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10 Ways Bar Codes Can Improve

Your Business

Bar Codes 101


Increased productivity

• USPS Company Profile: St Louis mail processing center for the United Postal Service

• Application: The USPS replaced their manual sortationsystem with a state of the art automated tray system.

• By installing fixed-mount scanners above the conveyors to read the bar codes on the totes, they were able to dramatically speed up the sortation and production process.


Eliminate human error

• Profile of a Hardware Manufacturer: Operates 16 distribution centers which supply retail stores across the US.

• Application: The manufacturer switched to an automated pick system using fixed-mount bar code scanners when the discrepancies caused by their manual system was costing them approximately $10k to $15k a day.

• They earned back their ROI as quickly as 2 months and dramatically reduced the discrepancy rate in order-fulfillment by more than 75% within the first 4 weeks of operation.


Inventory control

• Regeneration Technologies Profile: Specialize in the regeneration of human tissue to repair and promote the healing of human bones.

• Application: Replaced their pre-printed label stock with an automated, print-on-demand label system. By mounting a fixed-mount scanner to the printer to verify each code as it is printed, they were able to eliminate discrepancies and the waste of unused label stock.

• Not only did they receive their ROI in less than 2 months, they no longer had to spend hours inventorying pre-printed label stock to ensure the same bar code was not used twice.


Reduce labor costs

• Profile of an Automotive Manufacturer: This manufacturer is one of the largest suppliers of headliners to automotive manufacturers in the world

• Application: When the manufacturing facility needed to comply with Ford’s ILVS process, they were able to increase their production to the required 2,000 headliners a day and handle an increase product mix. They were also able to accomplish it in less time with nearly 30% less employees.


Increase reliability

• Profile of Clinical Equipment Manufacturers: Manufacturer of automated laboratory equipment used in the drug discovery industry

• Application: Fixed-position bar code scanners are used to track microtiter plates as they pass through the liquid dispensing systems.

• This ensures that correct assay is performed and that if a hit is discovered later, the label will be able to locate the correct microtiter plate.


Quality control

• Profile of a Beverage Can Manufacturer: A large can manufacturer produces cans for a variety of carbonated and alcoholic beverages

• Application: FDA regulations require manufacturers to ensure the product inside the can and the information on the outside match up. They needed bar code scanners to scan the codes on the cans to guard against the possibility of any rogue cans getting into a batch.

• By installing 4 scanners and connecting them together, they were able to read the bar code on each can as it went by without slowing down the production line.


Work-in-progress tracking

• Electronics equipment manufacturer profile: One of the world’s leading manufacturers of equipment for electronics manufacturing, including the world’s fastest chip shooter

• Application: In order to prevent manufacturing errors, bar code scanners are installed inside the chip shooter. The scanner reads the code marked on each reel as it is loaded into the machine, and then again right before the chip is fed from the machine.


Operate in harsh environments

• Profile of China Steel: China Steel’s manufacturing facility needed to track steel rails as they passed through the rolling mill.

• Application: They needed to read a bar code on a hook holding the steel rail in place. Due to the intense head required in the manufacturing process, an automated, industrialized scanner with a long read range was required.

• The scanner was encapsulated inside a Hoffman enclosure and mounted next to the rolling mill.

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Process control

• Profile of Tire Manufacturer: Leading tire manufacturer needed to automate their manufacturing process and implement a WIP system.

• Application: they replaced a manual product marking system with an automated system. With the manual marking system, they experienced a high number of inaccuracies, which resulted in manufacturing errors and tons of scrapped tires.

• By automating the marking system using custom tooling triggered by bar coded data, they dramatically increased their productivity and eliminated the manufacturing errors.


Ergonomic

• King County Public Library Profile

• Application: By replacing hand-held wands and a hand-stamped date system with hands-free bar code scanners, the library branches made the checkout process more efficient.

• Since the hands-free system involves minimal wrist movements, the system also eliminated the repetitive strain injuries constantly occurring among employees.


Summary

• Bar codes improve your business:

• Increase productivity

• Eliminates human error

• Improve inventory control

• Reduce the cost of labor

• Increase date integrity/reliability

• Provide quality assurance

• Enable work-in-progress tracking

• Operate in harsh environments

• Enable process control

• Ergonomic


More information

• If you have questions regarding this topic, send us an e-mail to [email protected]

• If you would like further information about bar code symbologies, we recommend you view Intro to Linear Bar Codes and Guidelines for Creating Good Bar Codes

Documents

P 10 ways bar codes - files.microscan.comfiles.microscan.com/_att/2705e6ce-d6e4-4c45-b3f1... · system using fixed-mount bar code ... errors, bar code scanners are installed inside