Is There More To CCD Scanners Than Meets The Eye?

What more is there to know about CCD (charge-coupled device) scanners? First, if you think these are the scanners you hook up to your computer for scanning your children's photos, you're reading the wrong article. The scanners in question are used primarily for scanning bar codes, and come in either handheld or fixed-mount configurations. If you know anything about CCD scanners, you probably already know that they are safer than their laser counterparts because they use an LED (light emitting diode) for their illumination. You probably also know the prices of CCD scanners have plummeted in recent years due to advancements in related consumer electronics - namely, digital cameras. Finally, it's common knowledge that CCD scanners can read not only 1-D, but 2-D bar codes and can also act as a digital camera in some applications. So what more do you need to know? Well, if you're a VAR or integrator that still wants to make a few bucks on a hardware item with a slim margin, some industry experts have a few suggestions.

Not All CCD Technology Is Created Equal
The first thing to know about CCD technology is that there are two types: linear and area. "Linear CCDs, sometimes called 'linear imagers', are based on low cost technology, and provide traditional bar code, and in some cases PDF417 [a 2-D bar code], decode capability," explained Mark Correa, senior product manager with Symbol Technologies (Holtsville, NY). "But, linear CCDs don't have the capability to capture images, signatures, or video. On the other hand, area imagers are based on more expensive camera technology and processors. These scanners can read linear and 2-D bar codes as well as capture still and video images. The two technologies address different segments of the market and have their own benefits, adoption rates, and ROIs," he concluded.

There Are New Markets Out There
The big question on most VARs' minds is, What new markets are out there that are in need of bar code scanners? Don't even think about the retail POS (point of sale) market. Although all kinds of bar code scanners are prevalent in POS, the market has become saturated. In fact, Tom Ruhlman, director of product marketing for scanner manufacturer HHP (Skaneateles Falls, NY), said, "Handheld scanners are becoming more of a commodity in retail POS applications. The markets where linear imaging is making headway against laser solutions include warehousing and manufacturing environments. The growing market acceptance of 2-D symbologies is driving this trend." Both the recent General Motors and Boeing compliance labeling initiatives support Ruhlman's contentions.

Some other emerging markets mentioned by Correa that combine bar code data capture and image capture include:

• The public safety market - where linear and PDF417 bar codes exist on identification cards, and users seek to capture a facial image or crime/accident scene image.
• The transportation and logistics market - where traditional and 2-D bar codes exist, and users seek to capture signatures and images of the condition of parcels, pallets, and truckloads.
• The postal market - where bar codes are read, and postal workers capture images of parcels and address blocks for key-from-image operations and to drive OCR (optical character recognition) engines.

Don't Forget About Fixed-Mount CCD Scanners
While much of our discussion thus far has concerned handheld CCD scanners, we would be remiss if we didn't mention the opportunities for the fixed-mount (stationary) versions. Maybe it's because these stationary types of scanners are often associated with POS applications, that some AIDC (automatic identification and data collection) VARs often overlook them. Or, maybe it's because new markets for these types of scanners have only become more conspicuous in recent years. "There really was not an industrial fixed-mount CCD market for large DOF [depth of field] applications three years ago," said Andrew D'Amelio, director of sales, industrial scanning systems, at Metrologic Instruments, Inc. (Blackwood, NJ). "Certain transportation companies had homegrown solutions, but the technology was not commercially available. Yes, there were CCD scanners being used in small DOF, fixed label location, manufacturing types of applications. However, they were not being widely used for omnidirectional scanning [e.g. reading parcels on a conveyor belt], requiring a large DOF."

Unlike their handheld counterparts, these scanners often require more of the services of a VAR or integrator during the installation process. For example, when used for high-speed parcel sorting and tracking, these scanners need to be precisely mounted in order for the CCD to perform correctly. That performance is usually measured in first-pass read rate.

Offer Customers An Easy, Safe, Durable Product
It's no secret what customers want. They want a low price, right? Beyond price, they usually want a product that is easy to install and can endure a lot of abuse. With any kind of CCD scanner, you can offer both of these last two features (overcoming the price issue is up to you). However, Correa cautions that using handheld CCD scanners is not the same as using laser versions. "With a laser scanner, the user places the laser line across a bar code to decode it," he explained. "If the laser line doesn't cross all the bars and spaces, the user intuitively moves the scanner closer or farther from the symbol to achieve a decode. Imagers must use a separate aiming feature to tell the user if the code is positioned correctly. Since imagers are cameras, they are less tolerant of motion and lighting conditions."

On the other hand, selling a customer on the durability of a CCD scanner is a no-brainer. After all, these products have no moving parts. "The longer warranties being offered [five years is common] on CCD scanners are a testament to these devices' durability," Ruhlman noted. "But, durability is also explained in real-life work environments. Heck, we use our scanners as hammers to pound nails to drive our point about durability." Now that's something you probably didn't know you could do with CCD scanners.