hurdles warehouse operators have to overcome. When purchasing technology, it’s important to ensure you will be making a worthwhile investment into your operation, which is why it is necessary to research barcode verifiers and select the correct one for your application. By answering these questions, you will be better equipped to make a more informed decision for your business.