The most common use of bar code scanners, and the one that most people are aware of, is the scanning of groceries at a grocery store. At the teller the bar code of each package is run past a barcode scanner that tells the system what the item is. The stock control system then feeds back item details and price information to the teller. The cost is automatically added to your bill.

When the stock control system tallies a purchase, no matter what is actually sold, the inventory records in the central database are simultaneously modified to record the fact that the item has been purchased. If your inventory information was correctly entered into the system when you set it up, inventory control occurs without the need for manual counting or recording of purchases.

In a small business setting implementing such a system starts with stock control software where information about inventory items is stored. Bar code scanners are used to input data into the stock control system. Each time an item passes in or out of inventory it is scanned and the appropriate change of status is recorded in the inventory database.

A system like this one can generate different bar codes for items that need them. The software will create a one of a kind bar code for each new item. The bar code printer will then print the code label which is then placed on the item.

These are the top three kinds of bar code scanners that are used today:

1. The Wand Scanner – This is the simplest type of bar code scanner. A wand scanner is shaped like a pen and has to be touching the bar code to scan it. The light from the wand scanner is reflected off the bar code and then the system decodes this signal to recognize the product.

The wand system works well in most applications, and it is by far the least expensive type of bar code scanner. A typical wand costs about 1/10th the price of a laser gun, and about 1/5th the price of a CCD scanner.

But wand scanners have their limitations. In order to get an accurate scan the wand must be held at a fairly precise angle relative to the bar code. It must also be slid across the bar code at a speed that is neither too fast nor too slow. And all wand bar code scanners have a resolution limit. If a bar code has a resolution that is significantly finer than the wand scanner, the scanner will not be able to read it correctly. For example, a 10 mil wand cannot read a 5 mil bar code. It is important to keep this in mind when purchasing a wand scanner.

2. CCD Scanners – CCD stands for charged coupled device. This type of scanner normally costs less than a laser scanner, and it is a very accurate alternative system for scanning bar codes. Both the wand scanner and the CCD reader have to be in physical contact with the bar code if they are to read the label. However, the CCD reader doesn’t have to be moved, waved, or slid across the label like the wand scanner. The user can just touch the reader to the bar code and pull the trigger to activate the scanner.

Of all the various types of bar code scanners, CCD readers tend to be the simplest to use. CCD readers can be found in widths from 2 to 4 inches and, while they are more expensive than a wand, CCD readers are less expensive than laser scanners.

Fixed Focus Optics, or FFO, is another interesting new technology that resembles CCD. These scanners can read bar codes from 20 inches away because they don’t require contact with the bar code. They also have the ability to read two-dimensional bar codes, which are being implemented in more installations.

3. Laser Scanners – A beam of light is used by a laser scanner in order to scan the bar code label. Instead of moving the scanner you move the bar code across the scanner. The scanner does not have to actually touch the bar code label in order to read it. The scanner will automatically read the scan whenever a bar code is held in front of it.

This system is popular in many different settings. For example, since scanning is done rapidly, laser scanners can be embedded right within conveyor systems. As objects pass quickly by they are scanned and recorded. In retail stores the check out person simply moves objects over the scanner to activate the scanning action. This kind of system is fast enough to keep up with a clerk just taking objects from one side of the scanner and sliding them to the other side. Such a system is much faster and much more accurate than any of the popular alternatives currently available.

When choosing a bar code scanner and an inventory control system, it is important to take into consideration the ability to adapt new scanning technologies to your system as they become available. This will allow you to keep your system updated without having to upgrade or replace the entire system in the future.