[ Page 2 of 3 ]

Sorting through options

One obvious choice that faces architects is whether to purchase a monochrome or a color scanner. Depending on the options selected, it’s entirely possible to obtain a color scanner for less than a black-and-white model, says John Vitale, the owner of Palisades Research in Pacific Palisades, California, an IT firm that has provided software, hardware, scanning, and archiving services for almost 20 years. One feature that Vitale recommends is a minimum 300 dpi true color optical resolution for high-quality results. Océ’s spokesperson, Francis Faye, indicates that scans at 400 dpi have become the AEC industry standard, but that higher-quality units are available when precise rendering of aerial photography and other finely detailed information is needed in the final product.

Another feature that figures into productivity and cost is the speed of scanning. While it’s mechanically feasible to pull drawings through machines at almost any rate, the speed is limited by the ability of a scanner’s software to process the resulting images. Machines that scan documents faster are more expensive. Contex offers units with speeds starting at 0.5 inches per second (ips) and up to 3 ips. XES currently offers scan speeds up to 4 ips on some units and plans to make 7.4 ips units available in the first quarter of 2003, says Neiss.

Kyocera Mita’s KM-4850w can scan, print, and copy. It is small enough to fit in tight spaces.

The standard width for large-scale scanners in the AEC industry is 36 inches, although other sizes are available (the graphic production industry, for instance, often uses units with a 50-inch scan width). The thickness of the media scanned is also important when choosing a device. Océ, XES, Contex, and other manufacturers offer units that can accept material up to 0.6 inches thick. DMJMH+N’s Kiker says, “Our Contex unit handles various thicknesses of media, including 0.5-inch foam-core presentation boards that we scan for our records.”

ADVERTISEMENT

A mechanical feature that Kiker appreciates is the “two-sided drive” that was a differentiating point for scanners made by Vidar (now Contex). Most large-scale scanners have powered rollers on the bottom side of the media and free-moving rollers on top. Vidar became known for powering both sets of rollers; the consistent feed achieved from this improvement protects the original document and provides a steadier image for scanning, according to Palisades Research’s Vitale. (The feature was still available on machines made by the newly merged Contex, but industry insiders have heard unconfirmed rumors that Contex may phase out production of these units.)

Jorge Septién, chief information officer for Gruzen Samton Architects, in New York City, says protecting the media being scanned from roller damage or unexpected snags is especially important for older, fragile documents. “We have created a clear plastic sleeve that we slip older drawings into before scanning them on our Océ units,” Septién says. Océ’s Faye notes that in cases where a document’s safety is a high priority, some architects have created sleeves with firm cardboard backings and clear plastic covers.