Browser-based barcode reading

WebLink allows users to command their barcode readers from any web-enabled device. WebLink UI has been developed to allow anyone with or without barcode reading experience to easily install a reader into new or existing systems in as few steps as possible. An operator simply enters the IP address of a local MicroHAWK reader into a web browser to gain access to the reader’s settings, enable real-time adjustments, and monitor live decode results. WebLink connects to MicroHAWK readers over pervasive web protocols (HTTP), so there is no need for specialised knowledge of equipment or industrial protocols to set up a reader in an industrial setting. Users are able to control MicroHAWK using whatever equipment is most familiar to them.

Through a live feed of images from the MicroHAWK reader, users can see the effects of reader setting adjustments – such as the gain, exposure, area of interest, and more – in real time to check read performance under various conditions. WebLink seamlessly adjusts to single, multiple, static, moving, omnidirectional, printed, or direct-part-marked codes, and can even be trained to use the ideal combination of decode parameters for the target symbol to boost reading power, or optimised to limit processes run by the reader and increase decode speeds.

The software and memory necessary for WebLink’s operation are hosted on the connected MicroHAWK barcode reader itself. There is no need to install software on external equipment to connect to MicroHAWK: users have instant access to the reader from any device connected to the same Local Area Network (LAN) and can switch between control devices as necessary. For this reason, making changes to reader settings does not require the availability of a particular device or operator, which eliminates downtime due to reader inaccessibility.

Barcode reader job files can also be saved from the reader to external devices, allowing users to transfer predefined decode settings from one MicroHAWK reader to another. Factory operators and technicians therefore have no limits when it comes to choosing a control device or MicroHAWK reader for their application. There is no pre-configuration of equipment, no need to worry about upgrading equipment to new software versions in the future, no equipment compatibility obstacles, and no effort or specialised experience required to set up and control a MicroHAWK reader.

MicroHAWK is a extremely small industrial barcode reading platform, which features a fully-integrated barcode imaging engine, three industrial-rated miniature barcode imagers, and the new WebLink browser-based configuration interface.

Barcode reading reimagined

In MicroHAWK, an entirely new ground-up device and interface design, barcode reading is reimagined as an accessible technology, free from device compatibility obstacles or specialised knowledge.

At the heart of every MicroHAWK barcode reader is the world’s smallest fully-integrated barcode imaging engine. From decoder, to sensor, to speed, to illumination, the engine can be configured with any combination of features and packaged into a MicroHAWK model (ID-20, ID-30, or ID-40) with ideal dimensions, connectivity, and industrial-rating for any installation. From the tiny ID-20 OEM Barcode Reader with simple USB connectivity, to the flexible IP54-rated ID-30 Miniature Barcode Reader with corner-exit cable, to the ID-40 Industrial Ethernet Barcode Reader – the world’s smallest IP65/67-rated imager – any MicroHAWK reader can be uniquely configured.

Most recently, an update to the company's proprietary, high-performance decoding algorithms for advanced barcode reading applications, X-Mode 4.0 offers the most capability and efficiency in barcode reading in the industry, with new Damaged Mode to render even codes with scratches, obstructions, or print quality issues easily readable.

Damaged Mode improves X-Mode decoding performance for Code 39 and Code 128, and adds support for QR Codes printed or marked directly on parts. New Train and Optimize modes in X-Mode 4.0 enable barcode readers to recognise barcodes from captured images and associate particular code aesthetic characteristics with images from a stored image characterisation library.