As concerns about traceability and security increase in the manufacturing sector, the demand for effective barcode reading solutions is growing globally. A survey from Cognex highlights that companies are turning to AI to overcome their barcode reading challenges and enhance overall performance.
“Our mission is to simplify our customers’ tasks through cutting-edge technology, and this survey reaffirms the value of integrating AI into our barcode reading solutions,” said Carl Gerst, Executive Vice President of Vision and ID Products. “Our AI-powered barcode readers offer unmatched performance, reliability, and customer satisfaction, tackling the toughest issues our clients face.”
The survey, which included 283 participants from manufacturing and logistics companies across Asia, North America, and Europe, underscores the increasing significance of AI in barcode reading. The results reveal that users’ top concern is reading difficult barcodes, and they expect AI to enhance both performance and reliability.
The survey highlighted several key challenges faced by respondents when it comes to barcode reading. A major issue, reported by 41% of participants, is the difficulty in reading damaged, smudged, or wrinkled barcodes. Additionally, 39% of respondents face problems with distorted barcodes, reflections, and curved surfaces, while 35% struggle with barcode size and placement. These factors make accurate scanning particularly challenging in real-world environments.
When it comes to expectations from AI, nearly half of the respondents (47%) believe that AI can significantly improve barcode reading rates. Participants are particularly hopeful that AI can enhance detection accuracy, especially for damaged barcodes, with logistics companies expressing a strong desire for more reliable and precise scanning capabilities. This demand for higher performance under challenging conditions underscores the potential impact of AI-powered solutions in addressing current barcode reading limitations.
The survey also revealed that reliability and ease of maintenance are top priorities when selecting barcode readers. With only 21% of respondents identifying as experts and roughly a third describing themselves as novices, it’s clear that many users rely on dependable, user-friendly technology. The lack of technical expertise makes it even more crucial for companies to choose barcode readers that offer both consistent performance and minimal maintenance requirements for seamless day-to-day operations.
These findings highlight the growing role of AI in revolutionizing barcode reading technology. As manufacturers strive to overcome these challenges and boost efficiency, AI-powered solutions like the Cognex DataMan 290 and DataMan 390 are ready to meet these needs with superior decoding performance.
For over four decades, Cognex has been at the forefront of simplifying machine vision, enabling manufacturers and distribution companies to enhance their operations through automation. With state-of-the-art vision sensors and systems, Cognex addresses key challenges in manufacturing and logistics, delivering exceptional performance across industries ranging from automotive to consumer electronics to packaged goods. By focusing on AI, Cognex makes advanced technology more accessible, helping factories and warehouses boost quality and efficiency without requiring extensive technical expertise.
