There ‘s a great way to choose a barcode scanner

In recent years, domestic major shopping malls, chain stores and other commercial enterprises have realized the huge benefits of commercial POS system to commercial enterprise management, and have built commercial POS network system. The design and installation principle of the network system is introduced in detail in various industrial journals. This paper mainly discusses how to choose one of the commercial barcode scanners as the front-end data acquisition part of the commercial POS system.

There are three common commercial barcode scanners : CCD barcode scanner, laser barcode scanner and angle laser barcode scanner.

1. CCD barcode scanner uses the principle of photoelectric coupling ( CCD ) to image the barcode printing pattern, and then decode it. Its advantages are : no shaft, motor, long service life. The price is cheap.

When choosing one CCD scanner, two important parameters are : Depth of field :

Because the CCD imaging principle is similar to the camera, if you want to increase the depth of field, the corresponding increase lens, so that the CCD volume is too large, inconvenient to operate. A good CCD should be readable without sticking to the bar code, with moderate volume and comfortable operation.

Resolution : If you want to improve the resolution of CCD, you must increase the unit element of the photosensitive element at the image. Low-cost CCD is generally five pixels, read EAN, UPC and other commercial code is enough, for other code recognition will be difficult. The mid-range CCD is more than 1024 pixels, some even up to 2048pixe1, can distinguish the narrow unit element of 0.1mm bar code.

2. The laser barcode scanner is a single-line scanner using two laser tubes as light sources. It mainly has two types : rotary mirror and vibrato mirror

Which uses a high-speed motor to drive a prism group to rotate, so that the single point laser emitted by the two tubes becomes a line. This laser line is scanned to the bar code itself. Bar code black absorbs most of the laser, and white reflects most of the laser. At the same time, the reflected light is reflected through the optical lens in the ‘ engine ’, and is focused on a photoelectric three-tube. Observations in the time domain show that the photoelectric three-tube low level on the bar code black belt, and high level on the white belt. After several amplifications, a rectangular wave is shaped, and the rectangular wave corresponds to the scanned bar code. The obtained waveform is transmitted to the decoder through the data line. ‘Decoder ‘ is actually a single chip microcomputer. It mainly depends on interrupt and single chip counter to record the waveform jump time. The collected array is decoded in the next scan or back scan. It mainly depends on the time ratio of these counters to decode the corresponding bar code. In practical application, there are many kinds of bar code, and irregular packaging wrinkles such as bubble surface, so the decoding part needs certain fault tolerance, but cannot produce error code. At present, the decoder is generally divided into 8 bit and 32 bit, 8 bit advantage is price, 32 bit is speed. The laser bar code market is cluttered with dragons, but also followed the ccd scanner dust, prices have repeatedly fallen, cottage, but there are several powerful domestic manufacturers, consumers need to carefully consider what brand, choose more suitable.

The cost of trembling mirror is lower than that of rotating mirror, but this principle of laser gun is not easy to improve the scanning speed, generally 33 times per second.

When commercial enterprises choose one of the laser scanners, it is more important to pay attention to the scanning speed and resolution, and the depth of field isn’t a key factor. Because when the depth of field increases, the resolution will be greatly reduced. A good handheld laser scanner should have high scanning speed and high resolution within a fixed depth of field.

3. The angle scanner is a barcode scanner that refracts the laser emitted by the laser diode or multiple scanning lines through the optical system. The main purpose is to reduce the labor of aligning the bar code when the cashier enters the bar code data. One of the choices should focus on the spot distribution of the scanning line :

1.There are many parallel lines in one direction

2. Multiple scan lines pass at one point

3. The interpretation probability of each point tends to be consistent within a certain space

The angle scanner which conforms to the above three points must be one of the applications of business choice.

If you have any interest or query during the selection or use of any pos , please Click the link below send your inquiry to our official mail (admin@minj.cn) directly! MINJCODE is committed to the research and development of pos technology and application equipment, our company has 14 years of industry experience in the professional fields, and has been highly recognized by the majority of customers!

Targeted selection strategy for commercial scenarios

*Match device performance to business scale

In scenarios with stable customer traffic, such as small convenience stores and community supermarkets, basic CCD scanners barcode can usually meet basic needs. Such devices should focus on durability and plug-and-play functionality to reduce maintenance costs. For high-transaction environments like chain supermarkets and large shopping malls, barcode laser scanners equipped with 32-bit decoders should be prioritized to ensure over 50 scans per second during peak hours, thereby reducing customer wait times.

*Selecting scanning technology based on product characteristics

For daily necessities with flat packaging and standardized barcodes, both CCD and laser scanners are suitable. However, for products with packaging featuring bubble wrap, wrinkles, or curved surfaces (such as cosmetics and bottled beverages), laser scanners offer superior interference resistance. For small items with randomly positioned barcodes (such as stationery and accessories), angle laser scanners can significantly improve operational efficiency.

*Consider system compatibility

Commercial scanners must integrate seamlessly with POS systems. Therefore, it is essential to confirm the supported interface protocols (such as USB or RS232) before procurement to ensure data synchronization with cash register software and inventory management systems. For example, barcode scanners from manufacturers like MINJCODE support multi-system compatibility and customized development, better meeting the long-term development needs of commercial enterprises.

Key Points for Balancing Cost and Quality

When selecting commercial equipment, it is essential to consider both initial investment and long-term costs. Low-cost equipment may lead to issues such as scanning delays and high failure rates, thereby increasing operational losses; conversely, overly pursuing high-end features may result in budget wastage. Therefore, it is recommended to choose brands that offer a 1-2 year warranty and on-site repair services, preferably products from reputable manufacturers certified by CE and FCC. This ensures quality while minimizing maintenance risks. Additionally, when making bulk purchases, consider the manufacturer's wholesale discount policies to further optimize procurement costs.

The core of selecting a commercial barcode scanner lies in “scenario adaptation.” Clearly defining your business's transaction frequency, product characteristics, and system requirements is key to finding the balance between performance and cost. By making an informed choice among CCD, laser, and angle laser devices, you can inject efficient and stable front-end power into your POS system, thereby enhancing overall business operational efficiency.