Supply of Compatible Printers and Barcode Scanners

The barcodes themselves are the key to any automation project and if the wrong information is stored on the barcode, or in the wrong way, or if the barcode itself is unreadable, then the project will fail.

If an organisation is to print its own barcodes, the choice of printer will depend upon the specific application. One type of printer will be necessary for generating thousands of barcodes per week on a production line, while a simpler model will suffice for generating a few hundred labels per week in another environment. Similarly some barcode applications work perfectly well with a normal desktop laser printer and A4 labelling stationery.

Other important factors when choosing printers are native fonts and inbuilt printer languages. Choosing labelling software and printers, which are compatible in this respect, will provide faster response and printing times. Additionally, more expensive networked barcode printers, will pay for themselves as users will be able to share the devices rather than having one printer per workstation.

It is also important to consider the variety of labels that will be produced. This may require different label sizes or media for different types of labels, and it is usually most cost effective to have one printer that is able to print on all of the different materials that will be used rather than separate units. Obviously this needs to be balanced with the practicality and time taken in changing labels and most reputable suppliers of barcode printers are able to advise on the most cost effective printing solution covering all of these aspects.

Once the barcode is affixed, then something needs to be used to read it. A variety of different readers can be used including scanners utilising a PC keyboard interface, Radio Frequency Scanners, other handheld and Portable Data Capture devices. Again, the key issue is the application and getting the right device with the right capabilities for the job it will need to perform.