Introduction to Bar Code Technologies
We live in an information
age characterized by rapid change. Today's world moves faster than earlier
eras, and the pace continues to speed up. Continuous developments with computer
technology in manufacturing, distribution, communications, transportation,
healthcare and other sectors have played, and continue to play, a large part
in accelerating change.For any business in this fast changing world, the
importance of collecting and processing information on a timely basis is essential.
Managers must act quickly to be effective to initiate changes in manufacturing
or distribution, or to otherwise respond to new customer requirements. Doing
so requires reliable information in real time or as close to it as possible.
As computers have proliferated and data processing has become more powerful,
the data collection function on which processing depends has not kept pace.
Acquiring the fastest, most effective computer hardware and software available
makes little sense if the system cannot acquire data accurately and expeditiously.
A data collection gap, the difference between data processing and data collection,
has been the result. Narrowing this data collection gap promises to improve
the quality of information that serves as the basis for management decisions
affecting production, productivity, and profitability.
Automation of the data collection function offers the only practical way
to bring the pace of data collection more closely in line with data processing.
Many manual methods, such as keyboard entry, are considered too slow, costly
and error-prone to satisfy modern criteria. That is why automated data collection
technology has expanded rapidly worldwide.
The automated data collection process has three phases:
PRINT
Automatic identification is the essential first step, accomplished by
attaching a bar code label to a part, document, package, personal identification
badge or some other item to be tracked.
CAPTURE
The data collection phase occurs when a part moves in or out of inventory,
a work piece comes in or out of a given stage in the manufacturing process,
and/or an employee checks in or out of work. These actions are instantly
and accurately captured by scanning the bar code label. Scanners can read
information far faster than humans can write or type, and they are far more
accurate. Compared to the average human-transcription error rate of one
per 300 characters, the automated error rate is in the range of one per
3 million.
CONNECT
Compiling and computer system input occurs when scanned data is compiled
into a central point and manipulated into a form appropriate to the data
stream of a host computer. The upshot is accurate data automatically captured
as each event occurs, thus permitting management decisions based on solid,
current information.
Automated data collection is seen as the key to improving control and providing
management with more timely, more accurate, and therefore more valuable information.
Increased productivity and reduced costs are the key benefits of automated
data collection. The return on investment for automated data collection is
typically one year, and often substantially less.
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