Cognex Corp. has received a $1 million purchase order from an undisclosed retailer for its DataMan 300 bar-code readers. The DataMan 300 with Hotbars image analysis technology offers reliable reading of bar codes that lasers cannot read, including damaged, distorted, blurred, scratched, low-height and low-contrast codes. With real-time performance feedback, it also can read codes in any orientation, multiple codes within the same image, and 2-D codes such as Data Matrix and QR codes. It has no moving parts to wear out, eliminating downtime for maintenance. The bar-code readers will be used in distribution centers to automatically generate shipping labels for outbound packages and to verify that the correct label is on the correct package after it has been applied. The systems will replace the customer’s existing laser scanners at its highest-volume facilities. “DataMan’s code-reading performance proved superior to laser scanners, and that means higher throughput and less manual handling of packages,” said Carl Gerst, vice president of ID Products. “This increase in efficiency results in a very short payback period.” Additional orders are expected in the near future, the company said. For more information, visit: www.cognex.com