Wide Format Imaging

Wide-format scanning is used in a variety of ways in the graphics industry including reusing legacy paper drawings, maps, reproduction, and bringing Graphic Arts into software programs for future use.

Scan-to-File

Scan-to-file is the classic application for wide-format scanners. It originated in the CAD world as a way to reuse legacy paper drawings by scanning them into an electronic format or directly into the CAD system. In the reprographic world it's a service that is being offered to maintain legal copies of artworks, posters or anything that can be scanned.

Typically, two approaches existed for this application. The first was to convert drawings on demand. The second was to convert all legacy drawings into an electronic drawing archive. The latter was justified by reducing the amount of storage space needed and preventing further deterioration of the drawings. Disaster recovery is another application for scan-to-file. A city engineering department, for example, can use a scanner to make electronic copies of drawings of bridges, utility lines, buildings and more and store them in a safe, fireproof location.

You have two viable options for the scan-to-file approach:

• Outsource the scanning to a third-party scanning service.
• Invest in a solution so you can do the scanning in-house.

Scan-to-Print

Scan-to-print, or S2P, was first applied following the introduction of wide-format color scanners in the late 1990s. These devices allowed business owners to expand their services offerings to include color poster and other wide document reproduction. The scan-to-print workstation was created using a wide-format scanner as the front end to a wide-format printer. Reprographics shops were the first to jump into this new concept for expanding their service into the wide-format arena. Other markets, such as architects, copy shops and photo labs also jumped on the bandwagon.

What makes these solutions attractive for business owners is the potential for a high rate of ROI (return on investment). Typically, reprographers charge $6-$8 per square foot copied in color—or $72 to $96 for a 36x48-inch original on standard bond paper. The relatively inexpensive and fast wide-format inkjet printers that are available today—such as the Canon ImagePROGRAF ifp700 ($3,995)—a complete copy solution could easily be set up for less than $20,000. Given revenues of $100 per copy, the payback on the original investment could come quickly.

Scan-to-Application

A new breed of uses, scan-to-application, has popped up in recent years, propelling wide-format scanners into new niche markets. It's amazing to observe the innovative thinking in other parts of industry.