When 99% Just Isn’t Enough: Benefits of Improved Read Rates in Logistics Scanning

E-commerce is a boon to large retailers and lower-volume Internet fulfillment operations alike, but low read rates from automated sorting equipment can really reduce margins.

As shipping volumes grow along with online retail sales, both large retailers and low-volume fulfillment centers are considering a range of improvements to their automated sorting lines to cost-effectively boost their throughput and expand their operations.

For the past 30 years, Cognex has offered Automatic Identifi cation (Auto ID) technology to a variety of industries. Auto ID systems and barcode technology are used to track components and products through manufacturing lines, and the same technology is used to automate sorting and shipping. Based on Cognex Auto ID experience, this paper will explore how improving barcode read rates with new image-based technology can shorten return on investment (ROI) of capital equipment. This analysis will be completed using two different types of retailers as examples.