Category: Text Scanning

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Text Scanning Barcode scanning Logistics label capture

Enhancing Inventory Management and Data Traceability in Pharma Distribution

In today’s rapidly evolving pharmaceutical distribution landscape, maintaining accuracy and efficiency in inventory management is crucial, especially for organizations working in mission-critical sectors such as humanitarian aid and global healthcare. However, many organizations continue to rely on manual workflows, which are prone to errors, inefficiencies, and compliance risks.

Manual data entry, especially in pharmaceutical packaging, can lead to costly mistakes, including incorrect labeling, missed batch numbers, and missing expiry dates, resulting in delays, stock discrepancies, and non-compliance with regulatory standards. These inefficiencies not only affect the timely delivery of vital medicines but also undermine the integrity of the entire supply chain. Without automation, organizations may face:

  • Inaccurate data capture: Errors in batch number entries, expiration dates, and labeling inconsistencies.
  • Compliance risks: Regulatory requirements are not met, leading to potential penalties and product recalls.
  • Inventory discrepancies: Mismanaged stock levels due to incorrect data tracking, resulting in overstock or stockouts.

Scanflow provides an advanced, offline-capable AI solution that transforms manual data entry into an automated process for seamless inventory management. By leveraging Barcode/QR code recognition, OCR for text extraction, and accurate capture of batch numbers, Scanflow ensures that pharmaceutical distribution is streamlined, error-free, and compliant with regulatory standards.

Here’s how Scanflow enhances inventory management in pharmaceutical distribution:

  • Barcode/QR Code Recognition: Automated scanning of barcodes and QR codes provides real-time, accurate tracking of product inventory. This ensures that batch numbers, manufacturing, and expiry dates are captured effortlessly, ensuring that all items are traceable and compliant with industry regulations.
  • OCR for Text Extraction: Scanflow uses Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to capture and validate essential details like batch numbers, expiry dates, and product information from labels, ensuring no vital information is overlooked.
  • Seamless Integration with Existing Workflows: Scanflow can integrate with a variety of existing systems and platforms, ensuring smooth data flow from warehouse management systems (WMS) to inventory tracking platforms without disruption.
  • Offline Functionality: Even in areas with poor connectivity, Scanflow’s offline capabilities allow users to continue scanning and updating inventory data, which is then synced with the central system when connectivity is restored.

A leading humanitarian NGO involved in the global distribution of medical supplies faced challenges in their inventory management. The organization required a solution that would ensure real-time tracking of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment, while ensuring compliance with international regulations. Scanflow provided the perfect solution, using AI scanning to automate processes across multiple stages:

  • Barcode Serialization: Ensures traceability and data integrity for every product distributed.
  • 2D Barcode and QR Code Scanning: Facilitates efficient parcel tracking during transport.
  • Datamatrix Scanning on Packing Lists: Accurately identifies key product information even on space-constrained packaging lists.
  • OCR for Shelf-Stored Items: Extracts critical data from medical supplies stored on shelves, enabling seamless inventory tracking.

With Scanflow’s automated data capture solution, the organization significantly improved its inventory accuracy, reduced manual workload, and enhanced regulatory compliance across its global operations. This led to more efficient supply chain management, reduced errors, and improved healthcare outcomes in the field.

In today’s fast-paced pharmaceutical distribution industry, leveraging automation is no longer optional; it’s a necessity. Scanflow’s visual AI solution helps organizations streamline their workflows, enhance inventory accuracy, and improve compliance. Whether it’s in pharma packaging, warehouse management, or distribution, Scanflow ensures that the right product gets to the right place on time, every time, with complete traceability and data integrity.

Explore the benefits of Scanflow for your operations and see how it can help you streamline your pharma logistics and improve your inventory management.

Interested in improving your pharmaceutical distribution with streamlined inventory management?

Discover how Scanflow’s automated data capture can ensure accuracy, compliance, and operational efficiency. Request a Demo or Get in Touch with Our Experts to learn more.

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Text Scanning Tire Sidewall

How Tire Sidewall Scanning using AI is transforming tire warehousing in Automotive Manufacturing

In automotive manufacturing, precision in tire identification is non-negotiable. But inside warehouses, the way tires are received, stored, and retrieved still relies heavily on manual intervention, leading to mismatches, delays, and an inability to manage inventory effectively. Sidewall data capture introduces a system of record built directly from the tire, enabling smarter, faster, and more accurate warehouse operations.

 

In most tire warehouses, the process begins with unloading. Tires are manually counted and logged using either handheld scanners or visual checks. From this point forward, tracking relies on printed barcodes, handwritten logs, or product labels that are easy to misread or lose. The warehouse is left operating on estimates, assumptions, and static records.


  • Inaccurate SKU matching: Selecting the wrong tire model or size during retrieval is common when multiple similar variants are stored in close proximity.
  • Manual data entry errors: Serial numbers and model information are often typed in by hand, increasing the risk of mismatch or duplication.
  • Lack of visibility into tire aging: There is no reliable mechanism to track how long each unit has been stored, leading to slow-moving stock building up unnoticed.
  • No real-time inventory insight: Most systems only offer a point-in-time view, which becomes outdated as soon as stock is moved or reallocated.
  • Increased turnaround time: The time it takes to find, verify, and dispatch the correct tire grows, especially as SKU complexity increases.
  • High man-hour cost: Staff must spend time on low-value tasks like physical checks, double entry, and re-scanning due to initial inaccuracies.

In fast-moving production environments, these issues quickly become bottlenecks – not just for the warehouse, but for the entire supply chain that depends on it.

  • Every tire has essential data embedded in its sidewall. This includes:
  • The Tire Identification Number (TIN)
  • Size and load index
  • Manufacturer and model
  • Batch or production code

Instead of relying on external labels, barcodes, or manual logs, sidewall data capture uses computer vision and optical character recognition to extract this information directly from the tire. The system identifies each unit as it is received, moved, or retrieved without requiring any manual input.

This data is immediately matched to the expected SKU and stored in the warehouse management system in real time. As a result, the warehouse has a live, continuously updated inventory view based on what is actually in storage, not just what was scanned in at the door.

1. Asset-Level Identification at Entry

Tires are identified individually as they are unloaded, with precise data linked to each unit. This eliminates reliance on aggregated batch-level logging or barcode stickers that may detach or degrade.

2. Reduced SKU Mismatch During Retrieval

Operators retrieve tires based on validated data from the sidewall, not assumptions or packaging labels. The system flags any discrepancies between what is picked and what is expected.

3. Live Tracking of Tire Aging

Because each tire is scanned and time-stamped at arrival, its storage duration is tracked automatically. This enables FIFO or FEFO practices and prevents the creation of slow-moving or expired stock.

4. Real-Time Warehouse Snapshot

Management gets a complete picture of what is stored where, down to the model and age of each unit. This allows for better layout planning, stock rotation, and dispatch prioritization.

5. Space Utilization Optimization

With clear data on high-movement SKUs, warehouse teams can adjust placement zones and stacking logic to reduce time and effort spent on retrieval.

6. Reduction in Man-Hour Cost

Automated capture eliminates the need for repeated checks, re-scanning, and dual entry. Fewer errors mean fewer corrections, and fewer hands are needed to manage day-to-day tracking tasks.

Moving from Manual to Measurable

The shift from manual identification to structured AI sidewall capture is not just about saving time. It is about enabling tire warehousing operations to work with a level of data integrity and speed that matches the rest of the automotive manufacturing process.

Inaccurate or missing tire data delays dispatches, inflates inventory cost, and slows down assembly. When identification happens at the source; at the moment the tire is unloaded, these problems no longer accumulate. Warehouses become faster. Decisions become more informed. Stock becomes more visible and manageable.

Conclusion

Sidewall data capture transforms warehouse operations from manual and reactive to intelligent and data driven. By building traceability from the physical asset itself, it eliminates errors at the point of entry, improves selection accuracy during retrieval, and gives real-time visibility into every tire in the system.

For tire manufacturers, OEMs, and their warehousing partners, the message is simple: better data starts at the sidewall and the time to capture it is now.

If your teams are still spending time on manual tire checks, SKU revalidations, or inventory clean-ups, you’re losing more than just time – you’re losing traceability, efficiency, and cost control.

Scanflow lets you capture tire sidewall data directly from the tire; fast, accurate, and fully integrated into your existing workflows.

No guesswork. No double entry. Just clean data, from source to dispatch.

Book a walkthrough with our team to see how Scanflow fits into your warehousing environment.

Schedule a demo or Download SDK to start.

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Text Scanning Barcode scanning ID Scanning uncategorised Tire Sidewall general vin scanning Quality control

How AI is Transforming Data Capture Across Industries

In today’s fast-paced world, businesses are turning to AI for data capture to collect, process, and manage complex information with greater accuracy and speed. This technology extends beyond simple data extraction, it efficiently handles alphanumeric data like VIN plate scanning, tire sidewall numbers, serial numbers, Bar codes, QR codes etc., ensuring precision even in the most challenging conditions. 

Industries such as automotive, logistics, manufacturing, and retail are integrating AI visual inspection solutions and AI for data capture to streamline workflows, reduce manual errors, and enhance operational efficiency. This shift isn’t just a technological upgrade but it’s redefining how businesses capture and use data in real time.

  1. Expanding Data Capture Beyond Traditional Methods

AI is revolutionizing data capture by automating the collection of complex information across various environments. What once required manual data entry or specialized equipment can now be handled seamlessly by AI visual inspection workflows. 

Key applications of AI in advanced data capture include: 

VIN Plate Scanning: Essential in the automotive and logistics industries, AI quickly and accurately captures vehicle identification numbers, streamlining tracking, registration, and inventory. 

Tire Sidewall Numbers: AI can extract detailed information from tire sidewalls, supporting product verification, recall management, and quality assurance in manufacturing. 

Serial Number Scanning: Useful in electronics and industrial sectors, AI captures serial numbers for inventory tracking, warranty management, and equipment identification. 

Alphanumeric Text Recognition: AI retrieves data from labels, machinery plates, and industrial documentation, ensuring error-free data input and reducing manual workload.

Why it matters?

AI captures data from worn, distorted, or low-visibility surfaces, ensuring accurate collection under challenging conditions. This reduces errors, enhances data consistency, and allows businesses to maintain accurate records without manual oversight. 

  1. Automating Workflows for Greater Efficiency

Manual data entry is labor-intensive and prone to mistakes. AI introduces automation across industries, reducing the need for human intervention while improving accuracy and speed. This is particularly valuable in environments requiring high-volume data capture. 

Benefits of AI-automated workflows include: 

Faster Data Processing: AI captures and processes large volumes of data in seconds, accelerating operations in industries like logistics and automotive. 

Error Reduction: AI eliminates human error by accurately reading and recording alphanumeric information, even from difficult angles or damaged surfaces. 

Seamless Workflow Automation: AI integrates with existing ERP systems, warehouse management software (WMS), and supply chain platforms to automate data transfer and reporting. 

Industries such as manufacturing and retail benefit significantly from automated workflows, as AI can track incoming and outgoing shipments, verify product details, and ensure smooth operational transitions. 

  1. AI for Data capture: From Capture to Insight

AI doesn’t just capture data. Once collected, the data is processed, organized, and integrated with existing systems to provide a comprehensive view of business operations. 

Applications of AI for data management across industries include: 

Inventory Control: In warehousing and logistics, AI tracks product movement and ensures real-time updates, reducing miscounts and stock discrepancies. 

Automated Audits: AI facilitates internal audits by automating the collection and verification of critical data, ensuring compliance with industry regulations. 

Data Accuracy and Reporting: AI improves reporting precision by capturing real-time data across multiple touchpoints, enhancing supply chain visibility and operational transparency. 

By automating data management, businesses can process vast information efficiently while maintaining accuracy, ultimately enhancing decision-making and optimizing resource allocation. 

  1. Industry-Specific Use Cases of AI in Data Capture

AI’s adaptability makes it invaluable across multiple sectors, where it enhances efficiency and reduces human error. Here’s how AI-driven data capture transforms different industries: 

Automotive Industry: AI simplifies VIN plate scanning, improves inventory accuracy, and facilitates compliance tracking across vehicle fleets. 

Logistics & Supply Chain: AI automates serial number scanning for package tracking, delivery validation, and warehouse automation, ensuring faster and more accurate logistics. 

Manufacturing: AI captures tire sidewall numbers and other industrial identifiers, streamlining product lifecycle management and enhancing production efficiency. 

Retail & Consumer Goods: AI supports large-scale inventory tracking and customer data management, improving efficiency in managing supply chains and retail stock. 

Healthcare: AI assists in capturing device serial numbers and alphanumeric codes on medical instruments, ensuring accurate records for regulatory compliance. 

The Future of AI in Data Capture

The future of AI visual inspection solutions is poised to bring even more advanced capabilities to data capture and management. With ongoing advancements, AI will offer: 

Improved Recognition Accuracy: Enhanced models for capturing data from irregular surfaces, low-light environments, and damaged labels. 

Integrated Systems: Seamless communication with broader digital ecosystems, including IoT devices and smart supply chains. 

Scalable Automation: Greater scalability for industries handling high volumes of alphanumeric data, ensuring accuracy across diverse applications. 

Conclusion: AI is Redefining Data Capture 

AI is transforming the way industries handle data capture, moving beyond traditional methods to deliver faster, more accurate, and automated solutions. From VIN plate scanning in the automotive sector to serial number scanning in logistics, AI enhances efficiency and reduces human error across various touchpoints. 

By integrating AI visual inspection workflows and AI for data capture, businesses can automate complex processes, improve operational accuracy, and gain real-time insights. This shift not only optimizes resource allocation but also ensures smoother, more efficient workflows across industries. 

As AI continues to evolve, its applications in data capture will expand, offering smarter, more scalable solutions that drive innovation and operational excellence. Embracing these advanced technologies is no longer optional, it’s essential for businesses looking to stay competitive in a data-driven world.

To stay ahead of this curve, Explore Scanflow AI and see how it can benefit your business operations, visit – https://www.scanflow.ai/get-in-touch/

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Text Scanning Quality control

The Future of Visual Inspection for Automotive Manufacturing: AI Scanning Solutions in 2024

The automotive industry is undergoing a rapid transformation, driven by technological advancements and increasing consumer demands for high-quality vehicles. To meet these expectations, manufacturers are turning to innovative solutions that enhance efficiency, improve product quality, and reduce costs. One such solution is the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into visual inspection processes.

AI-powered scanning solutions have emerged as a game-changer for automotive manufacturing. These systems leverage advanced algorithms and computer vision techniques to automate visual inspection tasks, such as detecting defects, verifying dimensions, and assessing surface quality. By replacing traditional manual inspection methods, AI scanning solutions offer several key benefits:

  • Enhanced accuracy: AI algorithms can detect defects that human inspectors may miss, ensuring higher product quality.
  • Increased efficiency: Automated inspection reduces the time required to inspect each vehicle, improving productivity and throughput.
  • Reduced costs: AI scanning solutions can lower operational costs by eliminating the need for manual labor and reducing scrap rates.
  • Improved consistency: AI systems provide consistent inspection results, reducing variability and improving overall quality.

When selecting an AI scanning solution for your automotive manufacturing business, consider the following factors:

  • Inspection requirements: Identify the specific visual inspection tasks you need to automate.
  • Integration capabilities: Ensure that the solution can be seamlessly integrated into your existing production processes.
  • Scalability: Choose a solution that can grow with your business and accommodate future expansion.
  • Cost-effectiveness: Evaluate the total cost of ownership, including hardware, software, and maintenance.

By carefully considering these factors, you can select an AI scanning solution that delivers the best value for your business.

Scanflow is a leading provider of AI-powered scanning solutions for the automotive industry. Their innovative technology enables manufacturers to automate various visual inspection tasks, including:

  • Component inspection: Verifying the quality of components such as headlights, taillights, and interior trim.
  • Assembly line inspection: Monitoring the assembly process to ensure that vehicles are built correctly.
  • Final inspection: Assessing the overall quality of completed vehicles before they leave the factory.

Scanflow’s solutions are designed to meet the specific needs of automotive manufacturers, offering high accuracy, speed, and reliability. Their technology is also adaptable to different inspection scenarios, making it suitable for a wide range of applications.

AI Visual Inspection Solutions

AI scanning solutions are playing a crucial role in transforming the automotive manufacturing industry. By automating visual inspection tasks, these solutions enhance quality, improve efficiency, and reduce costs. Scanflow’s innovative technology offers a reliable and effective solution for manufacturers seeking to optimize their production processes. As AI continues to advance, we can expect to see even more sophisticated and powerful scanning solutions emerging in the years to come.

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Text Scanning

How Intelligent Text Capture automates pharmaceutical workflows in Healthcare Organizations?

How does Scanflow effectively captures container numbers for a seamless shipping process - data capture in healthcare

When it comes to providing medical care, errors of any kind have no place in them. Healthcare providers are frequently prone to medical errors and face challenges in workflow operations. Automation reduces the potential for human error and eliminates inaccuracies in the healthcare delivery system.

With technological advancements like artificial intelligence, the healthcare industry has made great strides in innovation over the past few decades. Automation has modernized healthcare services by bringing in innovative solutions across pharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostic techniques, and therapies. By automating manual processes, repeated tasks are eliminated, allowing healthcare professionals to take charge of their time and efforts and direct them toward more fruitful activities.

Scanflow Intelligent Text capture allows healthcare workers to scan REF/LOT codes from medical supplies providing digital information from their own devices!

Scanflow is an AI scanner for smart devices that captures data and automates workflows. It can capture any type of data, including text, IDs, numbers, barcodes, and QR codes. Scanflow Intelligent text capture scans any type of REF codes from medical supplies where clinicians can instantly view crucial information, such as dosage, and patient-specific instructions by a simple scan from any smart device.

The information captured is stored as digital records within the enterprise system. Every pharmaceutical product comes with REF/LOT codes printed on it which carry vital information about the medicine. Scanflow captures data from the REF codes in seconds from any angle orientation at any external environment, including low light, damaged text, and light glares.

Scanflow technology works with any smart devices such as smartphones, iPads, tablets, wearables, and drones that can be used even offline. The SDK can be integrated into any existing application and is compatible with Android, iOS, and development frameworks like Xamarin, React Native, etc. The data captured from the container is stored offline with secure data encryption.

  • Simplifies and automates end-to-end workflow operations.
  • Scans at any challenging conditions with high accuracy.
  • Real-time visibility of operations.
  • Reduces the risk of inputting the wrong data.
  • East to upgrade from any development platform.

Automation assists healthcare professionals in improving patient care and improving their job satisfaction by relieving them from tedious data-handling activities.

Healthcare automation enhances patient care, lowers costs, increases operational effectiveness, and strengthens the healthcare delivery system. Both healthcare providers and patients gain more advantages as technology develops and increases the scope of what is feasible in healthcare automation.

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Text Scanning

How does Scanflow effectively captures container numbers for a seamless shipping process

Freight containers are generally used to transport raw materials and products across different locations or countries. These containers need to be verified before the shipment and after reaching the destined locations.

During the shipment process, large containers are identified by their container numbers, which are the most crucial information needed to manage the process. These container numbers are usually alphanumeric texts that are displayed on the container. Predominantly, shipping workers rely on manual entry of container numbers and maintaining records of them. However, manual data entry is time-consuming and prone to errors. These manual errors may result in containers being delivered to the incorrect location, causing the shipping process to be delayed.

Scanflow Intelligent text capture helps cargo workers to scan container identification numbers accurately from their smart devices.

Scanflow is an AI scanner on smart devices for data capture and workflow automation. It captures any form of data from Texts, IDs, Numbers, Barcodes, and QR codes. Scanflow Intelligent text capture efficiently scans long serial numbers from containers at any external condition. It can capture any form of alphanumeric text from containers where workers can choose to scan specific frames of serial numbers or scan the whole container to get the data.

By implementing AI-based technologies in workflows, logistics companies can improve their container tracking process more efficiently helping workers to quickly scan and identify containers. Scanflow accurately captures container numbers from any orientation at any external environment be it- low light damaged texts & numbers, or light glares without any errors.

Scanflow technology works with smart devices such as smartphones, wearables, and drones that can be used even offline. The SDK can be integrated into any existing application and is compatible with Android, iOS, and development frameworks like Xamarin, React Native, etc. The data captured from the container is encrypted and securely stored offline. As a result, safety concerns and container fraud can be avoided thereby enhancing the efficiency of the shipping process.

  • Simplifies and automates end-to-end workflow operations.
  • Scans at any challenging conditions with high accuracy.
  • Real-time visibility of operations.
  • Reduces the risk of inputting the wrong data.
  • East to upgrade from any development platform.

Human errors are unavoidable in any business process. Due to workload, stress, and distraction, it is difficult for employees to process and enter data perfectly every time. Workers can get highly accurate scan results instantly by integrating Scanflow into any smart device. It eliminates human errors and makes the data collection process simpler and more reliable. Furthermore, Smart devices are gaining the advantage of simplifying workflow processes as they are easy to handle and maintain adding more value to productivity.

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Text Scanning

Empower your customers with seamless Self-meter reading from their own devices!

meter reading solutions, OCR Meter Reading, mobile and web meter reading software development kit and API

Energy consumption is an inevitable process in everyday life that must be monitored and tracked frequently. Utility providers record energy consumption by manually reading and entering them in records. However, manual entry and recording of energy readings are time-consuming, expensive, increase labor costs, and are prone to frequent human errors.

Automation of workflow processes has evolved across all industries and is being adopted in every sector for managing operational tasks. Automatic data collection enables large utility providers to collect utility data digitally thereby reducing manual errors and improving efficiency.

Scanflow Intelligent text capture allows customers to scan their energy meters and get fast and accurate data from their smart devices.

Scanflow is an AI scanner on smart devices for data capture and workflow automation. It captures any form of data from Texts, IDs, Numbers, Barcodes, and QR codes. Scanflow Intelligent text capture efficiently scans serial numbers from energy meter readings at any external condition.

Scanflow Intelligent text capture offers a simple yet more effective solution that allows users to read their energy meter and submit them for the payment process. This increases trust amongst customers as they can manage their energy consumption and bills from their homes.

When integrated seamlessly with any smart device, Scanflow Intelligent text capture solution works in Android and iOS devices in any development framework such as Xamarin, React Native, etc. The users can access the data from their integrated system anytime, which helps reduce disputes regarding the level of energy consumption and billing amount.

  • Simplifies and automates end-to-end workflow operations.
  • Scans tires in any challenging conditions with high accuracy.
  • Increases the mobility & productivity of workers.
  • Saves time for workers to perform other priority tasks.
  • Easily upgraded from any development platform.

Leveraging manufacturing industries with innovative technologies will provide a significant competitive advantage to them. In recent years, many industries have started to adopt smart automated solutions in their workflows. This will mitigate operational costs and workers can have a productive work environment with errorless and more intelligible processes.

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