When Zebra introduced their fixed industrial scanning portfolio, they showed the world that they were bringing decades of industry-leading decode performance and proven track-and-trace capabilities to a new set of business challenges. But Zebra’s portfolio isn’t just an incremental advance in data capture. Rather, they’ve launched an entirely new generation of technology, creating a new platform that now puts automated scanning solutions within reach of virtually any manufacturing or logistics operation.
Whether you’re automatically capturing data from challenging barcodes or performing complex quality-control inspections, Zebra’s fixed industrial scanning and machine vision solutions offer a range of benefits that maximize ROI. Here’s a brief look at five characteristics that make Zebra’s new solutions the go-to option for most businesses.
Groundbreaking Simplicity
With decades of experience in data capture technology, Zebra understands that simplicity is one of the keys to implementation of any automation solution. So, their fixed industrial scanning tools are all based on Zebra Aurora, a single unified software platform that makes it easy to set up, deploy, and run the entire product line. Aurora streamlines basic and advanced functionality with a modern interface that delivers one-click access to practically every tool, including advanced imaging functions. This dramatically reduces your ramp-up time and gives you the ability to deploy a solution literally right out of the box.
Easy Dashboard Monitoring
Zebra’s approach to simplifying fixed industrial scanning solutions continues with a Human Machine Interface (HMI) Dashboard, which is accessible through any web browser or by connecting a monitor directly to the scanner or camera via USB-C. This simplifies and reduces the cost of your installation by eliminating the need to buy and install a PC at every station. It also offers a Live View that lets your operators see what the camera sees and interact with data in real time, making it easy to define settings and troubleshoot potential problems before they arise.
Designed for Scalability
Zebra’s platform has been developed from the ground up to adapt to new requirements as your business and workflows evolve, allowing you to buy the solution you need today with a clear upgrade path to additional technologies in the future. For example, today your goal may be to automate scanning of conventional barcodes, so you can buy a solution specifically for 1D/2D barcodes. Then, if you develop the need to capture direct part marks (DPM) somewhere down the road, the system is designed to let you do that with a simple change to your software license. You can even upgrade a Fixed Industrial Scanner to a fully functional Machine Vision Smart Camera without buying new hardware. The result is a scalable path to new functionality and maximum ROI from your technology investment.
Zebra-Only Features
As you might expect from the global leader in data and image capture technology, Zebra’s manufacturing and supply chain automation solutions offer a wide range of exclusive features. For example, Zebra’s solutions use ImagePerfect+ to capture 16 different images from a single trigger event, with different settings for focus, gain, illumination, and other key variables to deliver the superior images that are required to enable high read rates. Other Zebra-only features include Golden Image Compare, which allows you to quickly diagnose and correct the source of any image degradation—e.g., dirty lens, lighting problem, camera misalignment—to minimize downtime.
A Complete Accessory Ecosystem for Wide-Range Adaptability
As part of Zebra’s commitment to developing a new generation of technology and creating a fully scalable platform, Zebra launched their fixed industrial scanning portfolio with a comprehensive range of accessories designed to support practically any operational challenge. The lineup includes accessories that are shared among all models, such as cables and external lighting tools for practically any operating environment, as well as model-specific accessories, including a wide range of filters and external lenses that enable you to tackle any imaging challenge.
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the benefits of Zebra’s fixed industrial scanning portfolio. For additional information on the full product lineup and recommendations for your specific applications, please contact Revere Electric Supply.