AutomationDirect Raises the Bar(code) on Data Capture
Industry-trusted Supplier Introduces Code Barcode Readers to the World’s Makers & Doers
Read time: 3 min., 26 sec.
In New Mexico, a beloved roller coaster propels thrill-seekers through the air at nearly 60 MPH. Meanwhile, in Kansas, a 31-foot tall vertical honing machine benefits from improved cycling time, safety, and quality. And, globally, connoisseurs clamor for sustainably sourced Alaskan salmon.
While seemingly different worlds, these thrill-seekers, machinists, seafood lovers all have one thing in common: AutomationDirect.
If it’s in your electrical cabinet, it’s online at AutomationDirect, and for less!
Since 1994, Atlanta-based AutomationDirect has been the non-traditional source for industrial control products. In 1999, they became the first online seller of PLCs (programmable logic controllers) through their online superstore and catalog. In doing so, AutomationDirect upended how engineers, plant managers, and electricians buy electrical interconnect and industrial control components.
AutomationDirect’s product team has won awards—and customers—by sourcing industry-leading products and offering them at low prices while offering top-notch, free customer support. As their portfolio has extended beyond the control cabinet to include data capturing terminals, the team has sourced a new solution: Code Corporation’s barcode readers.
Bringing Data Direct(ly) to Industry
The first scanning solutions listed under “identification†with AutomationDirect, Code’s CR950, CR1100, and CR6022 barcode readers and accessories are ready for manufacturers the world over.
Why Code?
Each barcode reader builds on Code’s 20+ years of decoding and capturing data everywhere and getting it anywhere.
Within dimly lit production halls and bustling inventory rooms, damaged or partially debris-obscured barcodes slow workflows (at best) and block data capture (at worst). Code’s barcode readers employ industry-exclusive decoding algorithms for a Near Zero Miss (99.9995%) scanning accuracy rate. And they do it rapidly on nearly any surface—reading barcodes laser-etched on metal, plastered on glass, or poorly printed on cardboard.
Scan accuracy is critical to AutomationDirect’s customers, many of whom are immersed in Industry 4.0 (known as the fourth industrial revolution). Industry 4.0 has modernized production by interconnecting machines, capturing data, and utilizing real-time computing to make machines smarter and factories more efficient.
Data Drives Industry 4.0
Data from every part of an operation is key to Industry 4.0—largely because this concept relies on decentralized computing. Furthermore, data is meaningless without control, which is why AutomationDirect’s product team thoroughly vetted Code barcode readers. These products can push data from virtually every corner of an operation to automation systems for analysis and action.
Plus, the additional benefits of Code’s advanced barcode readers are far-reaching.
Code’s CR1100 and CR6022 barcode readers can leverage JavaScript programming to prevent human error from creating costly service claims or quality control issues. An example: a reader can be placed at the end of a packaging line. If 20 components need to be packaged, JavaScript can be used to create a “counting app†that beeps when the box is scanned and the barcode reader detects 20 pieces.
What’s in store at AutomationDirect?
AutomationDirect offers the CR950, CR1100, and CR6022 barcode readers (and optional accessories such as stands). Here’s how these devices support diverse users.
CR950—The Efficiency Expert
The durable CR950 excels in fast-paced environments thanks to an ergonomic, lightweight design. Economical to purchase and operate, the CR950 provides a rapid ROI with:
- Customizable visual, audible, and haptic feedback—no missed scans.
- Full omnidirectional reading—quickly decode 1D, 2D, and postal barcodes.
- Hands-free mode—automatic scanning eases shiftwork when used with the optional stand.
Example applications: Inventory control and kit picking.
CR1100—The Operations Coordinator
Code’s compact CR1100 helps manufacturers package it, check it in/out, and ship it because this device decodes prominent international postal codes and both wide 1D codes and dense 2D barcodes.
Ideal for all but the harshest environments, the CR1100 adds to the CR950’s benefits:
- Extra versatility—use in a stand or as a handheld.
- Threaded brass inserts—ideal for fixed mount and OEM applications.
- Greater adaptability—onboard can JavaScript enhance functionality.
- Disinfectant-ready housing—exclusive CodeShield® plastic that withstands routine disinfection for infectious disease control.
Example applications: high-volume asset tracking (tool rooms), shipping, and logistics.
CR6022—The Manufacturing Operative
At home on factory floors, Code’s CR6022 decodes poor-quality, color, and small barcodes (like those on PCBs), as well as laser-etched, embossed, and dot peen barcodes common in manufacturing. CR6022 builds on the strengths of its stablemates by adding:
- An IP54 housing—protection from dust and debris.
- Hands-free or handled operation—adapts to virtually any workflow.
- Compact form—conserves valuable space; an included hook holder eases storage.
- Programmable feedback—tailor with an audible, vibrating, or an LED “good read†notification.
Example application: Component tracking on assembly lines.
What’s Now & What’s Next
AutomationDirect’s inclusion of Code barcode readers shows that its product team is continuously scanning the horizon for not only “what’s now†but “what’s next.†Tech and solutions must go beyond durability and streamlined integration. Anything sold should be scalable and adaptable to what’s next for the industry as a whole.
There’s no machine too tall, no ride too thrilling, and no fish hatchery with needs too technical for AutomationDirect. Whatever the task is, they will be there, making it safer and more efficient. And Code will be there too, offering the reliability, point-and-shoot simplicity, and value that AutomationDirect’s customers expect.
