Barcode Reader Recommentations-

[Louis Manfredi]

Hi Folks:

Working on a production tester, and I want to have a barcode reader to read the DUT's serial number tag.

Does anyone have recommendations/anti-recommendations for brands or models to use with LabVIEW? USB is probably best for my PXI-based application?

Naturally, I'm happier with one that has got a good LV driver available, all things equal.

Thanks in Advance & Best Regards, Louis

[David Boyd]

QUOTE(Louis Manfredi @ Jan 9 2008, 04:12 PM)

Hi Folks:

Working on a production tester, and I want to have a barcode reader to read the DUT's serial number tag.

Does anyone have recommendations/anti-recommendations for brands or models to use with LabVIEW? USB is probably best for my PXI-based application?

Naturally, I'm happier with one that has got a good LV driver available, all things equal.

Thanks in Advance & Best Regards, Louis

Louis,

Not sure if you meant a handheld barcode reader, as opposed to a fixed solution for scanning items passing by on a conveyor, so I don't know if my experience/recommendations are relevant. I've used various Intermec handheld devices, such as:

• Intermec 1552/9245 wireless handheld gun (pistol grip type), interfaced as a keyboard wedge
  
• Intermec 1551C tethered handheld gun (also pistol grip), variously interfaced as keyboard wedge, serial port, USB
  
• Intermec SF51 wireless gun (penlight-grip), Bluetooth-interfaced, configurable as a virtual serial port or virtual keyboard wedge
  

The SF51 is the newest and least expensive solution of the three (about 700USD IIRC), andworks well over long distances when paired with either the Intermec-supplied BT USB dongle or the BT radio built in to my laptop. I chose to support it by using VISA to read its virtual serial interface - very straightforward. For decoded handheld scanners which typically return a string of scanned characters with perhaps a preamble and/or termination sequence, there's not much 'driver' involved - most of the work of interpreting the string is task-specific.

My .02USD, and worth all you paid for it :laugh:

Best regards,

Dave

[James N]

Hello Louis,

We've used a couple dozen Symbol LS9100. They've held up pretty well in a clean-room manufacturing enviroment. I don't know who actually spec'd that paticular one or why.

I would fully recommend a "keyboard wedge" type. It behaves as if you typed in the barcode from the keyboard.

http://www.taltech.com/products/interface.htm

Part of this article states:

Also, if you need to modify the data in any way before it goes into the application program running in the PC, you cannot do this.

Which is completely false if your the one writing the application program.

I'm sure all models let you configure various aspects, such as appending a carriage return after the scan. Which is handy to automatically start a test.

-James

[LAVA 1.0 Content]

Hi,

I use many of HHP 3800 in clean room and warehouse environement and we are satisfied.

I use a keyboard wedge, so the drivers are useless.

Eric

[Louis Manfredi]

Hi Folks:

Thanks to all, this gives me a good starting point.

Louis

[jzoller]

Be sure to match to your specs. If you're going to have 5 barcodes on the label, you will probably want to read them all and differentiate, rather than trying to line up the correct one.

I've used Symbol wedge scanners as well. They work well for single code scan. In the past, I've looked at a low end machine vision system from Cognex (this one) that would allow me to scan anything sales manages to come up with... The system seemed solid, though it was more expensive and only ActiveX interface.

Joe Z.

[David Boyd]

QUOTE(jzoller @ Jan 10 2008, 02:36 PM)

Be sure to match to your specs. If you're going to have 5 barcodes on the label, you will probably want to read them all and differentiate, rather than trying to line up the correct one.

To add to JoeZ's point about differentiating between multiple barcode targets - I typically turn on an option on the BC reader which adds a preamble to the scan which tells what barcode format (30f9, UPC, Codabar, code128, etc) was detected. Between that and the length of the scanned item, I hopefully can uniquely determine which of the targets the user 'hit'. (You can also disable unneeded code types at the scanner, to perhaps avoid users scanning a bag of Cheese-Its and feeding your app bad data ) It helps if you can have some say in how the product barcodes are encoded/formatted, so you can accept user input in arbitrary order.

Dave

[Louis Manfredi]

QUOTE(David Boyd @ Jan 10 2008, 10:15 PM)

...It helps if you can have some say in how the product barcodes are encoded/formatted, so you can accept user input in arbitrary order.

Dave

This should be possible, The DUT won't have a barcode at all until I ask for one to be put on.

Best Regards & Thanks, Louis