| By :
Stephen Daniels
Those who work in design fields and other creative industries often find that they need to scan large documents such as blueprints, architectural designs, or corporate drawings. Fortunately, wide format scanners can make processing and working with oversized images just as easy as dealing with smaller ones, increasing both the capability and productivity of individuals in creative businesses. While it is possible to process larger items using traditional scanners, it requires scanning the documents in sections and assembling them into a single image. This is a time-consuming process that invariably results in loss of quality and leaves artifacts of scanning that must be removed by hand, absorbing more of the designer's time. Wide format scanners, by contrast, are capable of handling even very big documents, and can scan paintings, blueprints or other sizeable designs at high resolutions in a single pass with no artifacts. While not readily available at your typical computer or office supply store, these units are available through specialized dealers as well as manufacturers. The one drawback of wide format equipment is that it is generally quite expensive. The physics of a scanner do not scale up well. Thus, more advanced equipment is necessary to make wide format devices operate. It is simply more difficult to illuminate and digitize large areas of space, especially in the high level of quality that artists and designers need. The good news is that these devices are generally built to last, unlike their near-disposable desktop companions. When a company upgrades its devices, often the units being replaced are still in excellent working condition. This has created an extensive market for used or refurbished wide format devices. The availability of used and refurbished scanners is a great boon for small companies, artists, and other persons who need to work with larger images but can't afford retail prices on such equipment. It is possible to save hundreds or even thousands of dollars by purchasing a refurbished model. Professional refurbishment also makes sure that these units work as well as they did the day they were produced, even if they are five or six years old. Refurbishment involves using only the finest parts direct from the factory, as well as cleaning contacts, removing dust, and making sure that the scanning surface is perfectly clean. While these units provide an obvious advantage for any company that needs to scan or copy oversized images such as blueprints, signs or posters, any organization that needs to preserve old documents frequently can also benefit from having a large format device on hand. Many older documents may be much too big for traditional A4 size scanners. Another benefit is that most of these units are sheet-fed, meaning documents are fed through the device to pass under a stationary scanning head. This means that even very long items like banners can be scanned and duplicated. The versatility of wide format devices can enhance the capability and productivity of almost any creative or document-minded business. Fortunately, since prices for used and refurbished units place them well within reach of most artists and designers, there's no reason for even small businesses not to enjoy the advantages of having their own large format scanner.
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