Each year, VDC surveys users of AIDC technologies (i.e., handheld scanners, stationary scanners, barcode printers, barcode printer consumables) to learn about their current and planned investments and to understand how budget allocation is changing, amongst other topics. While end-user budgets for barcode systems declined by 53% in 2009 as a result of the recession, we’re now seeing increased AIDC budget allocation in every primary vertical market.

Commercial Services Sector Continues to Scale
Much of the demand in this sector is being fueled by field sales / field service operators who have invested heavily in inventory management solutions. Route accounting, signature capture, work order management and vehicle tracking applications will be among the fastest growing within this sector.

Government Budgets Surged in 2010, Slowing in 2011
In 2010, both military and civilian agencies continued to invest in AIDC technologies to improve security, ensure compliance with government regulations and reduce costs. While much of the growth associated with the North American stimulus has played out, government agencies across the globe will continue to invest in barcoding to reduce operating expenses, grow revenues and improve services. High growth applications in the government sector include asset tracking, access control and e-citations.

Health Care Budgets Continue to Scale Predictably
For years, pundits have been predicting that demand for AIDC solutions in the health care sector will explode. Each year the sector disappoints … or does it? While we have yet to see barcodes penetrate the health care sector the way they have the supply chain, we continue to see measured progress reflected in the budgets of those respondents we survey. Patient identification, prescription labeling and medication administration are the applications that are receiving the strongest investment consideration in this sector.

Manufacturing Coming Back On-Line
Historically, operators in this sector invested heavily in inventory management, barcode verification and shipping / receiving solutions, but work in process, reverse logistics and quality control are among the fastest growing applications in this installation environment. Essentially, barcode utilization continues to move from the periphery of manufacturing operations (receiving and shipping) inward, supporting processes core to production. When linked with quality systems, these data capture applications become a key source of differentiation for manufacturers, enabling operators to reduce costs, improve quality and increase efficiency.

Hospitality Budgets Surged in 2010, Flat in 2011
The hospitality segment is often given short shrift by all but a short list of AIDC suppliers. VDC witnessed a marked increase in AIDC budget allocation between 2009 and 2010, as hospitality operators complemented their core POS investments with next generation applications ranging from self-checkout to Guest / Attendee Check-in and mobile POS. Respondents in this sector increasingly see AIDC technologies as a means capture relevant information about their most profitable customers, and are putting this information to use, deriving the business intelligence needed to target and improve their services.

Retail Took an Extended Beating, but Budgets are Growing Again
Retailers trimmed their AIDC budgets in 2009 and 2010, but growth is returning to the sector as legacy equipment is refreshed and retailers invest in barcode technologies to address their self-service and CRM initiatives. Mobile marketing is the sweet spot bridging these initiatives for many retailers, and imaging will figure prominently as a supporting platform technology. VDC is extending its retail automation coverage in 2011, and will be providing more comprehensive coverage of core, self-service and next generation customer engagement technologies.

Convergence Will Drive Demand in the Transportation / Logistics Sector
We’re seeing barcode technologies converging with complementary AIDC technologies in nearly every sector we cover. Nowhere is this convergence more pronounced than in the T&L sector. Warehouse operators are increasingly pairing barcodes with complementary technologies like imaging, RFID and voice recognition to combat fraud and make data capture investments failsafe, all while obtaining greater visibility to goods in transit and increasing the ability to leverage business intelligence. Reverse logistics, order fulfillment, task interleaving and cross docking will be among the fastest growing on-premise applications, while order entry, route accounting and signature capture will be among the fastest growing off-premise applications within this sector.

SOURCE: Honeywell

TSC is delighted to learn about these “new” printer designs, and for good reason: our competitors are quietly admitting what we’ve known all along – that desktop-printer designs that use 300-meter ribbons have a much lower operational cost. They are now working furiously to catch up, but have a long way to go.

300-meter-ribbon printers since 1996
TSC introduced its first 300-meter-ribbon desktop printer model in 1996. For more than 15 years, we have set ourselves apart from our competitors by offering the most affordable, durable, and lowest-cost-of-operation desktop printers on the market.

TSC pioneered the development of small desktop printers using 300-meter rolls of ribbon and 8-inch-OD rolls of labels – large sizes typically used by much more expensive metal-chassis industrial printers. Our popular desktop printers feature dual gear-driven motors that have the power to pull those large rolls of thermal-transfer ribbon and labels through their print mechanism.

By using two motors instead of one, our motors use less torque, which means our printers run quieter and create less heat – the enemy of any electronic device and often the source of premature failure. TSC printers are designed to print more labels per day than any other desktop printer on the market, producing labels consistently year after year. The durability of our design, along with our long history of manufacturing and selling desktop printers, gives us the confidence to offer our customers a two-year warranty on all our desktop printers.

The TTP-243 Printer Series

Introduced in 1996, the TTP-242 printer was the first TSC model to feature a 300-meter ribbon design. In 1998, we upgraded the electronics of the TTP-242 with the introduction of the TTP-243, which featured print speeds up to 3 inches per second. The TTP-243’s dual-gear-driven design has repeatedly proven its worth, with hundreds of thousands now installed around the world. Still using the TTP-243’s trusted design, subsequent electronic and print head upgrades led to the introduction of today’s TTP-243 Pro Series and the TTP-244 Plus. In 2011 alone, we have sold thousands of these models each month.

The TTP-247 Printer Series

In 2002, TSC introduced the TTP-245, another desktop printer designed to use a 300-meter ribbon. The TTP-245 took many of the design elements of the TTP-243 Series and incorporated them into a modern clamshell design. Like the TTP-243, the TTP-245 relies on two powerful gear-driven motors that can support large 300-meter ribbons. The new clamshell design made loading ribbons and labels easier than ever. The internal media cabinet was larger, and a low-cost optional external media un-winder was able to handle large rolls of labels typically used by metal-chassis industrial printers.

Since its introduction, the bestselling TTP-245 has gone through several upgrades that have added faster electronics, more memory and faster motors. The progression of upgrades eventually led to the introduction in 2010 of the faster TTP-247 thermal-transfer desktop label printer.

The TTP-247 Series has proven to be the most durable desktop printer ever built. It features a premium print head that meets the specifications of much more expensive all-metal industrial printers. The TTP-247 prints at speeds up to seven inches per second and is designed to work 55 minutes out of every hour. (The extra five minutes gives operators time to replace ribbons and labels and clean the print head.)

The advanced firmware developed for the TTP-247 – known as TSPL-EZ – is designed to easily replace existing printers that use ZPL or EPL2 printer languages. TTP-247 comes with DiagTool setup software that greatly simplifies printer installation. The firmware also has programming and file-storage capabilities that are ideally suited for many tasks, including patient-ID tracking, automobile service center labeling, retail price marking and various manufacturing applications.

To further boost the performance of the TTP-247, we released a special “TTP-247 Performance Kit,” which includes Ethernet, a battery backed-up Real Time Clock, and an external media un-winder – all for one low price. The Performance Kit delivers fast print speeds, large ribbon and media capacity and the communications options normally associated with industrial barcode label printers – but at less than half the price.

Hospitals and labs in Germany and Austria are now improving patient safety, reducing paperwork, and saving time and money with the aid of hundreds of TSC’s popular TTP-245C barcode printers.

The 1,224-bed University Hospital in Bonn, Germany, now uses more than 300 of the best-selling TTP-245C label printers, primarily for labeling of test-tube blood samples, imprinting of synthetic materials, bar-coding of medical records and patient documentation, labeling of pill and medication trays and drug labeling in hospital pharmacies.

In Austria, more than 300 TTP-245C barcode printers have been installed in regional hospitals throughout the country and are used for daily applications in healthcare.

TTP-245C Advantages

More and more hospitals and laboratories like those in Germany and Austria are discovering that the TTP-245C Series label printers offer great performance at a very affordable cost. The small-footprint platform fits easily into cramped workspaces and is ideally suited for processing blood-sample and other patient-specimen labels, especially the much-used 35×25 mm label format.

The TTP-245C’s fast 6-inch-per-second print speed and 203-dpi resolution are perfect for low-to medium-volume printing applications. And with its 200 MHz 32-bit processor, the TTP-245C increases the productivity of hospitals, labs and pharmacies with fast “first label out” and no between-label delays, even when using its internally scalable TrueType fonts. The easy-to-use design provides simple, fast loading of ribbon and labels.

With its internal Ethernet port, provided as a standard feature, the TTP-245C is easily integrated into any application and can be accessed remotely anywhere on a network. The printer supports standard industry emulations right out of the box, including Eltron® and Zebra® languages.

Medical Wristband Printing

The TDP-225W is another TSC printer that is popular with hospitals and labs across Germany and Austria. Its compact platform is ideally suited for patient ID Tracking (medical wristbands), hospital admissions and hospital-nursery applications. Unlike other direct-thermal printers on the market, the small-footprint TDP-225W takes up very little workspace. It supports standard industry emulations – right out of the box – so customers can easily replace their existing Eltron® and Zebra® printers.

The TDP-225W’s easy-loading, double-walled clamshell design features a spring-loaded center-biased wristband holder with a 1-inch core that supports 6.5-inch rolls, a common size sold by major wristband manufacturers. Other standard features include a front LCD display for monitoring printer status, USB 2.0 port and Ethernet connectivity.

The CP40 Series includes both the CP40 and CP45, and is initially available exclusively in the United States. The addition of Windows Mobile is part of a decision by the company to expand an already robust choice of operating systems on its handhelds that includes Windows CE and CipherLab’s proprietary operating system.

“Offering Windows Mobile on our mobile computers is a conscious decision by CipherLab to give customers more flexibility,” said CipherLab Business Development Manager Teri Ellis. “This opens up access to a wealth of pre-existing applications for industrial, distribution or field-service applications, and allows customers to also easily customize how their handheld is configured.”

The CipherLab CP40 and CP45 have unique features not available in traditional rugged handhelds:

• It has a lightweight, thin and ergonomic form factor. All the units are less than an inch thick – slimmer than the industry norm.
• Everything a user needs is included in one complete kit. Each handheld comes bundled with a communication/charging cradle, spare battery, USB cable, power supply, headphones and extra stylus. There are no hidden expenses associated with purchasing the CP40 Series Mobile Computers.
• They carry a three-year manufacturer warranty, triple the length of the one-year warranties typical with most handhelds.

The mobile computers also offer a number of industry-specific features and advantages.

Healthcare – The CP40 Series offer a healthcare version that can be wiped down to reduce the spread of dangerous germs without enclosure damage and include the 2D barcode scanning necessary in a healthcare environment.

Retail – WWAN (wireless wide area network) technology enables a user to easily transmit data on the go, or even make a phone call to other stores right from the handheld. A pistol grip option makes for faster scanning, while a touch screen enables signature capture and a receipt can easily be generated through WPAN (wireless personal area network) connection to a portable printer.

Manufacturing/Warehouse – The CP40 Series offers RFID (radio frequency identification) to provide the asset tracking critical for managing a warehouse or manufacturing process, and built-in cameras to capture quality defects or to validate builds. Where real-time data sharing is essential, WLAN (wireless local area network) can be used for wireless access to enterprise resource planning software.

Logistics (package/mail and direct store delivery) – The CP40 Series provides the GPS route navigation and WWAN data communication necessary for smooth deliveries in the field. A touch screen can be used for signature capture and WPAN for mobile printing of invoices for faster payment.

Field service – To keep a mobile workforce connected and in touch on the go, WWAN can be used to make phone calls, transmit data and access the Web. A built-in 1D or 2D scanner and RFID technology helps utilities and other field crews track assets and inventory. GPS ensures a worker never gets lost and helps mark the location of an asset.

The CP40 Series Industrial Mobile Computers are available directly from CipherLab and through distributor BlueStar. Pricing is available upon request. For more information, go to http://us.cipherlab.com/default.asp?PageID=87.

About CipherLab
CipherLab is a global leader in the design, manufacture, and marketing of Automatic Identification and Data Capture/Collection products and systems. The company’s mobile computers and scanners are integrated into the networks of some of the world’s best known logistics, retail, distribution, government installations and healthcare companies, helping them run more efficiently and effectively onsite and on the road. Operating worldwide, CipherLab is headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan with offices in China, Germany and the USA, and is publicly traded on the Taiwan stock exchange (Taiwan OTC:6160). For more information, please visit www.cipherlab.com.

SOURCE: CipherLab

CipherLab adds a new dimension to its leading range of rugged mobile computers and scanners with a feature packed new 2D device. The CipherLab 1704 offers 1D/2D functionality and 1.3 megapixel imaging capabilities in a single, affordable package that can cope with everything from 3 mil barcodes to signatures, and optionally even full A4 documents.

Another standout feature of the 1704 is its innovative scan confirmation system, which includes variable volume level, LED and vibrator. CipherLab’s trademark rugged design and the sheer versatility of the 1704’s feature set reduce the total cost of ownership, making it a great long-term investment in employee productivity.

“We kept hearing that what our partners needed was an affordable 2D device that could do it all,” explains CipherLab President Sherman Chuang. “What makes the 1704 different is that it can be used under virtually any conditions, because its confirmation system lets the user capture mission-critical data without being able to see or even hear.

The 1704 also has IP54 dust/water protection and a 1.8m drop test rating, so it really is ready for anything.”

Microban is the world’s leading provider of safe, durable and effective built-in antibacterial solutions.

In cooperation with Microban*, CipherLab has developed ergonomically designed antimicrobial mobile computer and scanners with MicroBan* antimicrobial technology – 8001H, 1500H and 1661H – for convenient data access, data collection and data transfer. Antimicrobial-treated AIDC instruments not only speed up routine daily tasks but also provide an extra level of hygiene.

[catablog category="cipherlabAntimicrobial"]

Ideal for most retail, medical and office applications, the new ultra-compact TTP-225 is loaded with standard features and options not offered by other printers in its class, including a USB host option, a real-time clock (an expensive extra on other small-footprint units) and an adjustable sensor – a $90 option on many other printers.

In addition, the TTP-225 is the industry’s first two-inch-wide thermal-transfer desktop printer to offer an optional LCD display. The LCD presents important information about job status and setup,                                                                         greatly simplifying the entire printing process.

‘Out-of-the-box’ language-emulation support
The TTP-225 offers plenty of other attractive features, including a label-present sensor, cutters, an optional keyboard for printing labels in standalone mode or downtime periods, and an inexpensive internal Ethernet adapter for easy integration into network systems.

The TTP-225 also comes with a secure digital (SD) Flash card reader for easy storage of fonts, international character sets and graphics, and it supports, “right out of the box,” the most popular programming languages, including Eltron® and Zebra® languages, making it easy to replace old installed hardware. It also comes with a head-up sensor and supports (in addition to Ethernet) both serial and USB 2.0 connectivity.

A wide range of applications
The TTP-225’s space-saving, feature-rich design makes it the perfect solution for a wide range of applications, including retail point-of-sale labeling, oil change and auto service labeling, pharmacy prescription labeling, healthcare specimen labeling, shelf labeling, file-folder labeling, inventory and asset management, and wristband labeling.

Easy-loading clamshell design
For easy loading, the TTP-225 employs a user-friendly double-clamshell design with a large five-inch (outside diameter) center-biased media bay. To load the unit, users simply open the cover and drop labels into a spring-loaded media guide. Top-of-form sensing – by gap, black mark, or notch – is standard and completely adjustable from side to side.

203-dpi and 300-dpi resolutions
The TTP-225 offers a choice of two resolutions: a standard 203-dpi version featuring print speeds up to five inches per second and a higher resolution 300-dpi version. The 300-dpi model, the TTP-323, is ideal for producing two-dimensional barcodes, fine text and small-graphics labels.

“Our new TTP-225 is not only loaded with extras, but also comes with a standard two-year warranty, while featuring an attractive price tag that is about 15 percent less than the cost of other printers in its class,” said David Lundeen, vice president of sales and marketing for TSC Auto ID Technology America, Inc. “It’s a great product that brings TSC quality, innovation, performance and reliability to the two-inch compact-printer market – at a superb value.”

Source: TSC

The new TSC Care Label Cutter, which is designed for use with TSC’s TTP-2410M Series of industrial-class label printers, is capable of cutting 1-inch-wide (25.4mm) to 2.76-inch-wide (70mm) textile garment labels such as cloth, ribbon, paper, polyester and nylon tape materials up to 0.1 mm of thickness. The minimum label length can be as short as 0.39 inch (10mm), while the maximum length varies depending on which TTP-2410M model is                                                                   selected.

Besides being easy to set up and operate, the TSC Care Label Cutter supports print speeds up to 4 inches per second and has an industrial-strength rotary knife that can make two cuts per second without slowing down or pausing between cuts, maximizing production efficiency. Using TSC-approved media, the unit can easily print and cut 120 one-sided labels per second – more than 7,000 labels per hour – with the labels conveniently collected in the cutter’s catch tray.

Customers can choose from 203-dpi, 300-dpi and 600-dpi models, all of which come with a standard two-year warranty, the best in the industry. A high-resolution 300-dpi print head ensures crisp print quality on a broad range of fabric substrates and features a choice of fonts, care symbols and logos.

“When combined with one of our TTP-2410M Series printers, the TSC Care Label Cutter is the perfect solution for the high-volume production of care labels, yet even with all of its performance features, it is still extremely affordable,” said David Lundeen, vice president of sales and marketing for TSC Auto ID Technology America. “TSC Care Label Cutter is another great example of the topnotch engineering found throughout the TSC product line.”

Source: TSC

Deployment

To meet customer satisfaction, CT logistics uses CipherLab’s 8300 mobile computer for SKU validation. When goods arrive at the warehouse, employees scan the item’s barcodes to identify if  they are listed in the database.  If so, the shipment will be accepted.  If not, CT logistics staff will contact their customer for further instruction. With CipherLab 8300, CT logistics manages receiving process accurately and rapidly.

About CipherLab’s 8300 mobile computer

The 8300 is built for rugged, hard work and endures long shifts so more can be done with minimal time and less cost. In addition, its ergonomical design makes working with the 8300 mobile computer both safe and comfortable. With both optical scanning and RFID, you’re ready for fast, accurate data capture using barcodes and RF tagging. The 8300 is equally at home in retail, healthcare, and warehousing. From pharmacy and store shelves to patient rooms and loading docks, the 8300 puts powerful, economical AIDC computing in your hands.

About CipherLab

CipherLab is a global leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of Automatic Identification and Data Capture/Collection products and systems. The company’s mobile computers and scanners are integrated into the networks of some of the world’s best-known logistics, retail, distribution, government installations and healthcare companies. North American headquarters are in Plano, TX.

Source: cipherlab.com

Since 1987, Salt Lake City, Utah-based COMPanion Corporation has delivered library automation software solutions to schools around the world. However, COMPanion Corporation and its customers needed an option for answering a unique problem: as school libraries expanded to remote storage locations, they needed a system that could remotely automate and store book inventory data. Since employees had to manually enter location information, entry mistakes resulted on a consistent basis that sometimes meant having a hard time finding books. Furthermore, with all of the effort it took to manually enter information, employees were wasting extra time that could be better spent on other projects. With stringent budget management as a priority, it was important for schools to find an efficient, simple and fast way to manage library book inventory management. COMPanion Corporation determined that a solution would be to pair an automated data collection solution with its library automation and textbook management software systems, Alexandria and Textbook Tracker. It turned to CipherLab and the 1166 wireless BT scanner to create an affordable, bundled product to automate book data collection.

Deployment

With the CipherLab 1166, COMPanion has successfully deployed the software/hardware solution to manage book inventory and circulation in school libraries in the United States, and around the globe in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Japan, Chile and Mexico. When paired with COMPanion Textbook Tracker and Alexandria, the joint solution helps schools cut their textbook losses by half or more through better book management – an important cost savings. The COMPanion-CipherLab joint solution also helped school libraries become more efficient. “Overall the 1166 has proven to be extremely durable, easy to use and flexible, resulting in increased productivity for school employees,” said Randy Everill, hardware selection team manager at COMPanion. “Since the 1166 requires minimal training and is not overly complex, our customers say they can be up and running in a matter of minutes. Furthermore, its wireless range enables employees to update information in real-time from anywhere in the library. When librarians need to go to remote book storage locations, they can safely utilize the 1166’s large memory mode to store information until they return within communications range.”

About CipherLab

CipherLab is a global leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of Automatic Identification and Data Capture/Collection products and systems. The company’s mobile computers and scanners are integrated into the networks of some of the world’s best-known logistics, retail, distribution, government installations and healthcare companies. North American headquarters are in Plano, TX.

Source: cipherlab.com