Using Bluetooth Barcode Scanners in Hazardous Areas

Born of a need for automatic product reading at the point of sale in retail environments, barcodes have become an integral means of rapid asset identification across a wide industrial spectrum. Process engineers in oil and gas industries use barcoding to effectively manage inventory equipment. Chemical inventory barcodes allow users to identify container contents without risk of human error. Barcoding is even being used in conjunction with blockchain to combat ethical and traceability issues in the mining industry.

Mobile barcoding can help companies in each of these segments improve efficiencies and maintain a competitive edge in increasingly digitized marketplaces. Unlocking the full potential of this technological transition requires workforces to be equipped with high-efficiency mobility solutions like Bluetooth barcode scanners.

What is a Bluetooth Barcode Scanner?

A Bluetooth barcode scanner is a mobile barcoding solution comprising a handheld, wireless barcode scanner connected to a base station via a Bluetooth link. Augmenting workers with partial automation systems like Bluetooth scanners can provide tangible benefits in terms of accuracy, efficiency, productivity, and more. They are ideal for hard to reach locations with flexible charging capabilities and can be certified to varying ATEX / IECEx levels.

Handheld Bluetooth Barcode Scanners from Extronics

At Extronics, we supply Bluetooth barcode scanners for use in Zone 1, 2, 21, and 22 hazardous areas. The iSCAN2xx series is designed to read 1D, 2D, and stacked PDF barcodes at speeds of up to 60 scans per second with a wider scan line and longer reading distance than traditional laser scanners, making it ideal for use in awkward locations.

It is crucial that new technological paradigms justify their cost of implementation through quick and easy onboarding with true, real-world impacts on key operations. Our Bluetooth barcode scanners are based on a simple design principle with user-defined certification levels and IP65 ruggedisation. This provides peace of mind from both an investment and regulatory perspective, allowing users to focus on driving innovation through real-time asset managing and digitized auditing.

Example Use Cases

Oil & Gas

Mobile barcoding and asset management with Bluetooth barcode scanners is increasingly central to supply chain management in the oil and gas sector, providing key logistics information even in areas of poor connectivity (i.e. offshore rigs).

Mining

Determining full end-to-end traceability is both a matter of ethical and regulatory necessity in the mining sector. Mobile barcoding with Bluetooth barcode scanners can help everyone throughout the supply chain to build an indisputable audit trail that provides full transparency in aid of human rights and sustainability initiatives.

Pharmaceuticals

Stacked and matrix codes can store much larger volumes of data than 1D linear barcodes, meaning the symbology of pharmaceutical labels can now be encoded with greater detail than ever. Bluetooth barcode readers can subsequently be used to eliminate the margin for human error in a range of critical touchpoints in the healthcare supply chain, from tracking reusable assets to reverse supply chain management.

Looking for Bluetooth barcode scanners?

Contact a member of the Extronics team today if you would like to learn more about using our iSCAN1xx and iSCAN2xx range of Bluetooth barcode scanners. Call us on +44 845 277 5000, or email info@extronics.com with any questions.

Sources:

1. https://www.rfgen.com/blog/why-mobile-barcoding-is-an-essential-best-practice-for-oil-gas/#:~:text=One%20such%20digital%20technology%20is,time%2C%20throughout%20their%20supply%20chain
2. https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/features/scanners-barcodes-ethical-mining-drc/
3. https://hospitalpharmacyeurope.com/news/editors-pick/benefits-of-barcoding-in-the-pharmaceutical-industry/