Barcoding News

Studies conducted by the Joint Commission have found that nearly 70% of medical errors stem from inefficient communication channels. Facing increasing demands and stress, today’s healthcare providers need -and deserve- dependable technologies that simplify workflows, much like Zebra’s TC52-HC touch computer.

According to Zebra’s 2022 Hospital Vision Study, 72% of facilities reported improved quality in patient care after enhancing clinical mobility. Not only do modernized devices minimize the likelihood of dangerous errors, but they also assist in implementing future-forwards healthcare initiatives without extensive workflow changes.

One mobile device…thousands of possibilities.

Performing several indispensable healthcare tasks such as barcode scanning, push-to-talk, and EHR sharing, the TC52-HC serves as a gateway into several mobility benefits that enhance patient care such as:

• Telehealth – Combine high-speed and long-range WiFi connectivity with the TC52-HC’s high-resolution cameras to reach patients without requiring them to leave their homes and possibly risk their health.
• Faster admissions – Zebra’s MobilityDNA app, SimulScan helps expedite data capture by scanning multiple barcodes at the same time without compromising accuracy. This frees up staff from conducting repetitive clerical work, so they can focus on providing better care.
• HIPPA-compliant data sharing – Unlike other outdated or consumer-grade operating systems, Android for Enterprise helps protect sensitive data with government-grade encryption and recurrent security patches. Moreover, Zebra’s secured text messaging feature enables staff-to-staff communication without risking privacy breaches.
• Efficient and dependable disinfection – Made for constant wipe downs, Zebra’s TC52-HC can be regularly cleaned and disinfected without compromising functionality, minimizing the transmission of HAIs via dirty clinical devices.

To make implementation all the more stress-free, Barcodes, Inc. works closely alongside your IT team and staff to prepare, deploy, and maintain devices with assisted procurement, on-site installation services, and TrueSupport technical support to keep your solution running faster and longer. Contact Barcodes, Inc. today for a free comprehensive evaluation of your facility to start empowering your staff with mobility made for healthcare.  

Given today’s changing customer demands, new safety regulations, and the e-commerce boost, managing inventory continues to be a struggle for most warehouses and distribution centers. As a result, RFID has remained popular across industries since it accelerates throughput while increasing accuracy rates in both the receiving and loading docks. To take RFID efficiency a step farther, we recommend integrating it into your mobile printers with the ZQ630 and ZQ630 RFID:

Why combine mobility and visibility?

Inventory management has been cited as one the top struggles warehouses face today, which means solutions simplifying inventory management can help sharpen your competitive edge. A few issues that further complicate efficient management are:

• Sudden demand increases
• Lagging stock updated that leads to stockouts
• Increasing labor turnover rates that lead to high adoption rates for new technologies
• Lack of real-time visibility

By empowering your workforce with mobile RFID devices, you are able to streamline crucial tasks such as data capture, data sharing, and even label printing, ultimately delivering real-time updates across every avenue your workforce uses. For example, RFID mobile printing allows you to:

• Print updated RFID tags anywhere in your workflow in the event of sudden demand spikes
• Decrease processing time by eliminating unnecessary travel paths
• Deploy an end-to-end tracking system with easy-to-use devices for faster onboarding
• Label incoming inventory immediately with RFID tags to start tracking stock in real-time
• Lower employee density in printing stations
• Increase mobility with lightweight enterprise-grade devices

Working alongside your team, Barcodes, Inc. assists with design, deployment and support services to maximize printer uptime, so your workforce can confidently manage inventory with tools that move with them. Contact us today for a free consultation to see where can implement RFID mobility in your operations.

When creating lean operations, manufacturing plants often struggle with managing, incoming materials for future orders, known as work-in-progress (WIP) inventory. If left unchecked, unidentified WIP inventory can increase operational costs by at least 20%^[1] while ultimately leading to:

• Increased labor and downtime costs
• Dwindling storage space
• Difficulty tracking assembled orders
• Missed opportunities as decision must be based on available space instead of demand

Better identification equals better visibility

To ascertain material identification for WIP inventory, Barcodes, Inc. recommends modernizing your labeling system. Industrial printers such as Zebra’s ZT610 ensure barcode legibility for both barcode labels and RFID tags, so your team can accurately identify materials as they move throughout the production floor.

By accelerating printing speeds, industrial printers empower teams to quickly tag incoming materials, securing proper storage in the correct location before materials leave the receiving dock. Furthermore, high-resolution barcodes facilitate more successful first-time scans, simplifying your inventory management process as materials move down the supply chain.

However, while industrial printers offer a good place to start enhancing operations, there are many more ways to continue eliminating inefficiency. As a Zebra Premier Business Partner, Barcodes, Inc. works closely alongside your team to design, deploy and support enterprise-grade hardware into your operations. Contact us today to see how you can pair printers like the ZT610 to scanners, mobile computers, and consumables to expand inventory visibility.   

^[1] Reduce Work-in-Process (WIP) Inventory and Costs. General Electric.

Studies indicate that well over half of customers are expecting a personalized shopping experience despite new shopping patterns. While price continues to be the driving force in finalizing purchases, quality shopping experience remains key in bolstering brand loyalty and enterprise success. In addition to meeting demands, personalized shopping can accomplish many other goals¹ such as:

• Increasing sales by up to 14%
• Reducing operation costs by up to 20%
• Increasing customer satisfaction
• Increasing employee/customer engagement by up to 30%

Where to Start?

While there are many next-generation options capable of modernizing POS and employee engagement, Zebra’s PS20 personal shopper streamlines several functionalities within one user-friendly interface that can be used easily by both associates and customers. See how in the video below:

Because of its adaptive platform, Zebra’s personal shopper can also help operations facilitate new purchase patterns such as BOPIS, click-and-collect, and curbside pickup. By integrating high-speed WiFi connectivity, intelligent scanning, and push-to-talk capabilities through one device, Barcodes, Inc. helps prepare storefronts while also:

• Assisting in software selection
• Configuring devices and accelerating deployment nationwide
• Providing on-site installation and repairs
• Managing deployed devices and service contracts

To see how you can start enhancing your storefront, contact our modernization specialists for a thorough assessment of your operations.

¹ Lindecrantz, Erik and et al.  Personalizing the customer experience: Driving differentiation in retail. McKinsey & Company. Apr 28, 2020. 

Check out our case study today to see how we’ve used the PS20 to enhance operations at a major grocery retailer.

With Coronavirus vaccine administration in full swing, keeping on track with your distribution timeline is an essential but vulnerable process. It can be difficult and stressful to monitor and track the vaccines as they travel through the supply chain from production and shipping to pharmacy and patients. With the added concern of volatile vaccine expiration, it is crucial that you have access to your HIS software at a moment’s notice through your mobile device. However, long workdays may drain your phone battery and taking the time to manually enter barcodes into your mobile device is an avoidable stress in your staff’s daily workflow.

With the healthcare industry in mind, Code Corporation has designed a barcode scanning solution for your iOS and Android mobile devices to convert the built-in camera into an enterprise-grade barcode scanner. Their disinfectant-ready, fully enclosed iPhone battery cases will also increase efficiency in your healthcare operations by reducing downtime from low batteries.

Convert Your iPhone Camera into a Barcode Scanner with Code’s Cortex Decoder Software

Does your HIS offer integrated mobile barcode scanning? With growing concerns about reducing patient care costs and mobile device maintenance costs, it is now more critical than ever that fewer devices take care of a greater number of tasks. With many hospitals and pharmacies already in possession of iOS phones and tablets, the added expense of a separate scanner can be difficult to budget.

Combining the familiarity of smartphones with enterprise-grade functionality and reliability, Code’s Cortex Decoder software transforms your iOS or Android device’s built-in camera into a fully functioning enterprise-level barcode scanner. Offered in annual licenses, this software gives you the chance to kill two birds with one phone. You can now operate your EHR software while using the built-in camera on the device to scan barcodes as well.

Product Features

• Near zero-miss (99.9995%) reliability – even the most complicated barcodes are read by Cortex Decoder; secure, dependable, reliable, and with enterprise-grade performance
• Industry-leading scan rates – Read rates that are up to 6x faster than the competition—even when barcodes are damaged or distorted
• Flexible OS portability – A small footprint, optimized portability, and decades of experience allow virtually any processing platform and operating system to be easily integrated.
• Camera flexibility – Code’s software supports numerous types of optics and cameras, providing you the flexibility to build your project as needed
• Superior on poor quality barcodes – Torn, faded, or smudged barcodes, on reflective surfaces or in low light are read quickly, accurately, and reliably
• Most supported barcode symbologies – Code Cortex Decoder provides the most advanced bundle of decoding algorithms in the industry and reads all major 1D, 2D, and postal barcodes
• Unrivaled professional support – Code Professional Services make SDK integration easy. Engineers and experts at Code will work directly with your team for optimal results
• Software OS – Software portability to any processing platform and OS – Android, iOS, Windows, Linux, custom, etc.

Healthcare-Grade Battery Backup Cases Combine Mobility with Patient Safety

The Code CR7000 series is the industry’s first fully enclosed battery backup case built with PVC-free CodeShield plastics and Dragontrail Glass.  This means that mobile phones are completely protected from the harsh chemicals required to safeguard patients.  Its smooth housing with minimal crevices ensures germs can’t hitch a ride.  Quick-swappable batteries keep the phone fully charged and operating on case power extending each phone’s optimal operating life cycle.  All of this is available in a compact, lightweight case that nurses can easily carry during their shift.

Product Features

• Smart battery shows battery health with a visible fuel gauge
• Compatible with iPhone 7, iPhone 8, and iPhone SE 2nd Generation
• CodeShield PVC-Free disinfectant-ready plastics have the widest range of certified disinfectants in the industry
• DragonTrail Glass Screen Protector- picked for its proven ability to withstand drops and scratches
• Hot-swappable 2,700 mAh external battery with quick-swap battery release mechanism keeps clinicians moving
• BatteryTrak application provides real-time battery vitals such as deployment dates, state of health cycle counts, and serial numbers
• Compatible with Cortex Decoder

For a full SARS-CoV-2 Track, Trace, and Verify solution, pair your iPhone and EHR software with the CR7000 extended battery case and the Cortex Decoder scanning software.

If this system sounds like a suitable solution for your business or you have additional questions, please contact us at Barcodes, Inc. We are always happy to help you find the right solution for your needs. 

Not all cloud-managed network solutions are created equal. As your organization embraces digital transformation with the adoption of mobile and cloud applications, greater demands are being placed on your already limited IT staff to provide secure reliable network access. Aruba’s industry-leading wireless and wired solutions are built to perform and are designed to be provisioned and managed from the cloud for simple, smart, and secure access that will enhance the user experience.

In this webinar learn about Aruba’s cloud-based network management solution and how you can upgrade your network with Aruba Central.

The webinar covers the following:

• Cloud networking trends and challenges
• Aruba’s cloud-managed network solution
• Real time product demonstration
• How to get a Free Trial of Aruba Central

If you have any questions, please contact us here.

Honeywell offers a wide range of printing consumables designed to deliver exceptional performance, reliability, and quality suitable for use in all major industries, whether for shipping, healthcare, retail, or inventory and asset tracking.

Designed to simplify operations and reduce cost of ownership, Honeywell’s labels, tags, receipts, ribbons, and wristbands can satisfy a variety of applications from mild to harsh environments. With these consumables offered as stocked solutions, you can easily replenish your materials as needed.

Duratherm Wristband –  The Duratherm wristbands are recommended for healthcare and provide the positive identification hospitals need for maximum patient safety. The full-coverage thermal print coating enables high quality printing on the entire length of the band, thus eliminating the need to reposition a sleeping patient just to scan their band.

Duratherm II Label – A general purpose direct thermal paper label that delivers high-quality, cost-effective printing. Duratherm II is recommended for most general use applications where exposure to chemicals and moisture is not anticipated.

Duratherm II Tag – A general purpose paper tag providing high-quality, cost-effective printing. Duratherm II Tag is recommended for applications where labeling is not suitable. This product resists curling, even in high humidity environments.

Duratherm III Label – A top-coated direct thermal paper label that delivers high-quality printing and enhanced durability. Duratherm III is recommended for applications where high humidity, moisture contact and surface abrasion are concerns.

Duratherm NIR Label – A premium direct thermal paper label engineered to deliver high-contrast images and enhanced durability. Duratherm III NIR is targeted for use in applications with challenging barcode scanning requirements and is well-suited for high-speed sortation applications.

Duratran II Label – A paper label coated thermal transfer label that exhibits excellent print quality. Offered with a variety of adhesive options, recommended for applications with moderate abrasion, heat, or sunlight is present.

Duratran II RFID Label – The flexible RFID smart labels provide a versatile architecture that can be used in open or closed loop environments. These labels can be deployed with confidence to meet a broad range of customer requirements including thermal transfer and direct thermal printing.

Not seeing your exact size? Our label experts are standing by waiting to assist. Call or chat with us now

February 10th at 11:30am (Central Time U.S. and Canada)

Organizations are rapidly moving to the cloud to enable remote access, support greater scale, and improve usability of physical security systems away from the traditional CCTV models.

In this webinar, Barcodes Group and Verkada will show you how organizations nationwide are improving their safety and operations with an all-in-one physical security solution that combines cloud-based video security with access control and environmental sensors.

On February 10^th, we will demonstrate how Verkada’s physical security solution:

• Centralizes video security, access control, and sensors to a single platform
• Enables remote access using any device (via encrypted access)
• Can be installed in a matter of minutes.
• Allows for unlimited users.
• Is infinitely scalable.

Presented By:

Raul Cepeda – Barcodes Inc

Peter Smith – Verkada

Mason Melin – Verkada

If you have any questions, please contact us here. If you can’t make the live webinar be sure to register anyways and we’ll send you the recording afterward. We hope to see you there!

January 26th at 11:30am (Central Time U.S. and Canada)

Not all cloud-managed network solutions are created equal. As your organization embraces digital transformation with the adoption of mobile and cloud applications, greater demands are being placed on your already limited IT staff to provide secure reliable network access. Aruba’s industry-leading wireless and wired solutions are built to perform and are designed to be provisioned and managed from the cloud for simple, smart, and secure access that will enhance the user experience.

Join us on January 26^th to learn about Aruba’s cloud-based network management solution and how you can upgrade your network with Aruba Central.

In this webinar, we will cover the following:

• Cloud networking trends and challenges
• Aruba’s cloud-managed network solution
• Real time product demonstration
• How to get a Free Trial of Aruba Central

Presented By:

Paul Zastrow – Barcodes Inc

Chris McIntosh – Aruba Networks

If you have any questions, please contact us here. If you can’t make the live webinar be sure to register anyways and we’ll send you the recording afterward. We hope to see you there!

Printing and encoding RFID “smart labels” with an RFID-enabled printer has traditionally been difficult; a classic case of “the Devil is in the details.”  One difficulty users have wrestled with has been “inlay placement.”  Inlay placement refers to the location of the RFID inlay under the label’s face stock.  Although inlays are generally oriented horizontally under the face stock, the inlays can be located towards the bottom of the label, towards the top, or anywhere in between.  In the picture to the right, for example, the inlay is relatively close to the bottom of the label, the “leading edge” as it is often called, because this edge comes out of the printer first. 

Almost every printer brand – and even model – has traditionally had detailed, complex specifications regarding inlay placement, with different specifications for each and every inlay on the market.  The location of the inlay has to be a particular distance from the leading edge of the label in order to maximize the printer’s throughput (speed).  Just a millimeter or two either way, and the performance of the printer can suffer dramatically.  What a mess.  Given that printing and encoding RFID labels is already slower than printing traditional barcode labels, any further loss in performance has often been catastrophic for the end-user.  Waiting for your RFID labels to print and encode can hold up an entire production line.  This all meant that for your printer brand and model, you needed to make sure to order labels with an optimal inlay placement. 

Precise inlay placement also causes some additional problems: 

• It makes selecting labels more difficult. Users need to order their labels very carefully to ensure correct inlay placement.  Does your purchasing department understand inlay placement?  
• It can cause delays in sourcing labels.  Often, a convertor (label manufacturer) will have exactly the label size you need – but with incorrect inlay placement for your printer.  To get labels with optimal inlay placement, the convertor needs to configure their entire production line and run a new batch of labels for you.  This can take several days to several weeks. 
• Finally, requiring a specific inlay placement can mean that users may pay more for their labels.  A quick Google search of classic paper thermal transfer 4×6 RFID shipping labels will show some surprising results.  The very same labels from the very same vendor can have dramatically different prices depending solely on inlay placement.  It all boils down to supply and demand, but if you are on the wrong side of the equation, you may have to pay significantly more for your labels. 

With Printronix Auto ID’s current line-up of RFID printers, these headaches associated with inlay placement are now a thing of the past.  Printronix RFID printers have a unique firmware (the software brains in the printer), which does what they call “Encode During Print.”  In clearer language, this means that the printer will first print some of the label, then switch over to encoding, then switch back to printing and finish up the label.  The printer will automatically either print or encode at any given moment depending on where the label is relative to the printer’s printhead and RFID encoder.  The traditional approaches for RFID printers were to either first print the entire label, then encode the RFID portion (“Print then Encode”) – or to first encode the RFID, then print the label (“Encode then Print”).  But with these traditional approaches, if the inlay is not optimally placed, then the printer needs to back- or forward-feed the label to align it for an operation (printing or encoding) at any given moment.  With Printronix’s Encode During Print functionality, back- and forward-feed are eliminated (other than to overstrike bad labels, which is another blog topic for another day), regardless of inlay placement. 

So far, we have been talking about labels like 4×6 shipping labels that allow different inlay placements.  But what about all of the RFID labels, “tags,” on the market that have predetermined inlay placement?  For example, on-metal tags, plant stakes, small pharmaceutical labels for cold-chain applications, “RTI” tags (Returnable Transport Items), etc., etc.  There are many such tags on the market, and more are being developed and released all the time.  These tags generally have a fixed inlay placement based on their physical design and on simple commercial considerations – they are meant to be “Off-the-Shelf” (OTS) products.  This is another area Printronix’s Encode During Print functionality shines even more.  Because the Printronix printers do not care where the inlay is located, you can use any of these tags and still achieve maximum throughput. 

And these unusual tags often pose physical feed challenges for RFID printers.  For example, on-metal and RTI tags are often thicker than normal smart labels, and they can have abrupt edges between labels, large gaps, etc.  Both Printronix’s T6000e and T4000 series printers were designed from the ground up to work with these more difficult constructions.  The printers are spec’ed for labels up to 1.2mm thick and are available in 4” and 6” print-widths, allowing you to print and encode a wide variety of tags from a single printer – all without sacrificing performance.  

Finding the right RFID solution is always a challenge and having the right resources and help are critical. If RFID sounds like a suitable solution for your business or you have additional questions, feel free to contact us at Barcodes, Inc. We’re always happy to help you find the right solution for your needs.