PowerScan®  PD7100 Industrial Corded Handheld Linear Imager Bar Code Reader 

The PowerScan 7100/7000 product series are Datalogic Scanning’s entry-level line of rugged industrial handheld data collection products. The PowerScan D7100 linear imaging corded bar code reader combines rugged durability and extremely snappy reading performance all at an affordable price.

Datalogic Scanning’s innovative and unique optical design of the PowerScan 7100 series of bar code readers combines scanner features that are normally available on different scanner models into a single device: up to 3 mils maximum code resolution; contact to about 3.0 m / 9.8 ft bar code reading distance; and wide angle code reading. The result is a versatile, easy to use and intuitive bar code scanner that simplifies any code reading activity.

Together high-speed digital hardware and Datalogic Scanning’s advanced bar code decoding algorithms produce read rates up to 390 scans per second, making the PowerScan 7100 readers the fastest industrial bar code scanners available. This is why the 7100’s are especially suitable for “high-speed” applications where thousands of bar codes have to be read in a very short period of time

As with all PowerScan products, the 7100 bar code readers’ mechanics have been developed and tested to withstand extreme environmental conditions while maintaining consistent reading performance. A loud beeper and Datalogic’s exclusive and patented ‘Green Spot’ directly on the code, provide intuitive good bar code read feedback in noisy environments.

The PowerScan 7100 bar code readers are offered with two different multi-interface combinations; the Standard multi-interface includes RS-232, Keyboard Wedge and USB; the second multi-interface set includes RS-232, IBM46xx and USB.

Lightweight and instinctive usage combined with outstanding speed-to-read makes the 7100 barcode product series the ideal solution for intensive code reading applications.  
 
Features

• Fastest speed-to-read - 390 scans/second
• Datalogic ‘Green Spot’ and loud beeper for good read feedback
• Water and particulate sealing rating: IP65
• Drop resistance to 2.0 m / 6.5 ft
• 25 kV Electrostatic protection (air discharge)
• Model option with aimer for optimal code pointing
• Two different multi-interface options  

Standard Radio Systems

Advantages. Being based on a standard, barcode readers supplied by different manufacturers should be able to communicate with each other and therefore, can be combined and mixed. In theory the user could use barcode readers from different manufacturers for the same application. Over time as newer models are released and the user could replace old units or add new ones choosing the best offer he can obtain at that time.

Disadvantages:

• In reality this compatibility is quite rare. In fact, most of the suppliers offer “closed” solutions (ie devices that, although based on a standard radio, can only communicate with other components supplied by the same manufacturer) in order to satisfy the customer’s desire for a “plug & scan” solution.

• The typical disadvantage is that the standard has been normally specified for something else (ie a different kind of application and usage; it usually has not been optimised for the basic and simple needs of bar code readers). Furthermore, standards are never stable forever: continuous updates are always required to keep communications in line with the latest release.

The most common standard radio systems are:

Wi-Fi: This is normally used for high performance radio systems like WLAN, including laptops, PDAs, mobile computers, printers etc. Networking, high mobility and high data communication speeds are all key factors of this system.

• This standard was defined following the evolution of the traditional LAN adding mobility to the operators allowing them to have access to key business systems including the Internet via mobile scanning devices.

It is a powerful standard but it is too feature-rich for a “simple” barcode reader: it requires a powerful microprocessor, an operating system, high capacity batteries and is too expensive and too often over-engineered for standard bar code scanning applications. It uses the ISM band (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) centred at 2.4 GHz.

Bluetooth® Wireless Technology: It was initially designed to eliminate cables and to create a WPAN (Wireless Personal Area Network). Normally used for:

• Cordless communications at the operator’s desk
• Occasional WLAN access
• File sharing and synchronisation between devices such as PDAs, laptops and today's mobile phones 
• Wireless headsets for mobile phones or Internet use