Barcode Automation, inc. is the leading manufacturer of Barcode Readers and Decals for Vehicle Access Control and Automatic Vehicle Identification.
Founded in 1997 with manufacturing facilities in Florida, our products are available from access control integrators located throughout the United States.
Our equipment works better, lasts longer, and costs less than other vehicle identification reader, and we have many satisfied customers to prove it.
All of our products have been specifically designed for vehicle access control and automatic vehicle identification. We have worked diligently to ensure that our readers are compatible with other equipment in the industry.
We provide outstanding customer support with real people available to help with any questions while installing, configuring, or ordering our products. We also provide online access to manuals, site records, decal history, and ordering.
Our new Barcode Readers include a 2 year manufacturer's limited warranty or a premium 5 year manufacturer's limited warranty. Both warranties are transferrable and include coverage on the main electronic components for damage due to lightning or power surge.
All BAi Readers and Accessories are available from stock. Decals are custom printed to order and usually ship within 2 to 3 days.
Barcode Automation, inc. is founded by a few former employees of LazerData Corporation. After working with the LazerData model LD7000 Barcode Scanner for years, we knew the problem with it but there was a lack of interest from LazerData in fixing them. There had to be a better way to build a product, and a better way to run a company.
So with life savings, a big garage, and 80-90 hour weeks, we set out on a mission. Within 5 months we had a working product prototype, and within 9 months the original model BA-200 was in production. We accomplished this with a total development cost of only tens of thousands, not the hundreds of thousands or millions that LazerData had projected.
We kept costs down by concentrating on the task at hand, which was making a product that would do (very well) the job it needed to do and nothing else. We kept product reliability very high by designing it to meet the worst case environmental conditions that would be encountered.
We determined that sources for the special decals required for Vehicle Access Control were very slow, overly expensive and delivered marginal quality. So we were off on another mission, researching, testing, rejecting, more researching, testing, etc... until we developed our own printing process.
Armed with the BA-200 Reader and our own quality decals, we set out to become the leading manufacturer of barcode readers and decals for Automatic Vehicle Identification.
Introduced the BA-300 Card Drop Reader for tracking visitor access to gated communities and commercial businesses. Using our proven barcode reading optics to read inexpensive drop cards, this unit was designed to control an unattended exit for visitors.
Following extensive testing we begin to offer new barcode decal colors. For the first time in the access control industry, colors other than black on white or black on black are available. Moreover, we developed the only barcode reader capable of reading multiple decal colors, allowing properties to offer different color decals to residents, staff, contractors, etc.
Development begins on a new generation of barcode readers intended to improve performance and eliminate interference from the Sun. We also bid a sad farewell as we discontinue production on the BA-300.
Model BA-200 receives ETL approval for compliance to UL Std 294 for Access Control devices, celebrating our first reader to carry ETL approval. After years of R&D we unlock the secret to dealing with interference from the Sun and start design work on a new barcode reader. Later in the year we finalized a prototype and conducted field testing to prove that the improved model BA-200 Laser Barcode Reader is no longer disrupted by Sun interference.
First, we discontinued the model BA-200 after a production run spanning almost 10 years. Replacing our flagship unit is the new BA-220 DualBeam Barcode Reader, the new DualBeam solution to eliminate interference issues caused by the Sun.
We introduced our newest, more compact BA-440 DualBeam Barcode Reader. This new reader provides the same performance and reliability of the model BA-220 at half the size. We also adjusted the enclosure based on customer feedback from a door style to a lift-off enclosure providing easier access for technicians.
Also new this year we begin production on the Wiegand Isolator, a module intended to protect communications from lightning or power surge damage, and help technicians avoid grounding issues when installing our products.
We introduce a new reader function, the Facility Code Shift. This revolutionary feature allows the Reader to effectively operate with facility codes higher than the Wiegand communication protocol limit of 255. Prior to this no device in the access control market - ours or other manufacturers could be created with a facility code higher than 255 because the Wiegand communication protocol couldn't accept it.
We release a new proprietary decal format, the BAI-BC2 decal.
After 10 amazing years we end new production on the BA-220 Reader but continue to support repairs and service on them.
Also in 2018 we introduce a new high endurance output board for the BA-440 that can absorb more power and lightning events than our former output board. We also redesigned our most expensive component to use more cost-effective materials and continue our promise of keeping automatic vehicle identification accessible to all.
With Covid in full effect we spend this time working hard to keep customers orders fulfilled in a timely manner. Behind the scenes, we began development of a new BC3 barcode format, a new dealer portal, and enhance our decal production capabilities.
We emerge from the peak of Covid stronger than ever. With supply chain issues seemingly behind us we now have greater capacity for decal production. We also launched the new BC3 decals which are less expensive, compact and more secure.
Recognizing that changing all decals at a community at once represented a huge logistical problem for customers wanted to use the smaller BC3 decals, we developed and launched a firmware update for BAi readers. For the first time in our history, a BAi Reader could now read decals in two different formats. This means communities with decal formats that are 20+ years old could upgrade to a considerably more reliable and secure format without having to replace all of their decals at once.
We also allowed access to our Dealer Portal, allowing dealers and technicians instant access to site history, warranty information, and decal number sequences.
In addition, we updated our facilities with industrial grade 3D printing technology and began developing carbon fiber components for use in the BA-440 and future Readers.
VillageWalk at Lake Nona
BA-440 controlling access at a gated HOA BA-440 DualBeam Barcode Reader identifying a pickup truck for access control BA-440 DualBeam Barcode Reader identifies vehicles in the rain in Orlando FL VillageWalk at Lake Nona has four BAi Barcode Readers.
Knights Circle - UCF Affiliated Housing
Barcode Automation’s system provided the solution for this because the students can’t share the decal and we deactivate them when they leave. Our installer was able to connect all four of our Barcode Readers to one control system.
Case Study at SUNY Maritime College
SUNY Maritime Academy needed a reliable and economical solution to automate their entry system. They also needed it to work with their existing components and records. BAi met all of their requirements and has been in use at the college since 2004.
We are available Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 4:30pm EST.