Large Format Scanners in Ontario: How to Justify the Investment

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Large Format Scanners in Ontario

• How to Justify the Investment

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Large Format Scanners

• Large format scanners in Ontario were used a
  couple decades ago primarily in the CAD market.
  Originally, these specialized devices scanned
  drawings and other large engineering and
  architecture documents. However, new
  applications evolved over time and these scanners
  today serve a much broader market.

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Large Format Scanners

• Perpetuating the growth of large format scanners
  in Ontario was the introduction of color
  capability. As technology advanced to a point of
  capture colors, the number of uses increased.
  Also fueling growth is the greater affordability
  combined with improved performance. Costs have
  come way down since the early days and
  performance has skyrocketed.

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Large Format Scanners

• Large format scanners in Ontario have become a
  business tool just like regular printers.
  Depending on the nature of your business, you may
  find a large format scanner makes good sense to
  have in-house. As with all other investments,
  however, you need to carefully weigh the costs
  and benefits.

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Large Format Scanners

• Uses for Large Format Scanners in Ontario
• The following applications are common in todays
  market
• Scan to File. If a business has invested
  significant amounts of money in drawings, it
  wants to ensure it can maintain those drawings in
  good condition. Also, if the drawings need to be
  changed in any way, they would have to be
  completely re-drawn.

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Large Format Scanners

• However, scan to file applications let users
  take these large format drawings, scan them, and
  load them into other computer applications such
  as CAD software. Once in a digital format, the
  document can be preserved and changed if needed.
•  
• Scan to Print. Used in conjunction with a large
  format printer, these scanners can reproduce
  items like posters. Many businesses find this
  capability useful. Copy businesses, photo labs,
  architects and more can add lucrative services to
  their portfolio by using large format scanners to
  capture documents and then output them on a large
  format color printer.

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Large Format Scanners

• When It Makes Sense to Invest in Large Format
  Scanners in Ontario
• Service providers are the prime targets for
  using large format scanners in Ontario. However,
  other types of businesses benefit as well. Any
  company that produces and manages large format
  documents can justify the investment for in-house
  technology.
•  
• In addition, companies that want to protect the
  contents of their documents may choose to invest
  in large format scanning in Ontario as an
  in-house solution. If the documents contain
  sensitive information or intellectual property
  that must be protected, in-house scanners make
  sense.

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Large Format Scanners

• To make a sound investment, a large format
  scanner purchase must positively contribute to
  the bottom line. For service providers this is an
  easy exercise. They can compare how much money
  theyll make from providing a new service to the
  actual cost of buying the equipment. Then, they
  can determine if the time it takes to payback the
  investment is reasonable.

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Large Format Scanners

• But what about other businesses? Will the
  scanner produce anything that can be sold to
  customers? Will they save money by allowing easy
  digital management? Will large format scanners in
  Ontario improve efficiency and create a more
  productive environment?

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Large Format Scanners

• Using large format scanners in Ontario can also
  differentiate a company from its competition.
  Can the business gain customers by offering new
  capabilities that competitors dont? Architects,
  engineers and other businesses can come up with
  innovative ways to use these scanners that could
  cause customers and prospects to view it more
  positively.

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Large Format Scanners

• Although its nice to have all the bells and
  whistles that come with many large format
  scanners in Ontario, companies still need to
  approach the purchase as a good business
  decision. It really boils down to whether the
  scanner will cut costs and/or increase revenues.
  And, in many cases, it will.

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About the Author

• Kevin D'Arcy is VP of Sales and Marketing for MES
  Hybrid Document Systems, Ontario's leading
  document scanning and document management
  supplier. For more information about large format
  scanners in Ontario, visit our website.