Cheaper Barcode Reading: Online Calculator Calculates Savings from Camera Systems over Laser Scanners

(openPR) VITRONIC Dr.-Ing. Stein Bildverarbeitungssysteme GmbH presents a practical online calculator that can be used to calculate cost advantages offered by using camera systems for barcode reading compared with laser scanners.

Wiesbaden 6th July 2011. The new online calculator from VITRONIC calculates the annual potential for savings by using VIPAC camera systems over laser scanners in barcode reading, based on just a few entries. This offers companies key indications on how they can reduce their logistics costs in a targeted way using camera systems, while increasing productivity at the same time.

In many sectors, barcodes on goods and packages are captured using conventional laser scanners (barcode scanners), while camera systems are hardly used. This lacks foresight , however, since high performance cameras offer demonstrable efficiency and productivity advantages over conventional technology and significantly reduces the logistics costs per item.

Higher scanning rates and fewer NoReads with camera systems
On average cameras make 0.5 to 1% higher reading rates possible (scanned objects per total number of objects) and fewer non-readable objects (NoReads) than barcode scanners. The barcode reading rates of cameras can often be over 5% higher. Maximum reading rates of 100% are even possible through the use of video coding (where employees insert missing information by evaluating the images). In addition, cameras can read even very small, dirty and damaged barcodes or codes underneath foil – even on the underside of goods.

Aside from cost advantages, camera systems have even more plus sides:
• Allows the integration of additional data capture devices such as Volume and Weigh scales which give the volume and the weight of the item for storage and logistics processes
• Acquisition of other data types such as 2D-codes and plain text (OCR)
• Reading multiple different code types at once
• Archiving and purposeful valuation of the images for process optimization

Further information on camera systems and access to the online calculator:
http://www.vitronic.de/en/logistics/