White Paper

RSS

As the Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC) industry continues to discover the value of mobile solutions, more and more IT managers are selecting cordless handheld bar code readers rather than the corded alternatives. Industries fueling this growth include healthcare, manufacturing, warehouse and logistics, as well as retail and banking.

The reasons for this are clear:

Mobility: Mobility is critical for data capture applications, even in situations where the operator needs to be mobile within a limited area. For example, cordless readers would be beneficial in automotive production lines where the operator moves around the vehicle on the line, or for patient care activities in the healthcare industry. Bar code readers with 10-15m / 30-40 ft long cables were used in the past to provide the user with mobility; however, these cables can be very restrictive in their use, not to mention the safety hazard posed by long cables.

User Productivity: During most scanning activities, it is much easier to bring a bar code reader to the object to be scanned, rather than the other way around. For years, long cables were the best (and only) solution to accomplish this task; however, these cables can easily become entangled, wasting valuable labor as the operator struggles with jumbled cords.

Safety: Long cables are a major safety risk. Objects can easily become entangled or pulled off shelves when using corded scanners, which can damage products and potentially injure employees. Even if the cables can be stretched across a workspace, they still pose a tripping hazard that could result in serious injuries or be the cause of an industrial accident.

Cost: Initially, investing in cordless bar code scanners is more expensive when compared to a corded solution. However, it is important to note that the benefits of mobility, user productivity and safety have a relevant impact in the reduction of the total cost of ownership. For example, costs eliminated by cordless readers through increased productivity often pay for the cost difference and beyond. Additionally, there is a decreased downtime caused by broken cables and the cost for cable replacement is eliminated.