Background
Toerisme Limburg (www.toerismelimburg.be) is a regional tourist organization in the eastern part of Belgium, close to the Netherlands and Germany. Since 2012 they’ve distributed two types of printed holiday coupon cards, also referred to as ‘passes’. One pass is for visitors that stay overnight in Limburg and the other is for tourists that come for just one day. With these passes, tourists can get discounts at several attractions.

Challenge
With 20 merchants participating in the program, each with different discounts, specific terms and a variety of POS systems, Toerisme Limburg was faced with a significant logistics challenge. To expedite redemptions, they wanted to use scannable barcodes. To do this with 20 different cards, each with a unique pass ID would be impractical. Another problem they encountered was tracking redemptions so they could gauge the program’s effectiveness and generate data to improve future programs.

Solution
Toerisme Limburg’s manager of new media, Philippe Marcisz, decided the only practical way to uniquely identify passes would be to use a single, unique ID for each pass that would be redeemable at any merchant location.
With the low cost and widespread proliferation of smartphones and tablets, he felt the scanning process should be deployed using an app independent of the various merchant POS systems. The merchant would scan the pass’s barcode and the app post scan records in real-time to a user-facing Web service.
To inform tourists about each merchant’s discount and their related terms, Toerisme Limburg had pocket-size booklet printed and distributed with each pass. They also created mobile-ready Web pages for convenient viewing at any time. He chose QR codes as the barcode type because they could not only embed the pass ID but also enable scanning with the consumer’s own QR app.

Implementation
Toerisme Limburg selected the codeREADr enterprise barcode scanning app and SaaS platform for deploying the scanning process (https://codereadr.com). They chose the platform’s One ID, Any Merchant technology to manage multiple locations and multiple discounts with a single pass ID.
Each merchant is given a unique username and password to sign into the app. Once signed in they choose which pass to scan (e.g. an overnight or one-day pass). They scan the QR code to validate the pass ID against a cloud-based database consisting of the 230,000 distributed passes. The resulting scan record is posted to the cloud for Toerisme Limburg to track in real-time and generate reports.
CodeREADr’s Dual Function QR Code technology was used to enable one QR code to be used both by consumers to view pass details online and for the codeREADr app to validate pass IDs against the pass database. By using only one QR code for both functions, there is no confusion and the card can have a clean look.
“We needed one ID validated by multiple merchants with different discounts and be able to track the data. Critically, the process had to be really efficient and easy to use. Although we are managing the project, each merchant location is responsible for the scanning process. With the codeREADr app they only have to make sure their smartphone or tablet is ready, sign in to app and start scanning,” said Marcisz.
The program kicks off for the 2014 holiday season in April.

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— Cost-effective system leverages all-weather CS203 integrated RFID fixed reader to boost revenue, speed return on investment, build customer loyalty —
 
 
Customer service and convenience can be the difference between life and death for many retail businesses. The ability to stand out among competitors and offer a superior service is vital, particularly in a saturated market or a commodity business. To enable their retail clients to offer a value-added and convenient service, XpresSystems developed an innovative system that uses radio frequency identification (RFID) technology in a fully automated, self-service car wash.

A tamper-resistant RFID tag carrying a unique identifier is sold to regular car wash customers, to be mounted on their windshield. As a customer pulls up to the XpresWash automated car wash, an integrated RFID reader scans the vehicle identification, account billing information, and selected wash package stored on the RFID tag. The customer is then automatically billed for the wash using a prepaid plan, club plan, fleet account or pay per use option.

Car wash vendors and gas stations can install the system quickly and easily in an existing car wash using the ruggedized CS203ETHER Ethernet-connected UHF integrated RFID reader from Convergence Systems Limited (CSL). With a fully integrated reader/antenna form factor and single cable Power over Ethernet (POE) connectivity, the CS203 enables simple installation in varying configurations.

Because RFID technology doesn’t require line of sight to make a connection, it offers a quick and convenient tracking method that is ideally suited to this type of self-serve application. And with the ability to store a great deal of data on a rugged RFID tag with consistent readability, the XpresWash system delivers a secure and reliable link to the car wash vendor’s billing system.

Fluid Revenue Stream

The XpresWash system was designed for simple customer enrollment, online or at an in-store kiosk. Once enrolled, a user can drive through an RFID-equipped car wash at their convenience, without having to stop and pay for the service. This allows car wash vendors to realize cost savings by reducing wait times and demand on attendants, while increasing revenue and customer loyalty.

Solution provider TransTech worked closely with XpresSystems to design a complete RFID system that meets all their customers’ needs. “The XpresWash system makes it easy for vendors to manage multiple sites remotely, receiving usage alerts and system messages in real-time,” said Adam Cartner, customer service representative at TransTech Systems. “With the ability to pay for itself in no time through increased usage and customer loyalty, this innovative RFID system delivers a clear and superior return on investment.”

XpresWash vendors have reported an increase in per customer revenue since installing the system. The complete solution includes an online administrative website with built-in recurring billing system, allowing car wash vendors to manage revenue, monitor sites from anywhere, and maintain an updated customer database.

“The CS203 is one of the only IP68 rated RFID readers on the market, making it ideal for installation outdoors or inside the car wash where it is exposed to water on a regular basis,” said Jerry Garrett, managing director, Convergence Systems Limited. “The long read range and high read rate of the CS203 contributes to best-in-class reliability, bringing all the benefits of RFID to XpresSystems’ customers in a complete system designed for fast time to market.”

The CS203 integrated RFID reader is extremely versatile and can be used in all environments, indoor or outdoor, and for numerous applications. Built on CSL’s unified application programming interface (API), the high-performance CS203 enables shorter application development time and faster time to deployment.

About Convergence Systems Limited
Founded in 2000, Convergence Systems Limited is a leading design engineering company and global provider of radio frequency ID (RFID) tags, readers, antennas, modules and custom RFID hardware. CSL is unique in providing both passive Electronic Product Code™ (EPC) Gen 2 RFID products, as well as a full line of active RTLS RFID products. CSL delivers a broad portfolio of RFID hardware for logistics management, supply chain, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, access control,  transportation and retail industries around the world. A member of standards organization EPCglobal, CSL is headquartered in Hong Kong with a global distribution channel.

For more information, visit www.CSL-RFID.com.

For other interesting RFID success stories, click on "Solutions" on the menu bar above, then click on RFID.

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Global Smartphone Shipments reached 286M in Q1 2014, Represents just 1% Q-o-Q Growth

• Samsung shipped an estimated 85 million Smartphones; 30% market share in Q1
• Apple posts record Q1 and iPhone sales of nearly 44 million
• Motorola and Lenovo garner 8% combined market share

Hampshire, UK – 29th April 2014: Leading mobile analyst firm Juniper Research estimates that the number of smartphone shipments reached 286 million in Q1 2014, representing 34% y-o-y growth and 1% q-o-q growth. Samsung accounted for 30% of all smartphone shipments globally, with an estimated 85 million shipments during the quarter. While the company’s market share remained broadly flat on the previous quarter, this represented a record Q1 for Samsung with a y-o-y growth in shipments of 25%.

Meanwhile, Apple also posted its best ever first quarter, shipping 43.7 million iPhones, representing a y-o-y growth of 17%. Nevertheless, Apple’s shipment volume fell by 14% compared with the traditionally strong fourth quarter, while its market share slipped from 18% in Q4 2013 to 15% in Q1 2014. 

Slowing Growth and Falling Prices

This slowing growth is expected to continue in Q2 2014 due to the fact that in developed markets, the opportunity for growth is extremely limited. Conversely, in emerging markets where smartphone adoption is currently limited, growth will be fuelled the continuing fall in retail prices for entry level smartphones. Juniper anticipates that the global ASP (Average Selling Price) of smartphones will decline at an average annual rate of 3.8% over the next four years with the decline most marked in the Indian Subcontinent, followed by Africa & Middle East.

Lenovo + Motorola = Winning Combination?

Motorola announced that it sold some 6.5 million smartphones in Q1 2014, driven by its best-selling smartphone, the Moto G. Juniper estimates that the combined Motorola-Lenovo smartphone shipments for Q1 2013 exceeded 20 million, putting the joint entity into a third place. However, Lenovo’s acquisition of Motorola is currently pending regulatory approval. Meanwhile, Nokia reported a 30% decline in mobile sales revenue since last year owing to competition.

Other smartphone vendors, including LG, Huawei and ZTE, have managed to maintain their market share, and together are estimated to have shipped over 38 million smartphones.

Juniper Research provides research and analytical services to the global hi-tech communications sector, providing consultancy, analyst reports and industry commentary.

For further details please contact Sam Smith, Press Relations

T: +44(0)1256 830001

E: sam.smith@juniperresearch.com

The days of doctors making house calls are long past.   A new era of healthcare means greater transparency for patients, who are now more informed than ever thanks to the power of the Internet.  As patients become more knowledgeable about the risks of certain prescriptions and vaccines, there is greater demand for healthcare providers to share all the risks and benefits upfront.  In this new landscape of informed patients, medical malpractice suits, and ever-evolving standards for electronic medical records (EMRs), tracking vaccines from manufacturer to patient is vitally important. 

In a recently completed pilot project, which ran from September 2011 to May 2013, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) tested the implementation of 2D barcodes on vaccine products.  The project involved vaccines from two different manufacturers and required them to apply 2D barcodes onto specific vaccine products; the barcoded vaccines were then distributed to a preselected network of pilot project immunization providers.  The barcoded vaccines were shipped through the existing supply chain to 220 different immunizers across 10 different CDC grantee locations.

The specialized 2D barcode placed on each vaccine product contained the following data: a product identifier, lot number, and expiration date.  Providers used barcode scanners to read the 2D barcodes and automatically imported the data from those barcodes into the patients’ electronic medical records (EMRs).  In addition to the patient-level information record, the CDC maintains a larger database of information about immunizations in the greater population.  These systems, immunization information systems, are “confidential, population-based, computerized databases that record all immunization doses administered by participating providers to persons residing within a given geopolitical area.”  

Clearly, the data obtained from these 2D barcodes is vitally important not only to the individual patient and her medical records but also to the public health community at large.  When tracking diseases and epidemics, immunization information is a hugely important resource.  According to the  CDC, “The goal of this pilot implementation of 2D barcoded vaccines and scanners was to assess their impact on the completeness and accuracy of vaccine data in both the EHR [electronic health record] and the IIS [immunization information system].”  

      In light of questions connections to autism, as well as the need for full vendor and manufacturer accountability it is easy to understand why vaccines are so strictly regulated and data is so carefully recorded from manufacturer to patient.   The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act (NCVIA) requires that vaccine production information and lot numbers be documented.  In the existing model, this information is usually handwritten or typed into an EMR system or the larger IIS system.  The CDC reports that under this model, these data “are frequently missing or incorrect within IIS and Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) reports.”  The idea behind a standardized, easily implemented 2D barcoding system is to allow for efficient and accurate recording of these data and seamless integration into both the patient’s EMR and the larger IIS database.

       A clear benefit of the 2D barcode over more traditional linear barcodes is that the 2D barcode can encode all the required information in a smaller footprint.  These tiny, square-shaped 2D barcodes can store not only a vaccine’s product information but also its lot number and expiration date.  A linear barcode can currently only support vaccine product information.   An NIH study forecast savings of several hundred million dollars over the next ten years as a result of using 2d barcodes, as well as improved immunization data quality.

      In addition to the pilot program implementing 2D barcodes on vaccines themselves, the CDC has also implemented a barcoding system for its Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) program.  In keeping with the more informed patient public (and federal law), Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) are “information sheets produced by the CDC that explain both the benefits and risks of a vaccine to vaccine recipients… federal law requires that healthcare staff provide a VIS to a patient, parent, or legal representative before each dose of certain vaccinations.”  The CDC has already implemented 2D barcodes on all its VIS sheets as part of its “modernization initiative.”

     The 2D barcodes on VISs require a 2D-compatible barcode scanner as well as software to read the data in the 2D VIS barcodes.  For medical offices already operating with some form of electronic medical records (EMRs), it is unlikely that major upgrades or expenses will be required in order to get up and running scanning the 2D VIS barcode information.  For providers using paper record systems, the 2D barcodes are not required, and the same information can still be manually entered into patient records.  The CDC is quick to note that the 2D barcodes on VIS sheets are optional and that providers not prepared to implement the technology need not fear the consequences of not having the required equipment.  However, possible benefits of using the 2D VIS barcodes include increased efficiency and accuracy: “Scanning the VIS barcode may reduce the time needed to record the VIS information and, more importantly, also reduce the chance of errors in transcribing this information. Additionally, in the future electronic medical records (EMR) vendors may support reading the VIS barcode into the EMR system and validate it against the vaccine selected for, or administered to the patient.”

      An important point to remember about the 2D barcode vaccine pilot program and the fuller VIS 2D barcode system is that the two systems are not related, and data from one does not relate to the other.  The CDC makes it clear that there is “no relationship” between the VIS barcodes and 2D barcodes on vaccine products like vials and syringes.  The different information contained in the two barcodes means they are unrelated and incompatible.

The healthcare system in our country is rapidly changing, and just as providers are getting used to one system, the Affordable Care Act ( “Obamacare”) is poised to come online in the next few months.  With all these shifting standards, there is a definite need for standardized immunization record systems that are efficient, accurate, and compatible with new EMR technology.  The 2D barcodes implemented in both the CDC pilot program for vaccine vials and syringes and those now appearing on all VIS sheets mean quick access to accurate, up-to-date information without the risk of human recording error.  When human lives are at risk, these barcodes can make a big difference in at both the patient and public health levels.

Written by Kathryn Cunningham 

Sources:

CDC.gov - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Institutes of Health  -  National Center for Biotechnology Information

New PDF Rasterizer Allows Vector PDF Conversions to Rasterize Images, and New Barcode Generator Allows Addition of 1D / 2D Barcodes to Captured Images

VANCOUVER – April 28, 2014 - Dynamsoft Corp. has updated its Dynamic .NET TWAIN software development kit (SDK) to version 5.2, which now provides developers with PDF and barcode add-ons that further simplify document and image handling and control. The PDF add-on is a rasterizer that lets users convert vector PDFs to rasterize images for quick viewing within built applications. The barcode generator SDK will let developers empower users to add 1D / 2D barcodes to captured images.

The SDK and add-ons are targeted for .NET application development. They are ideal for developers to use in creating image capture and processing functionalities within .NET-based document management applications. This includes image captures from scanners and webcams, along with barcode, optical character recognition (OCR), and PDF add-ons. Customizable scanning configurations include ADF; duplex; resolution; pixel type; and more. The PDF rasterizer supports formats including CCITT G3/G4, JPEG, Flate, LZW, RLE, ZIP compressed files, and PDF/A files. It also enables saving images into a variety of formats that include JPEG, PNG, TIFF, BMP and a byte array.

"As digital document workflows become more commonplace in every work environment, developers need tools to easily design and deploy useful document management and image capture applications," said Amy Gu, Vice President of Dynamsoft.  "Whether the need is for a desktop or web app, Dynamsoft remains committed to providing SDKs that foster advanced document management and image capture capabilities to drive productivity across many industries, from healthcare to finance, and more."

Dynamic .NET TWAIN is based on Microsoft's .NET framework and the TWAIN library is optimized for use in C# and Visual Basic .NET. It features built-in support for Windows® Forms (WinForms) and Windows® Presentation Foundation (WPF).

Pricing and Availability

Dynamsoft's Dynamic .NET TWAIN 5.2 SDK is available starting April 29, 2014. Licensing starts at $599 per developer and allows royalty-free distribution. The SDK can be purchased online at the company’s website. Multiple award-winning technical support channels are provided, including email, live chat, forum and phone.

About Dynamsoft Corp.

Founded in 2003, Dynamsoft Corp. provides enterprise-class version control software, TWAIN™ software development kits (SDK) and other document imaging SDKs. The imaging SDKs help today’s businesses seeking to migrate from wasteful paper-based workflows to efficient digitized document and records management. Dynamsoft is an associate member of the TWAIN Working Group that develops TWAIN standards. Thousands of customers use Dynamsoft's solutions. Customers include: 3M®; Apple®; EMC®; FUJIFILM Medical Systems U.S.A., Inc.; Fujitsu®; GE®; H&R Block®; HP®; IBM®, Intel®; InfoSys®; Lockheed Martin®; Olympus®; Philips®; PricewaterhouseCoopers®; Samsung®; Siemens®; Symantec®; Unisys®; Verizon®; and more.  More information is available at http://www.dynamsoft.com.

The Bar Code News (www.barcode.com), now in its 5th year,  does not sell software, hardware, bar code products or services - we are focused on bar code news, information and resources.  Our background in building and installing bar code systems goes back to 1985 however, and we've helped thousands of businesses get automated.  If you have a bar code related question, feel free to email us and we'll try to help. 

Other categories of news that may interest you:

Barcode News

Barcode Labels

Mobile Barcode News

Barcode iPhone Apps

RFID News

QR codes and 2D Barcode News

Many smartphone users are finding a new path to convenience and cost savings with coupon access through their credit/debit cards. These mobile coupons are targeted to the consumer’s location and preferences, and provide a hassle-free way to save money on the spot. For local retailers, mobile coupons are can effectively counter the consumer’s inclination to buy on-line, with instant savings on the products desired “right here, right now” at the point of sale.

CardSpring’s Application Programming Interface (API) gives developers a tool to make online applications for a credit or debit card. Each time the card is swiped, a link is created between the payment system and coupon redemption.

Apps most appropriate for this technology include those that focus on advertising and promotions, reviews of consumer experiences, and after-purchase discounts. While most mobile coupon apps require a smartphone, CardSpring’s technology does not. Rather, theirs is a secure connection between developers and the payment network.

RetailMeNot, the world’s largest on-line coupon site, uses CardSpring’s API. The company tested a mobile couponing beta in the unique setting of food trucks parked at Texas's SXSW (South by Southwest) Music Festival in Austin earlier this year. The beta was cleverly dubbed 'What the Truck?!' but company officials say that will change once the prototype is refined and offered to a wider market than just street dining.

In the SXSW test, users registered their credit cards then downloaded single-use mobile coupons from a designated mobile website. The new card-linked coupons showed the discount on the receipt at the point of sale. Customers experienced instant savings with a swipe of their card at the food truck.

The beta was successful enough that the company plans a roll out of its credit card-linked mobile coupons later this year with several nation-wide retailers. Consumers simply enter their credit or debit card number and load selected discounts to their card. When purchases are made, either on-line or at a local store, the discount is automatically deducted from the total.

By 2014, industry insiders estimate more than 32% of all mobile phone users will redeem mobile coupons. The advantage for the retailer is the opportunity to capture consumer behavior for use in future marketing planning and placement. Merchants can market their product or service at the exact time that consumers are ready to buy.

The result is increased revenue, better brand recognition and ultimately a stronger ROI. Mobile coupons also strengthen local businesses in their constant battle against on-line shopping, bringing the deals to the consumer instantly and in storefront locations through their mobile phones.

See related articles:

Mobile Loyalty Programs for Business

Mobile Shopping Apps Changing the Way People Shop

Restaurant Apps For Mobile Ordering Provide a Satisfying Experience

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K-Sun Announces the New PEARLabel® 400iXL Wide Format General Labeling Solution

 The K-Sun® PEARLabel® 400iXL General Labeling Solution pairs the new PEARLabel® 400iXL Energy-Star certified, wide-format thermal transfer printer with powerful new PC software for bar code, industrial and safety labeling, wide heat shrink tube markers, custom and compliant pipe markers, tags and more. It’s the professional labeling and visual communication solution for today’s workplaces.

The 400iXL General Labeling Solution is designed for warehouse, asset management, manufacturing, safety, 5S/Lean, GHS and facility professionals--anyone who needs to make compliant communication in-house and on demand, at a significant cost savings. The K-Sun® PEARLabel® 400iXL printer can print one-, two- and four-inch wide all-weather labels, bar codes and pipe markers up to 90” long plus die-cut label formats. The printer’s five-year warranty and supply performance guarantee is unbeatable. 

The 400iXL General Labeling Solution includes the intuitive K-Sun® MaxiLabel® Pro Ver 5.0 General Labeling Software for making industrial labels fast and easy, including bar codes and DM/QR codes, alphanumeric and bar code sequencing, GHS symbols and more. Easily import graphics, text and data. Select from almost 1,100 pre-designed or editable templates for caution/warning, pipes/valves, directions, safety, anti-disaster/crime scene, business, store/plant, hospital and school. More than 1,000 symbols include Abbreviations, ANSI, Arrows, Electrical, Environmental, Exit, Facility, Fire, GHS, ISO, WHMIS, IMO, Lab, Office, PPE, Recreation, Retail, Shipping, Target Organs and Transportation. Pre-defined signal words are available in 23 languages. 

The software features include a drop-down font view menu, date/time stamp, auto reverse type and toolbar short-cuts for patch panel, heat shrink tube and equipment/asset management.  A borderless printing feature allows the creation of tiled signs, tags and labels up to 16” inches high. A print-paste/multiply function makes larger labels in sections or in different colors. The ribbon-repeat function can automatically repeat symbols and words for barricade-style tape.  The software includes adjustable margin settings down to 1 mm to save money on materials.

MaxiLabel® Pro Ver 5.0 also works with all K-Sun® label printers, including the PEARLabel® 270 and 360 and the K-Sun® GREEN MACHINE®, to create heat shrink tube markers, bar codes, wire markers, wire wrap, iron-on fabric, magnetic tape, glow-in-the-dark, fluorescent and other adhesive labels from 4 mm (1/6”) to 36 mm (1 1/2”).

                With the purchase of the new K-Sun® PipeMarker ™ V8 software, the 400iXL General Labeling Solution can be used to make custom and compliant pipe markers in-house and on-demand. This reduces cost to pennies per pipe marker while cutting production time from days to minutes.  PipeMarker™ V8 has more than 800 pre-defined English, Spanish and bilingual pipe marker templates for 14 categories--from air and chemical to HVAC and water--that are compliant with ASME, OSHA, ANSI, IIAR, NFPA, CGA and NEC standards. K-Sun® PipeMarker™ V8 software can automatically convert markers to tag formats too.

MaxiLabel® Pro Ver 5.0 and PipeMarker™ V8 software programs are compatible with Windows® 8.1, 8, 7, Vista & XP. For more information, contact info@ksun.com, www.ksun.com or call 800-622-6312 Ext. 214.

Founded in 1978, K-Sun is an innovator of award-winning portable and desktop electronic thermal transfer label printers, software and supplies for marking and identification in laboratories, hospitals, industrial, manufacturing, lean/5S/visual workplaces, safety, law enforcement, wire/cabling, engineering, IT/datacom, electrical, construction, utilities, energy, and transportation plus offices, warehouses and shops across the world. K-Sun is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB).

A third-generation, family-owned company for more than 70 years, Accord Carton produces unique folding cartons designed to help customers best showcase their products. Headquartered in Alsip, Ill., with an additional location in Grand Rapids, Mich., Accord Carton delivers quality-finished cartons to companies in a variety of industries, including food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and personal care.

Challenge

Accord Carton has always sought to invest in the latest technologies to ensure that it has the tools to fulfill its customers’ packaging needs. Equipped with some of the most state-of-the-art technology, the company’s facility in Alsip is a crane-served, high-density, high-storage warehouse that uses robots to move pallets to the conveyors to prepare for distribution.

Despite its existing automation technologies, Accord Carton realized it needed a more efficient method of data capture and entry. While the company was able to automatically confirm that a pallet met the dimensions of the racking system, its workers had to manually record the human-readable data off of a load tag and enter it into its warehouse database. Because this process was time-consuming and put Accord Carton at risk for errors, the company wanted to remove the manual data entry process and grab a key identifier that would allow it to seamlessly link databases. In addition, Accord Carton was unable to produce pallet-level reports and lacked valuable, real-time insight into its inventory.

Solution
Although Accord Carton’s system was capable of producing barcodes, the nature of its product, the different pallet types, and their inability to utilize fixed tags led the company to determine that an RFID pallet tracking system would be the best-fitting solution. To help bring its plans for an RFID system to fruition, Accord Carton selected Barcoding, Inc., a leader in enterprise-wide data capture and RFID systems.

“Barcoding was very responsive to our needs and able to explain in depth everything we needed to know about implementing RFID for pallet tracking,” said Robert Mintari, IT manager, Accord Carton.

Barcoding’s solution incorporated RFID readers from its partner, Impinj, which were installed in three different zones in Accord Carton’s Alsip facility, and Barcoding's RFID RealView™ software. RFID RealView is a comprehensive, yet customizable RFID asset tracking software solution designed to track critical assets and inventory in real time. For the final piece of the solution, Barcoding integrated the RFID system with Accord Carton’s existing ERP and WMS databases, which use Open Database Connectivity (ODBC). In February 2012, Barcoding’s RFID solution went live at Accord Carton’s Alsip location.

Results
Since implementing Barcoding’s real-time RFID asset tracking solution, Accord Carton has realized new efficiencies and enhanced its pallet-tracking capabilities. Now, as a tagged pallet moves off the production line and crosses into the receiving area, the RFID reader picks up and stores the pallet’s data, creating a link between Accord Carton’s two databases and automatically updating the finished goods inventory. There is no need for human intervention, thus eliminating the likelihood of errors from manual data entry, while saving time. Plus, with RFID RealView, the company can instantly locate pallets, monitor inventory levels, and access a detailed history of pallet movement.

“We’ve increased the accuracy of information and decreased the costs associated with obtaining the information pertaining to pallet movement,” said William Codo, owner of Accord Carton. “We are recording our most accurate inventory levels to date.”

Looking forward, Accord Carton would like to expand its RFID system, conducting further database integration, and even putting readers at its dock doors so that each individual pallet is automatically identified as it rolls onto the truck. Then, this data could be converted into a bill of lading.

For all future plans, Accord Carton will be able to draw from what it learned during this initial RFID project.

“When all the components of an RFID system are properly in place, the technology does exactly what is intended,” Mintari concluded. “However, one thing we learned throughout this process is the importance of securing buy-in from all the people involved in order to ensure a successful implementation.”

About Barcoding, Inc.

Barcoding, Inc. is a national systems integrator, specializing in the development, deployment, and management of supply chain and mobility systems based on automated data capture and wireless technology. More than 2,500 organizations depend on Barcoding, Inc. as their trusted advisor for barcoding and radio frequency identification (RFID) applications automating operations in: field service, food and beverage, healthcare, manufacturing and distribution, retail, transportation and logistics, and wholesale inventory. For more information, visit www.barcoding.com.

2D Imagers are meeting today’s requirements – with an eye on the future.

As businesses look to increase scanning operations, many look for products that not only meet today’s standards, but also offer capabilities for the future. This saves not only time, but offers an increased ROI and long-term potential.

Today, 2D imaging represents only about 25 percent of the scanning market, but is one of the fastest growing technologies.

Back when 2D first entered the market it was still slower than traditional 1D lasers and imagers, causing many users to avoid it all together. However, because 2D easily reads barcodes in any orientation, can decode 1D and 2D, and can capture  images, signatures and videos, companies are beginning to understand the benefits.

One 2D imager has changed the way the industry captures data? The Intermec EA30.

The EA30 is the first and only 2D imager to provide 50 times more motion tolerance than standard 2D imagers, and doesn't require bar code alignment to achieve high read rates, adding a clear performance advantage to your product.

With the EA30 High Performance Scan Engine, Intermec handheld scanners are equipped with the market’s fastest 2D Imager, allowing customers not only to read 1D and 2D barcodes at 500 inches per second, but also going beyond barcodes.

Users can now not only easily read barcodes in any orientation, but the EA30 enables users to capture images, signatures and videos.

After having introduced the EA30 last year, Intermec is committed to offer this technology across its handheld scanner product range, from general purpose (such as the SG20) to industrial handheld readers (like the SR61).

In short, the EA30 can offer businesses the flexibility to be successful by providing high performance scanning for today’s bar code scanning needs and adding a functionality that provides protection against changing requirements.

Here’s more on how the EA30 fits into Intermec’s product portfolio:

Intermec SG20 General Duty 2D Imager

The new SG20 scanner, announced in February 2012, speeds the customer checkout experience with the industry's fastest 2D bar code imaging technology for quick, flawless scans – every time.

Equipped with the new EA30 2D Imager, the SG20THP and SG20BHP not only read 1D and 2D barcodes, but also increase productivity and value add for counter top operations by enabling image capture (e.g. ID control) and feature the ability to even read barcodes on mobile phones (e.g. couponing, access control, loyalty cards).

Other benefits include:

• The fastest 2D Imager in the market to boost your countertop operational efficiency

• The ability to capture images and read barcodes on mobile phones to add value to your application

• A large LED indicator provides effective visual operational feedback

• Unique, ergonomic styling maximizes comfort and saves countertop space

• Bluetooth® wireless or tethered (cabled) connectivity

• A wide range of multi-purpose accessories increase scanner flexibility

• Seamless integration with point-of-sale systems, personal computers, and common software solutions

Intermec SR61THP and SR61BHP Industrial Imager

The Intermec SR61THP (high performance) and SR61BHP (Bluetooth capable) are the new generation in industrial 2D imaging, offering best in class motion tolerance and time to read, providing a distinct performance advantage to its users. The SR61THP and SR61BHP also offer:

• A performance advantage as the only 2D imager to provide 50 times more motion tolerance than standard imagers

• A future-proofed imager to capture images, signatures and reads 1D, 2D, composite and stacked codes

• A highly visible aimer makes intensive bar code scanning and image capture easy and comfortable

• A rugged design that withstands extreme temperatures, vibrations and shock for extended use in tough environments

The EA30 also offers:

Time to Read: It’s truly best in class, besting traditional lasers by 20 percent. Plus, by using a continuous laser line in the center of its frame, users are adopting much faster than previous 2D integrations. This makes the EA30 idea for applications on the move, such as picking, cross docking, tracking and manufacturing.

Productivity: As the first 2D imager in its class to deliver 500 IPS motion tolerance, the EA30 is truly “insensitive” – making scanning more efficient no matter the conditions. This is perfect for environments where barcodes need to be read on the move – such as the case with picking, sorting and tracking.

Visibility: The EA30 was designed specifically to work in the most hostile environments, operating in complete darkness to full sunshine while being exposed to a wide temperature range. It also complies with the most stringent standards for shock and vibration.

And these are just a few of the highlights. As businesses plan for the future of their scanning needs, the EA30 offers the ability to support ID, stacked, composite and 2D matrix codes to assure users their investment is protected for both current and future industry scanning standards.

The EA30 is also available within Intermec 70 Series mobile computers (CN70, CN70e, CK70, CK71).

To learn more about 2D Imaging benefits, receive the Intermec’s 2D Imaging White Paper by clicking onto this link: http://solutions.intermec.com/US?elqPURLPage=7&CampaignID=701A0000000OeA1IAK&VER=EN&CTRYLANG=US&TYPE=&utm_source=&utm_medium=&utm_term=&utm_content=

To read more about Intermec 2D Imagers, use the following link: http://www.intermec.com/products/bar_code_scanners/index.aspx

About the Author

Cedric Mollon is Marketing Manager, Data Capture at Intermec and is based in the company's Toulouse, France office. Mollon has more than 15 years of product management and business development experience within the high tech industry.

About Intermec

Intermec Inc. (NYSE:IN) is in the business of helping you achieve the most return from your automated information and data capture (AIDC) and mobile computing systems. That means we do more than design and build the industry's most complete lineup of rugged, reliable and versatile equipment. We also work with you to get inside your challenges, to know your unique situation and then leverage our strong relationships with resellers and industry-leading alliance partners to help you create a total solution that harmonizes with your networks, platforms and processes. Our collaborative, connected approach can ensure a more complete and seamless implementation whether your needs call for our Gen2 RFID, bar code systems, rugged computers or a Cisco WLAN infrastructure.

Related articles:

New Desktop Barcode Printer for Healthcare Labels and Wristbands from Intermec

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Denso-ADC, the inventor of the QR code, has announced a new Bluetooth barcode scanner.

The AT27Q-SB offers scanning of 2-D barcodes, such as the QR Code®, as well as 1-D barcodes. Bluetooth® 2.1 technology enables wireless communication with mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets, in addition to traditional PCs.

A high-speed shutter eliminates the effect of camera shake, so barcodes can be scanned from any direction within 360 degrees, for increased operator efficiency. Advanced anti-reflection technology allows reliable reading of barcodes on the LCD screens of mobile phones.

The use of the latest DENSO algorithms and an increased number of pixels enables trouble-free scanning of wide barcodes. An advanced-design scanning engine handles 1-D barcodes with module resolutions down to 0.125 mm and 2-D codes down to 0.167 mm, giving the AT27Q-SB an extended application range.

The compact, lightweight and ergonomic design of the AT27Q-SB makes it easy to hold and use, reducing operator fatigue.

Antimicrobial materials incorporated into the AT27Q-SB’s housing helps prevent the growth of bacteria, mold and fungi, making the AT27Q-SB ideal for applications where devices are shared.

The AT27Q-SB is also highly durable, with a rugged, shock-absorbing construction that withstands rigorous drop testing onto concrete. In addition, the device features IP42 dust and water-resistant protection, as well as a connector-cable locking mechanism that helps prevent damage to the connector and cable.

To learn more about the new AT27Q-SB handheld scanner, along with other AT20Q-Series devices, visit www.denso-adc.com/products/AT20Q.

Other barcode news may be found by clicking on the categories below.   Please be sure to let vendors know that you have seen them on www.barcode.com.   Thank you.

• The BarCode News
• Barcode Labels
• Mobile Barcode News
• Barcode iPhone Apps
• RFID News
• QR codes and 2D

Company Profile

SteadyServ® Technologies was founded in Carmel, Indiana in 2012 with the vision that hard-working staff members at bars and restaurants should never
run out of beer again. The SteadyServ iKeg™ system is a mobile, SaaS-based inventory and order management system for the beer industry that provides real-time intelligence for retail establishment and distributor sales staff members via an app for iOS or Android devices, in addition to a web SaaS portal.

SteadyServ gives retailers the power to know which beer is selling best, what is popular nearby, and what’s on tap near them, giving them a clear competitive advantage. Using the iKeg app, retailers also know exactly what they have in their cooler and what draft mixes are most effective to ensure taps are being rotated efficiently.

The patent pending iKeg technology also ensures that retailers’ orders are delivered directly into their distributors’ order management system. Orders can be placed via voice, text, email or direct EDI — all through the iKeg app.

Business Situation

The SteadyServ iKeg system provides real-time intelligence for beer retail establishments and distributors. This solution provides retailers with up-to-the-minute visibility into their current inventory of keg beer sold, as well as consumption metrics for a particular brand of beer.
In addition, the iKeg system provides for synchronization with the respective beer distributor’s order management system to ensure that a retailer’s inventory consistently meets customer demand.

SteadyServ’s solution relies upon NFC tags to associate kegs of beer from the point of distribution to the retailer. While seeking to procure a custom-designed NFC tag product that would be amenable for attaching to a beer keg, SteadyServ connected with Identiv.
Technical Situation

The iKeg solution required pairing a beer keg’s iKeg sensor with an NFC tag. SteadyServ Technologies needed an NFC label solution that they could trust – a solution that would meet the necessary technical and environmental criteria (i.e., chip memory, the physicality of attaching a label to a beer keg, etc.), while also providing on-demand printing/encoding.

Solution

SteadyServ worked with Identiv to devise a custom NFC tag, providing a solution that conveniently attached to a beer keg, similar to the way in which airline baggage tags are attached to checked-in luggage. The tag was designed for best-read range and to meet the memory requirements for the iKeg use case. Part of this solution required the identification/design-in of an NFC label printer/encoder manufactured by Datamax-Oneil.

Identiv was able to provide the technical NFC expertise on NFC transponders. There are a large variety of NFC transponder options, including the type of chip (i.e., NFC Types 1 - 4), size of the antenna and the final form factor. Each NFC use case requires attention to specific criteria, including what is being tagged, material composition, desired read range, and amount of data to be encoded into the NFC transponder chip.

Benefits

Identiv’s knowledge in the connected world of NFC technology and network of manufacturing partners provided the collaborative path by which a specific manufacturer of NFC label/printer encoders was able to design-in this custom NFC label tag with one of their products. This collaboration in Identiv’s network of partners has provided SteadyServ with an on-demand printing/encoding solution of custom-designed NFC labels for beer kegs.

Beer sales in the US is a $100 billon-a-year business. Draft beer makes up $20 billion of that amount. With 300,000 national establishments that sell draft beer supported by 3,000 wholesaler/distributors, SteadyServ’s goal is to use the iKeg solution to capture 30% of this market in the next 5 to 7 years.

About Identiv

Identiv is a global security technology company that establishes trust in the connected world, including premises, information and everyday items. CIOs, CSOs and product departments rely upon Identiv’s trust solutions to reduce risk, achieve compliance and protect brand identity. Identiv’s trust solutions are implemented using standards-driven products and technology, such as digital certificates, mobility and cloud services.

There are some great bar code resources on the Internet and here on barcode.com. Our mission at The Bar Code News is to be the "Go-To Site for everything Bar Code™" so we want to make it easy for you to access the best resources out there. Resources will include some of our most popular articles about bar codes, getting started with bar codes, how-to articles, videos and more. Many of these articles will provide links to other sources.

If you cannot find what you need, please email us and we will try to help you. Please let us know if you have ideas or suggestions about the page, and be sure to Bookmark this page for future reference!

Written by Erin Thayer 

Also see:

Assorted RFID Resources

QR Code Resources

Resource Page: Scanner Apps for Smartphones & Tablets

Point of Sale (POS) Resources

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