Welch Allyn puts bar code scanners through their paces

An industry bench test has highlighted the unreliability of bar code readers. Bar code specialist, Welch Allyn has conducted research into the accuracy of bar code scanners by putting 12 scanners from four different vendors through stringent testing.

Each unit was tested on 90 different barcode symbols - some of which were deliberately printed badly. Each of the symbols was tested 30 times and every incorrect reading was marked down as an error.

Mark Dale-Lace, business development manager at Welch Allyn, explained that: "Barcodes are meant to be so reliable they either read correctly or not at all." The test is worrying, as the barcode is central to all Epos and many automated warehousing and distribution systems.

The only product to return 100 per cent accuracy was Welch Allyn's own.

Dale-Lace would not divulge which rival scanners were tested, but added that the results are available if the companies involved want to see them.