Updating the equipment that keeps your business running can be an expensive endeavor — but so can using outdated or inadequate equipment. When your enterprise organization is seeking a printer to forge ahead with mission-critical tasks, you need to know what features your enterprise printer should have to get the job done.

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Relying on outdated technology or equipment that simply does not fit the bill can result in unplanned downtime, slow repairs due to limited availability of older parts, lack of support from the supplier, and unexpected costs for add-ons and upgrades. This is also true for the enterprise printers that you use every day to print standard and RFID-encoded labels across your global printer fleet.

Whether you’re looking to upgrade your printers now or evaluate your current ones to see how they hold up against the competition, here are five requirements you should expect from the printers supporting your enterprise operations.

1) Dependability

A dependable printer will have a different meaning for every business. However, printers that can support a high daily output can serve your operations for years, even as your business grows and scales up its production.

Look for a printer that can run around the clock and print thousands of labels per day, even if your business operates in extreme temperatures or other conditions that might damage other printers.

You’ll also want to consider printers with advanced diagnostics capabilities that can alert you to potential issues. In the event that an issue takes a printer offline, consider printers that support memory card use for storing configurations so you can easily swap in other printers as needed and stay on schedule. 

2) Quality

In addition to quantity and daily label volume, you should also consider whether a printer has a history of delivering high-quality results. Here are a few factors to compare:

• Speed — Can your printer keep up with the amount of product you’re moving from the warehouse to the manufacturing plant?
• Pressure — Can it match the media thickness and width for accurately printed labels?
• Printhead temperature — Can the thermal printhead quickly reach and cool to required temperatures for consistent printing?
• Media diagnostics — Can your printer predetermine and correct errors that prevent media from printing correctly?
• Printing inspection — Can it automatically cancel and reprint barcodes that don’t meet requirements, like ISO grading standards?

Finding a printer that performs well across these categories will add even more value to your investment.

3) Remote Printer Management

Being able to solve problems quickly if they occur and ensure printing is consistently high-quality across your locations is important for saving time and money.

Typically, remote printer management tools provide you with a dashboard view of your print operations, allowing you to perform:

• Configuration management
• File management
• Diagnostics and troubleshooting
• Sensor profiling
• Remote control of each printer
• Review of specified print job data
• Printer health monitoring
• Firmware updates

Whether you’re using a free application like PrintNet Enterprise (PNE) or paid software like SOTI Connect, make sure the tool you choose allows you to manage your enterprise printers offsite.

4) Simple Set Up and Use

From setting up a new printer to using it regularly in your warehouse, simple processes can be integral to keeping your production on track.

When considering new printers, look for ones that can store configurations so you can easily bring multiple printers online at once if needed. Also, consider brands that offer consistent menu interfaces across models so that your team can manage your hardware without having to memorize several workflows.

Printronix Auto ID enterprise-grade printers can be a great choice if consistency and easy deployment are important factors for your business. Each one uses the same system interface, and they offer other features like consistent operator panels and language compatibility.

5) Future Proof Technology

Future proof printers can support your printing needs now and in the future. This means having compatibility with legacy, new, and emerging print language emulations and data streams.

To be considered future proof, a printer must also be highly configurable, allowing you to adjust it to meet your printing needs and use it in conjunction with other applications and software that you use to run your business. If those tools, such as your ERP system, change over time, you need a printer that can keep pace with that change.

Making the Right Decision

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Updating your technology before it has a chance to become outdated and slow your operations should be part of every business’ checklist. Purchasing new printers also provides an opportunity to make a long-term investment into technology that’s easy to configure, use, update, manage, and depend on for years to come.

Now that you know which factors to consider in your decision, you’re well on your way to providing your team with the best technology to make sure enterprise printing and labeling are fast, easy, and error-free. Now that’s peace of mind for your entire team.

Barcode technology is essential in managing day-to-day inventory management tasks. It helps streamline stocks and minimize gluts and shortages. And to leverage the maximum benefits of barcode recognition, choosing a robust inventory barcode scanner becomes critical. Let’s dive deep into selecting a barcode scanner SDK for managing inventory.

Open-Source vs. Commercial-Grade SDK

Numerous barcode reader solutions are available on the market, including free, open-source options. But are these free solutions capable enough to cater to the needs of high-speed inventory workflows? Not really! While ‘free’ sounds appealing, there are certain aspects to consider.

Below is a comparison of different factors between an open-source and commercial-grade inventory barcode scanner SDK.

ParameterOpen-Source Barcode Scanner SDKCommercial-Grade Barcode Scanner SDK

Barcode Scanner App for Inventory: Desktop, Web, or Mobile App

Traditional inventory management leverages PCs or workstations. Critical features, such as order placement, are performed by making calls. Also, you may have to invest in additional hardware, such as a webcam or handheld barcode scanner. Most companies have been switching to mobile inventory management because of its many advantages.

Mobile inventory management uses mobile devices, apps, and website portals to allow you to perform critical inventory-tracking tasks on the go. Inventory may be conveniently tracked on the warehouse floor rather than from a workstation elsewhere. Mobile inventory management has become the need of the hour as it helps cater to the fast-paced inventory ecosystem.

To further help you decide which type of barcode scanner app for inventory to choose, here is a comparison of desktop, web, and mobile inventory scanning apps.

Speed and Accuracy

The process of inventory management starts with placing orders and covers everything from using and storing to selling a company’s inventory or stock. It’s vital to respond promptly and predict when the inventory will run low so the orders can be placed on time and maintain track of the stock and resources. With a fast barcode system, you can quickly track inventory in real-time and take necessary actions to prevent delays and financial losses.

When it comes to the speed and accuracy of a barcode scanner app for inventory, here are a few things to consider:

• Choose a barcode reader that offers fast scanning and decoding capability. Leading commercial-grade barcode scanning SDKs will allow you to scan hundreds of inventory barcodes in a minute.
• Accuracy is another crucial metric of barcode reading SDKs. Choose a barcode engine with the best speed, accuracy, and robustness. You may perform a quick accuracy test by scanning different types of inventory barcodes to see an SDK’s performance.

Barcode Scanning Performance

Coming across tough barcodes is common while managing inventory. Mishandling, poor weather conditions, or improper printing may leave barcodes damaged, torn, or distorted. Scanning barcodes in poorly lit and dark warehouses is another challenge that inventory associates face on a daily basis. Not all inventory barcode scanners are built to read such challenging barcodes. Relying on a random inventory scanner app is an even bigger mistake.

Hence, it is essential to build a barcode system for inventory management that leverages a robust and reliable enterprise-grade barcode detection algorithm that excels even in the most challenging conditions to read:

• Multiple barcodes at once
• Barcodes on Curved surfaces
• Barcodes in motion
• High-density barcodes
• Barcodes in low light and shadows
• Barcodes in any orientation
• Glare reflections
• Skewed and wide angles
• Blurred barcodes
• Inverted color barcodes
• Barcodes from a long distance
• Barcodes via low-resolution cameras

Instead of preparing to tackle tough barcodes at a later stage, invest in an inventory scanner app that can easily read tough barcodes in the most challenging conditions without a hitch.

Batch Scanning Capability

Gain productivity in inventory counts, shelf management, receiving items, and multi-code label capture with batch scanning. The batch scanning feature of an inventory scanner app will allow you to capture the image of the entire barcode territory without any blind spots and missed barcode scans. You will get a full view of the site, where all barcoded items are accounted for, positioned, and analyzed.

Aptly using mobile devices, such as automated guided vehicles (AGV), mobile robots, or drones to batch scan inventory barcodes, further adds up speed to the inventory tracking process. You can track multiple barcodes in every corner. Also, you can easily discover any missed barcodes in real time or view the decoded text results of the barcodes quickly.

Product Upgrades

Choosing a leading vendor will ensure you are provided with timely updates and upgrades. The world of technology is ever-changing; hence, not upgrading your barcode system for inventory management will debar you from the latest features and functionalities.

Continuous product upgrades and convenient end-to-end support will ensure a future-proof application to help you stay ahead of the curve.

Technical Support

Look for a vendor that is known for providing top-notch technical support. Building your barcode scanner app for inventory should be an easy task. Hence, it’s crucial that you are provided with the best support at every step of your app development.

As mentioned above, only commercial-grade barcode reader SDKs offer the best technical support. Especially when it comes to managing an inventory business, you cannot compromise on the technical support factor.

Dynamsoft Barcode Reader SDK for Inventory Management

Are you looking forward to building a barcode or QR inventory management system for your business? Try the Dynamsoft Barcode Reader SDK to quickly integrate barcode scanning functionality in your web, mobile, or desktop inventory scanner app. Add add-on features like batch scanning to streamline inventory workflows and read barcodes in the most challenging environments.

Start with the 30-day free trial for an in-depth analysis, or try the online demo to see it in action.

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