Worth Data P11/12 - Manual (Page 21)

3-2
Wand Scanning Technique
Using the illustration as a guide, follow these tips for proper scanning with a wand:
1
Hold the "wand" as you would a pencil,
lightly placing your fingers around the wand.
If you do not see a red light at the tip of the
wand, check to make sure that you are using a
VISIBLE light wand, not an INFRARED light
wand. Infrared wands show no light at the tip of
the wand.
2
Your scanning should start in the white
space about ¼" to the left or right of the bar
code. This area is called the "quiet zone". If
you are reading a UPC code with a supplement,
you MUST scan from left to right; otherwise, you
can scan from either direction.
3
You should be holding the wand as if it were
a pencil, approximately 30 degrees from perpendicular. Some bar codes,
especially those that are high density, may require that you adjust the angle of
the wand to be almost perpendicular to the bar code. Starting in the "quiet zone",
quickly and lightly draw an imaginary line through the entire bar code, ending within
the ¼" "quiet zone" at the other end of the bar code. DO NOT scan slowly or press
down hard with the wand - neither one will make it easier to read your bar code.
4
Never stop in the middle of the bar code. Pass the wand smoothly across
the bar code, stopping only when you have reached the "quiet zone" at the
other end.
5
Do not move the wand tip above or below the lines of the bar code. Keep the
wand tip within the confines of the bar code during the entire scan; the whole
point is to draw as straight a line as possible through the middle of the bar code.
To practice scanning, go to the DOS prompt or open up Notepad or a similar
program in Windows or on the Macintosh. Use the Test Label on the next page and
the technique illustration above to practice scanning with your wand. You should
hear an audible beep and see TEST LABEL displayed on computer screen after
every scan. If you do not see TEST LABEL, check your technique, especially the
angle and speed of the scan.
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