Barcode scanners are used in many types of businesses from retail to manufacturing. By having barcodes on products or materials, companies can keep an accurate inventory and monitor sales.
The introduction of barcode scanners has made the role of stocktaking much easier and faster. However, it also means that you need to keep the scanners in good working order.
Here is how to tell when your commercial barcode scanner needs to be repaired.
Damaged Optics or Dirt on the Lens
One of the most important parts of the scanner is the lens and optics. These are the way the scanner sees the barcode, and if these are damaged or dirty, then it can misread the barcode. Often this will result in an error, but occasionally it might read the barcode number incorrectly which will cause issues with the inventory.
If the problem is a dirty lens, then this can be cleaned with a soft cloth. However, great care must be taken that no scratches or marks are put on the lens or this will make scanning difficult. If you have attempted to clean the lens but it is still marked, then it is advisable to get it looked at by a company such as Mobile Computer Repair.
No Scanner Beam
If you discover that there is no beam coming from the scanner, then there could either be a problem with the configuration or perhaps a faulty scanner unit. One of the first things that you can do is reset the scanner to its factory defaults and see if this resolves the issue.
However, if this fails to fix the fault, then there could be a problem with the optics that will need specialist repair. This is one of the reasons why many companies have spare scanner units available in case one of them fails.
It is a good idea to check the stock scanned before the fault with the unit to ensure it has read the barcodes correctly.
Scanner Beeps But Does Not Send Data
There are a couple of scenarios that could cause a scanner to beep but not send data. One of them could be that the lens or the optics are dirty and need to be cleaned. Another cause could be that the user isn’t using the scanner correctly. The beam needs to be aligned correctly to effectively read the barcode.
If those remedies fail to help, then there is one other option before it will need to be sent for repair. You can unplug the scanner and reconnect it and reset the scanner to factory settings. If these steps fail to resolve the problem, then it will need to be sent for repair.
Misreading Barcodes
As touched on earlier, sometimes a scanner can misread the barcode. This can cause a problem with inventory so needs to be resolved as soon as possible.
Apart from cleaning the lens and resetting the scanner, there is one other option that you can try. Check the settings of the scanner to see if it is set to read the correct type of barcode. Some scanners have settings for different bar codes along with a minimum and maximum character variable.
After checking the settings, check the barcode with another scanner to make sure the barcode isn’t at fault. If the problem remains with the scanner, then it will need to be sent away for repair.
Checks and Training
The above problems show the importance of checking every barcode scanner before use. By quickly checking the settings and optics, you can identify any problems and resolve them or send the unit for repair.
Another important issue is training. Often new scanners will have additional features that might not be apparent. This is why any new scanners that are used by workers need to have the right training so that they are used correctly.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that barcode scanners have made the job of inventory much easier. However, there are also issues that can arise from using the scanners and it is important to identify them early so that they can be resolved.
