New Technology
By Staff -- Logistics Management, 7/1/2000
Hand Held Products Unveils Portable Thermal Printer
Hand Held Products has introduced a complete line of portable thermal printers that work with the company's Dolphin portable data-collection terminals. Hand Held claims that the printers, which are designed for all-day use in rugged environments, can withstand repeated 6-foot drops to concrete because they are encased in a protective shell of impact-resistant polyethylene.
The printers can receive both wireless commands and data to be printed from handheld computers up to three feet away. A fully charged nickel metal hydride battery provides enough power for most 8-hour work shifts.
A 4-megabyte flash memory stores the operating system, print formats, type fonts, bar-code symbols, and graphics. A configuration utility program enables operators to make changes in minutes. The printers are capable of printing various type fonts and bar-code symbols.
The portable printers measure 7.12 inches high, with a width of 4.65 inches and a depth of 1.75 inches. They weigh 20.8 ounces apiece.
Intermec Introduces New Scanner
Intermec Technologies has introduced the ScanPlus-Vista bar-code scanner, which is based on charge-coupled device (CCD) technology. Intermec claims that the new unit can deliver the same scanning range as standard laser scanners.
Intermec says the type of engine used in the ScanPlus-Vista family makes it possible to scan bar codes from up to 19 inches away, putting the CCD scanner on par with standard-range lasers. The manufacturer adds that the ScanPlus-Vista has a faster scan rate than lasers (225 vs. 40 scans per second). The unit also has a dedicated custom ASIC chip for advanced decoding that allows it to read bar codes that lasers either cannot read or would require multiple scans to read, such as codes on curved surfaces and poor quality, damaged, or over-laminated codes. The ScanPlus-Vista also can read high-resolution codes as small as 2mil and as large as 100mil.
The ScanPlus-Vista uses Intermec's EasySet Windows configuration software, which updates the flash memory in less than two seconds. The interchangeable technology in the ScanPlus Series reduces the time and effort required to configure or reconfigure a scanner for a specific task, further enhancing productivity.
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