{"id":8095,"date":"2013-05-07T09:44:04","date_gmt":"2013-05-07T15:44:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.barcodesinc.com\/news\/?p=8095"},"modified":"2019-09-12T13:41:14","modified_gmt":"2019-09-12T19:41:14","slug":"evaluating-barcode-reading-technologies-laser-vs-imager","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.barcodesinc.com\/news\/evaluating-barcode-reading-technologies-laser-vs-imager\/","title":{"rendered":"Evaluating Barcode Reading Technologies: Laser vs. Imager"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Choosing the right barcode reading technology<\/a> is\u00c2\u00a0fundamental to achieving optimal performance from\u00c2\u00a0a data collection solution. As new symbologies and\u00c2\u00a0technologies are developed, the choices are more\u00c2\u00a0varied than ever. There has been much debate on\u00c2\u00a0the merits of laser-based and\u00c2\u00a0camera-based barcode\u00c2\u00a0readers, and in fact, some have asserted that only\u00c2\u00a0image-based readers should be considered for new\u00c2\u00a0automation applications.<\/p>\n

Should laser barcode scanners<\/a> be considered\u00c2\u00a0\u00e2\u20ac\u0153obsolete\u00e2\u20ac\u009d technology and are imagers <\/a>(camera-based readers) the only viable technology for today\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s\u00c2\u00a0applications? While imagers have seen increased\u00c2\u00a0use due to the growing adoption of 2D symbols<\/a> such\u00c2\u00a0as Data Matrix<\/a>, laser scanners still set the standard\u00c2\u00a0for accurate, high speed barcode reading in many\u00c2\u00a0applications. The optimal barcode reading solution\u00c2\u00a0will be dictated by the specific requirements of an\u00c2\u00a0application.<\/p>\n

Laser Technology<\/strong><\/p>\n

Laser scanners use a beam of light to form a single\u00c2\u00a0line across the width of a barcode. Fixed raster \u00c2\u00a0scanners were first created in the 1970s to read 1D\u00c2\u00a0barcodes in supermarkets and gained widespread\u00c2\u00a0use in manufacturing after the 1982 invention of the\u00c2\u00a0compact laser-diode scanner by Microscan <\/a>founder\u00c2\u00a0Mike Mertel. Laser scanner models with a sweeping or\u00c2\u00a0omnidirectional<\/a> raster have the ability to read stacked\u00c2\u00a01D symbols.<\/p>\n

While 1D use is declining in some industries where\u00c2\u00a0the small size of 2D symbols makes them a more\u00c2\u00a0attractive option, linear barcodes remain a critical\u00c2\u00a0element in many applications and industries, including\u00c2\u00a0clinical diagnostics, pharmaceutical packaging, and\u00c2\u00a0shipping labels.<\/p>\n

With the benefits of simplicity, low cost, universal\u00c2\u00a0recognition, and ability to be printed and decoded\u00c2\u00a0easily, 1D symbols are still widely popular across\u00c2\u00a0the globe. Laser scanners can only decode in one\u00c2\u00a0dimension, so 2D symbols must be read with imagers\u00c2\u00a0or other camera-based products, which can also\u00c2\u00a0decode 1D symbols.<\/p>\n

Imaging Technology<\/strong><\/p>\n

Developed in the 1990s, camera-based imaging\u00c2\u00a0technology uses rows of CCD or CMOS sensors\u00c2\u00a0arranged in a two-dimensional array to generate an\u00c2\u00a0image of the symbol. This image processing provides\u00c2\u00a0the capability to decode both 1D and 2D formats.\u00c2\u00a02D symbols such as the Data Matrix (invented in\u00c2\u00a01994 by I.D. Matrix, now a part of Microscan) have\u00c2\u00a0been adopted in industries including electronics and\u00c2\u00a0automotive manufacturing because they allow large\u00c2\u00a0amounts of data within a small area. Information-dense\u00c2\u00a02D symbols are also favored for use in marking small\u00c2\u00a0items for tracking throughout their life cycle, a process\u00c2\u00a0known as direct part marking or DPM<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Choosing the Right Technology for Your\u00c2\u00a0Application<\/strong><\/p>\n

Laser products benefit from nearly 40 years of refining\u00c2\u00a0the technology, allowing the creation of technology\u00c2\u00a0standards, and perfecting the most cost-effective units.\u00c2\u00a0Today\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s products provide a high cost-performance ratio.\u00c2\u00a0Imaging products are a more recent development and\u00c2\u00a0provide reading solutions at a higher cost and level\u00c2\u00a0of complexity due to their more sophisticated and\u00c2\u00a0expensive components. While camera-based imagers\u00c2\u00a0must filter through captured pixels and experience\u00c2\u00a0slower decode rates (relative to laser scanners), they\u00c2\u00a0have the added benefit of quality validation and the\u00c2\u00a0flexibility to read a much wider variety of symbols.<\/p>\n

Manufacturers should assess the best technology and\u00c2\u00a0product to meet their specific application needs at an\u00c2\u00a0optimal cost-performance ratio. Below are some simple\u00c2\u00a0rules to use when evaluating a barcode application.<\/p>\n

1.<\/strong> If an application is using a 1D barcode and\/or a\u00c2\u00a0stacked symbol such as PDF417, a laser scanner\u00c2\u00a0will often prove more advantageous than an imager.<\/p>\n