Scanners4CAD eMagazine - December 2006 / January 2007
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HOT NEWS: Stunning new multi-function system from Graphtec.
OEM: Paradigm badge Colortrac Gx 42 scanners as imagePRO.
INTERVIEW: Henrik Vestermark, The Other Solutions, Inc.
ON SHOW: Civils 2006 in London - Allied Images, Colourgen, Autodesk.
COLD NEWS: Image Tracer raster to vector converter terminated in Europe.
UPGRADES: Softcover offer EU Image Tracer users Scan2CAD upgrade.
NEW PRODUCT: Océ announces new multi-function TDS700 printer.
USER STORY: How CAD consultant Alan Darbyshire benefits from a SmartLF.
26th January 2007
HOT NEWS - Stunning new multi-function system from Graphtec
Graphtec GB have announced the ScanPrint SP200W, a wide format scan, print and copy system with a UK list price of £4650 (excl). It offers cost-conscious CAD users a new benchmark in terms of CIS scanner price and performance!
The compact and complete Graphtec ScanPrint SP200W-06D (Desktop)
model comprising the SK200 600 dpi optical resolution A0 scanner
with the CAD and office graphics quality JW220 MasterJet A1 printer.
The Graphtec ScanPrint SP200W combines two standalone, large format, fast productivity devices, the A0 SK200 scanner with the brand new MasterJet JW220 A1 printer. The two devices sit snugly within one compact, space-saving footprint.
Our tests show that the SK200 scanner is faster than rival CIS scanners. Its monochrome and colour scan quality is as good as more expensive systems.
The MasterJet JW220 is a new high speed, high performance thermal inkjet colour printer that includes an A1 paper roll feed. With the scanner it offers AEC, CAD, GIS, office document and office graphics users a quick and easy colour, greyscale and monochrome scan, print and copy system.
NOTABLE FEATURES
The new ScanPrint SP200W is full of innovation. It is:
- the lightest A0 scanner,
- the smallest A0 scanner,
- the fastest A0 CIS scanner,
- the lowest priced A0 colour scanner, PLUS it includes a printer,
- the first under-£5000 scan, print and copy system,
- the first to include a stand in the list price,
- the first to offer a Two Year On-Site Warranty as standard in mainland UK.
Easily connected by supplied 2m USB2 cables the ScanPrint system offers a well-designed and compact system that can be easily integrated into any Windows 2000/XP office environment.
The ScanPrint is supplied as either a Desktop model (£4650 + VAT) or a High Stand model (£4995 + VAT).
Graphtec ScanPrint SP200W-06H (High Stand) model - £4995 (excl).
ScanPrint SK200 Scanner
The Japanese designed SK200 scanner is superbly engineered, compact and lightweight. In a word, sexy! It is the smallest of all A0 scanners. Its size and weight make it the most transportable.
The SK200 uses Graphtec's tried-and-tested CIS (contact image sensor) technology. It uses five CIS sensor arrays capable of 600 dpi optical resolution up to 1200 dpi interpolated. It scans drawings up to 965mm (38") wide with an image width of 932mm (36”), enough for scanning A0 drawings in portrait mode.
A centre-justified paper feed with two sliding guides makes it easy to square and feed drawings straight into the scanner which will accept a maximum paper thickness of 0.8mm, well within the range of most technical drawings. It is supplied with rear curling guides to feed scanned drawing back over the scanner to the operator, a useful feature typical of this well-designed product.
Two hidden catches on the outer underside of the hood allow easy access for cleaning purposes. Once opened, the hood is held upright by a neat push-to-close latch. A discrete LED display panel shows Power On / Off, Backward / Forward, Stop, Paper Ready and System Error. It is the only scanner supplied with cleaning paper.
The SK200 will scan technical drawings and maps to a high standard suitable for CAD and GIS users. It is an unpretentious yet effective fast monochrome and colour workhorse that gives sharp, practical results.
ScanPrint MasterJet JW220 Printer
The supplied printer is Graphtec's new MasterJet JW220, a fast A1 colour thermal inkjet which, when supplied standalone, has a UK RRP of £1095 (excl).
Graphtec MasterJet JW220 as standalone.
The new ScanPrint's MasterJet printer is notable for having:
- high quality 4800 x 1200 dpi colour print resolution,
- fast A1 printing - an A1 monochrome sheet prints in 93 seconds,
- an A1 paper roll feed and manual sheet feeder included as standard.
With a similar list price to the HP Designjet 110, the MasterJet is the more complete product. It offers a higher print resolution of 2400 x 1200 dpi monochrome and 4800 x 1200 dpi colour. Its A1 paper roll feed, supplied as standard, is an optional extra with the HP 110.
The MasterJet prints to a variety of papers - plain, recycled, matte, coated, tracing, glossy - suitable for CAD drawings, facsimile copying, filing and artwork. It will allow print margins to within 5mm of either side of any drawing sheet.
The printer uses larger than standard, economic 100ml Black and 50ml Cyan, Magenta and Yellow ink cartridges, making it cost-effective to operate.
CAD users can print large format drawings very quickly using the MasterJet's high productivity, fast Draft mode. A print speed of under 93 seconds per A1-size drawing in Draft mode gets everyday technical drawings printed to a high standard of clarity and sharpness. A Slow (High Quality) mode adds enhanced graphics quality to your final drawing presentations and office graphics.
Software
The ScanPrint is supplied with Graphtec's own Scanning Arts scan, print and copy software.
Scanning Arts has easily selected settings for scanning drawings, blueprints, maps, posters, photos and newsprint. It even has a setting for enhanced highlighter pen recognition - normally a problem for CIS scanners.
Scanning Arts allows you to define and save up to 120 presets for re-use and increased productivity later. Presets can be created for all scan scenarios. They can include different scan resolutions and scan settings, like brightness, contrast, gamma, sharpening, despeckle, etc.
Scanning Arts saves colour, greyscale and monochrome images in 22 different file formats, including TIFF G4, JPEG and PDF.
In addition to Scanning Arts software, the ScanPrint is supplied with a TWAIN scanner driver, a Windows printer driver and Scan2CAD raster editing and raster to vector conversion software.
The ScanPrint offers cost-conscious CAD users the lowest price yet on a professional quality A0 colour scanner. Included in the price is scan, print and copy software, plus the added bonus of a high resolution A1 colour printer. A Two Year On-Site Warranty is supplied as standard. All in all, the ScanPrint is very good value for money!
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24th January 2007
OEM - Paradigm badge Colortrac Gx 42 CCD scanners as imagePRO
Paradigm Imaging Group (Costa Mesa, CA, USA) are the first company worldwide to badge British manufacturer Colortrac's scanners under an OEM agreement.
Paradigm, the leading US Graphtec scanner distributor, has added the Colortrac SmartLF Gx 42 series of scanners to its product line which it is calling the imagePRO 42 scanner series.
There are three versions of the imagePRO 42 scanners available in monochrome, colour, and enhanced color, just like the Colortrac SmartLF Gx 42 series' 42m, 42c and 42e.
Paradigm's new imagePRO series scanners are suitable for scanning documents that contain detailed images that call for a wide colour gamut with high dynamic range. They provide superior quality scans of colour technical documents like engineering drawings, maps, blueprints, site plans, reproductions of posters and other visual media.
In terms of CCD (charge couple device) technology Paradigm's new imagePRO series have a higher optical resolution than similar Contex CCD scanners - 600 dpi as against 508 dpi. The imagePRO 42 scanner series will scan from original media from 6 inches to 48 inches wide with any length. The imagePRO GxT model will scan media up to 0.8" thick.
Paradigm Imaging Group's Randy Geesman said, "This new imagePRO scanner series will initially be available in a 42" model, followed by a 25" and a 54" model within about six months." This is consistent with Colortrac's planned development of new Colortrac SmartLF Gx 25 and Gx 54 models.
For more information, please visit:
Web: http://www.paradigmimaging.com
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3rd January 2007
INTERVIEW - Henrik Vestermark, The Other Solutions, Inc.
Scanners4CAD spoke to Henrik Vestermark, The Other Solutions' President.
Scanners4CAD: "What were the main large format scanner highlights of 2006?"
Vestermark: "We saw a lot of new scanner products entering the market in 2006 as Contex, Vidar and Colortrac renewed their entire line of scanners.
"Contex had probably the biggest product launch in their history on 1st August 2006. It included a complete relaunch on their scanner series, revealing 14 new models.
"The introduction of these new Contex scanner models was partly forced by the fact that the European Union (EU) required that all scanners sold within the EU after 1st July 2006 be in compliance with RoHS (Restriction of Hazard Substances) regulations. This required scanner components to be lead free. Contex used this opportunity to increase their monochrome scan performance to 12ips and simplified their model offering for the 25" scanner. This was followed by a price reduction of approx USD $3,000 on the 25" model.
"Colortrac were also forced to introduce new models to meet RoHS requirements. Their new CCD-based SmartLF Gx and GxT series scanners arrived in November, about six months after the discontinuation of their older Series 4 series. Colortrac CIS-based SmartLF scanners were not affected by RoHS requirements which they had obtained in May 2006 prior to the July deadline.
"Colortrac's new CCD based Gx series is notable for its introduction of a new component, the Digital Camera Unit (DCU), which is a small black box containing the camera, the CCD and the mirror in one self-contained unit. This is capable of delivering a 1200 optical resolution, the highest resolution in the large format scanner industry today.
"Graphtec introduced a new 36" colour scanner to compliment their 42" series. They still lack a 54" scanner which I expect they will introduce during 2007. Once they have this Graphtec will be able to offer a 25" to 54" scanning capability, just like the other scanners manufactures do."
Scanners4CAD: "In your view, what is the outlook for Contex in 2007?"
Vestermark: "Contex will re-introduce their PUMA and CopyMate copy scanners in early 2007. These were temporarily discontinued in August 2006. One of the interesting aspect of the CopyMate scanner is that they use a new light source that does not required a lengthy warm-up time to deliver a stabilized light source, a requirement for current large format scanners.
"I expect that Contex will gradually introduce this light source into their other models, beginning in 2007. Also, long overdue is a revision on their popular WIDEimage scanner software which was first introduced in 1998. I expect their new scanner software to be an all-in-one package capable of both scan-to-file and scan-to-print, following the general trend in the scanner industry".
Scanners4CAD: "What's the outlook for Colortrac in 2007?"
Vestermark: "Colortrac will introduce a 25" version of their new Gx series of scanners and later on a 54" version. They will then have three sizes of scanner (25", 42" and 54") for three models (Monochrome, Colour and Enhanced Colour) with full upgradeability between them. The 25" wide scanner will contain 3 Digital Camera Units (DCUs) that Colortrac introduced with the 42" version.
"The 54" wide scanner will contain 7 DCUs. What is important here is that all scanners will utilize the 1200 x 600 dpi optical scanning resolution. Colortrac will shortly have two complete sets of scanners using both CCD and CIS technology. You can already see that Colortrac is carefully positioning their marketing message to accommodate these different CIS and CCD technologies. They are avoiding the religious war about which technology is best suited for the scanning industry".
Scanners4CAD: "Finally, what's the outlook for Graphtec in 2007?"
Vestermark: "Graphtec has established a successful relationship with KIP using their 36" scanner. However, it's unlikely that we will see that sold as a stand-alone scanner in USA. Most likely, it will be sold in conjunction with Paradigm's new scan-to-print solution, the Quatra and Supra systems.
"Graphtec will refine their existing technology to offer better paper tracking and support for thick media. I expect they will develop a 54" scanner to compliment their 25" and 42" scanners even though 54" scanners represent less than 10% of the large format market. Importantly, Graphtec are serious about becoming a real contender in the global, large format scanner market. They have recently reduced their scanner price by 29% in UK and added a two-year on-site warranty".
Scanners4CAD: "Does 2007 offer the large format scanner market any opportunities?"
Vestermark: "The total market outlook for 2007 is hard to estimate. None of the three leading manufacturers - Contex, Colortrac and Graphtec - are willing to share their market sizes. Any estimation based on their fiscal financial report always contains a margin of error. However, I still believe we will see an expansion in large format scanner unit sales in 2007.
"One reason is that major players in the print market, HP, Ricoh, Xerox, Oce, KIP and Canon, have introduced multi-functional printer and scanner system, either with own development or through OEM alliances with one of the three leading scanner manufactures. The fact that these companies believe in the large format scanner market will help to expand the total market potential for large format scanners. A secondary effect will be that when competition increases with lower prices on multi-functional scanner and printer systems it will put downward pressure on the retail price on large format scanners. This will help make large format scanners more affordable for end users.
"It will not surprise me if we see that scanners sold with printers as multi functional systems will surpass the general stand-alone sales in 2007".
Scanners4CAD: "Is there a discrepancy in what scanner manufactures deliver and what the customer wants?"
Vestermark: "Undoubtedly, YES! For many years we have seen scanner manufacturers pursuing technology advances with higher speed, quality and resolution without regard for customer needs. The result has been that we can now get scanners scanning at 12ips in Black & White and 3ips in Colour. As I pointed out in my article How Much Speed Do You Need? in Cadalyst (September 2006) the capability of most scanner's performance exceeds the needs of most customers".
http://management.cadalyst.com
"For example, at these speeds you can easily scan 100,000 E-size (A0) documents per year in black and white and 50,000 in colour. How many customers out there have a need to scan 100,000 drawings per year? Another example is scanning resolution. Most large format scanning is done between 200-400 dpi, yet many scanners go up to 9600 dpi interpolated? This has happened because the manufactures compete to exceed the others' specification in hope of gaining a competitive marketing advantage they can pursue customers with. It's a bit like the car market where Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, etc, compete for the most pricey, high performance car, yet all the majority of customers want is a car that can take them from home to work at a price point they can afford."
Scanners4CAD: "Is scanner price the name of the game?"
Vestermark: "Yes it is. It's a price sensitive market. Although there are differences between scanners makes and models many customers do not see significant differences. For them, scanner sales are largely determined by price. This should put more pressure on general scanner prices. However, as we have only a few scanner manufacturers competition is low. In economic terms scanners at their current price point are in an in-elastic market i.e. if their price is reduced by 10% sales will only increase by less than 10%. This leaves scanner manufactures with little or no incentive to lower prices in order to sell more. This is the main reason why we have seen a fairly stable price for large format scanners over the years. The only thing that can change this is if a new manufacture enters the market or price pressure develops from multi-functional systems".
Scanners4CAD: "Your comment about price pressure developing in 2007 from multi-functional systems is spot on. The imminent release of Graphtec's new low-cost ScanPrint scanner and printer combination will be a first in the low cost market. Do you think the market needs a low-cost, low-end multi-function scan-to-file, scan-to-copy and scan-to-print system?"
Vestermark:"Yes I do. There is no doubt that some potential customers get a sticker shock when they learn about the current price point on these systems. Clearly their expectation is for a less expensive system. This means that if the price is right for a system it can potentially open up a new, untapped market."
The Other Solutions,
866 E Tuweep St,
Meridian, ID 83642
USA.
Phone: +1 208 887 4780
Cell: +1 571 276 4050
Skype: henrikvestermark
Email: hve@theothersolutions.com
Web: http://www.theothersolutions.com
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3rd January 2007
ON SHOW: Civils 2006 in London - Allied Images, Colourgen, Autodesk.
Scanners4CAD visited Civils 2006 in London's Olympia Exhibition Centre (28-30 November 2006). Our aim was to see Colortrac distributor Alllied Images and get some sample scans from them to compare with similar scans from Colourgen, the UK Vidar distributor. Our aim was also to get an AutoCAD trial CD from Autodesk.
Allied Images - The quiet professionals
We had great fun talking to Allied Images. Their managing director, Steve Morin, was still sporting the remnants of an impressive black eye gained on the rugby field, not in his aggressive marketing of Colortrac scanners which now dominate the UK market. You can sense Allied Image's quiet satisfaction with the way things are going.
Allied Images at Civils 2006, Olympia, London. Left to right: John Bennett, marketing manager, Steve Morin, managing director, Phil Hassell, sales director.
We told them that we wanted to compare the scan quality of the new Colortrac SmartLF Gx 42 CCD scanner with that of an equivalent Contex model. Allied Images had no hesitation and quickly provided us with the sample scans we required.
"We have no fear going head-to-head with Contex or anyone else" said Phil Hassell, Allied Image's sales director. "We welcome any comparison!"
Allied are distributors of the Mutoh DrafStation which was also on display. This professional printer is specifically designed for AEC, mechanical design and GIS applications. The DrafStation RJ-900 is 42" (A0+) wide and the RJ-901 is 24" (A1+) wide with a price tag £2995 and £2695 respectively, great value at approximately £1000 less than similarly specified printers.
If you require high volume CAD output or graphics quality display - Allied Image's used the Mutoh DrafStation RJ-901 to create the colourful and impressive banners with which their stand was decorated (see image) - these devices are formidable value for money. We noted that Allied Image's banners correctly claimed that the Colortrac SmartLF Gx series' optical resolution was 600 dpi rather than the exaggerated 1200 dpi optical resolution which Colortrac use in the marketing literature and US advertisements.
See: WATCHDOG: Colortrac's Gx 42 1200 dpi optical claim examined!
Next, we went to see Colourgen, the UK Vidar distributor, who were in the booth immediately behind Allied Images. Interestingly, Allied Images were the previous UK Vidar distributor before picking the lucrative Colortrac distributorship.
Colourgen - Vidar (OEM Contex) distributors
Colourgen is a specialist UK distributor of large format digital colour printing solutions, consumables, bespoke software and a provider of engineering and support services. They have exclusive UK distribution for the Kodak range of wide format printers and the Seiko I Infotech ColorPainter 100S. Colourgen also distribute EPSON’s large format printers and consumables, Seal's range of laminators and finishing products and Vidar wide format scanners, plus a host of consumable products.
We were hoping to establish contact with Colourgen but it turned out to be a disappointment.
Colourgen's lone representative was from their Print Solutions Division as their scanner specialist was ill. He gamely agreed to scan a drawing for us on a Vidar Atlas (OEM Contex Cougar) but admitted he did not know how to do so having never made a scan before. He phoned someone in Ireland who talked him through creating a scan using default values. Maybe this is a testament to Vidar's TRUscan software's ease of use and Colourgen's technical support. Whatever, it was still disappointing to go away without similar sample scans to those which Allied Images had created so effortlessly.
We collected a Vidar Atlas P42 wide format scanner brochure from the Colourgen booth. This was a US Vidar brochure with a Colourgen UK address label. The Vidar brochure listed the Atlas P42 as a 508 dpi optical resolution scanner. However, we note that on the Colourgen web site this scanner is referred to as the Atlas 600e which claims 600 dpi optical resolution. What is it?
Curious readers are referred to November's issue where we examine Contex's and its OEMs' claims to 600 dpi optical resolution.
See: WATCHDOG: Contex "Optical Resolution" - Fact or Fiction?
For those who do not know, Vidar scanners are Contex scanners by another name. Contex G600 scanners are 508 dpi optical.
Autodesk - "That's Autodesk for you!"
As Autodesk were listed as exhibitors at Civils 2006 we thought we could stop by their stand and pick up an AutoCAD trial program. In the UK, unlike the USA, it is not possible to download a trial - all applications have to be made via a reseller who then sends you a CD by post.
Er, excuse me Autodesk but in this day and age of fast internet software downloads being sent a CD by snail mail from a reseller is an anachronsim equivalent to a runner with a letter in a cleft stick. Did we Brits not have the biggest hand in developing the internet? Why is Autodesk discriminating against us so?
Unfortunately, as with most smaller shows nowadays "Autodesk" were not at Civils 2006 but were represented by several Value Added Resellers specialising in civil engineering applications. We requested an AutoCAD LT trial program from the help desk but were told we had to obtain one from a reseller. We were intoduced to a reseller close to the help desk by a helpful young woman.
The reseller scanned my badge and promised to send me a trial CD of AutoCAD. I said that it was a pain that while I could download a trial if I lived in the USA I couldn't if I lived in the UK. He laughed - "That's Autodesk for you!"
Somehow I knew this Value Added Reseller was never going to send us an AutoCAD trial CD. True enough, just over a week later a 12 page glossy brochure arrived from the same "Value Added" Reseller. No trial CD was included! The irony is that we really were in the market to buy AutoCAD LT.
Autodesk's policy of not allowing UK trial downloads of AutoCAD stinks.
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5th December 2006
COLD NEWS: Image Tracer raster to vector converter terminated in Europe
Hitachi Software, a $1.8 billion dollar company employing 5,600 people in 2003, has quietly extracted itself from European raster to vector conversion software market. It is not known if this is temporary or permanent. These are the facts we've learned.
Scanners4CAD was reliably informed by a European regional distributor and localiser of Hitachi Software's raster to vector converter, Image Tracer, that it was discontinued as of 30th September 2006. Softcover are now offering to upgrade Image Tracer users to Scan2CAD.
Image Tracer was used primarily in GIS and mapping for tracing contour maps, parcel maps, architectural drawings and related diagrams as well as for data conversion projects requiring "heads-up", on-screen digitizing. This data could be saved as a standard AutoCAD drawing file.
The European Image Tracer distributor and regional localiser who wrote to us stated that "The only information I received on the termination of Image Tracer from Hitachi was a general email back in July this year stating that sales of Image Tracer would cease as of 30th September 2006. When I phoned Hitachi Software to find out what was going on, the (Image Tracer) support people were no longer working there. The Japanese gentleman who I spoke to just repeated the contents of July's general email message".
Hitachi Software's confusing US web site makes it no clearer.
Hitachi Software's US web site says "Hitachi Software Engineering America, Ltd. (HISAL) GIS Department is former Hitachi Software Global Technology, Ltd. (HSGT) and was formed by a merger of HSGT into HISAL as of April 1, 2006. We will continue to provide quality software products which enable the best use of geospatial information based on state of the art GIS and CAD technologies to customers in North America".
Image Tracer's apparent discontinuation probably results from this merger.
Image Tracer was the least known of the raster editing and vectorisation products that work inside AutoCAD and which compete for a share of this crowded market. Presumably $995 Image Tracer was not profitable enough to warrant ongoing development. It faced stiff competition from Russia's WiseImage, the market leader, and products like GTX, Rasterex and VPStudio. Making it tougher for all contenders is Autodesk's own Raster Designer which does much the same, also inside AutoCAD.
Hitachi Software Engineering (HitachiSoft) was established in 1970 as the software development arm of Japan's Hitachi Group. Their web site boasts that HitachiSoft "is now among the leading IT service companies in the industry. HitachiSoft mainly deal with basic software for mainframe computers and large-scale systems and networks for government agencies as well as the financial, insurance, and securities industries.
"Over the past 30 years, HitachiSoft has enjoyed steadily increasing success, pursuing the goal of becoming the industry's leading company. It has also established international leadership in Multimedia, Geographic Information Systems, Bio-Informatics, and High Level Security Software, both in the US and Europe. In fiscal year 2003, Hitachi Software Engineering recorded sales of $1.8 billion dollars and employed 5,600 people".
It is unlikely that Image Tracer contributed in any meaningful way to 2003's sales.
We contacted Hitachi Software to find out further information about Image Tracer's demise but despite several emails to both Hitachi Software's US and French web sites no-one replied to our emails or our requests for a demo copy of Image Tracer which is still listed as available. Just when we had given up we thought we should try one more request for a Image Tracer trial.
After several weeks we were contacted by Tsutomu Ikeuchi of Hitachi Software Global Technology, saying "We are Sorry for late replay. We are moving from Colorado to San Francisco, We had lot of trouble". I was advised where and how to download an Image Tracer trial.
I asked my contact, the now ex-Image Tracer regional distributor and localiser, to comment. He said "This belated response from Hitachi US doesn't surprise me.
"As you probably know, a large conglomerate company, like Hitachi, has several companies all over the world. The European company marketed Image Series, GIS products and interactive digital whiteboards. As the Image Tracer sales decreased in Europe, less effort was placed on the Image Series product, until it finally discontinued sales and support in Europe for this product.
"I suppose that now Hitachi decided that all Image Series "sales" requests are all passed over to the Hitachi US company. So if someone really needs to purchase a license they can still purchase it from the US based office, as well getting support. This new move, together with not updating features in the product for the past 3 years, is just another move towards the inevitable worldwide discontinuance of this product by Hitachi".
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5th December 2006
UPGRADES: Softcover offer EU Image Tracer users Scan2CAD upgrade
Hitachi Software Engineering Co were the biggest company to develop automatic raster to vector conversion software. In 2003 they were almost twice as big as Autodesk.
"Image Tracer's demise shows just how difficult it is to develop good raster to vector conversion software - and sell it" says Steve Hannath, Softcover's marketing director.
"Image Tracer's patented line following routines automatically traced raster lines, circles, and arcs. Generally speaking, tracing-type programs are never accurate enough for CAD users who expect better. It's a curious fact but NO raster to vector converter with "Tracer" in its name - and there've been several - has ever succeeded in this market. "Tracing" is just too noodly for CAD users.
"Hitachi's departure will not make this market any easier for GTX, Rasterex, VPStudio and or WiseImage. The biggest obstacles to their success are their high prices and the plethora of Indian outsourcing companies offering high volume CAD perfect redrawing services for relatively modest sums. Imperfection and India killed Image Tracer, not the success of its rivals.
"Scan2CAD does not work inside AutoCAD. If that is what customers require, we recommend that they buy WiseImage, an expensive and complicated program with more icons than a Russian Orthodox cathedral but currently the leader in the "works inside AutoCAD" market. Sold by large format scanner resellers keen to make big profits it appeals mostly to users with big-budgets.
"However, when faced with the complexity and cost of WiseImage many CAD users feel that it does more than they need at a price they cannot justify.
"If all these users want is simple but powerful automatic vectorisation with raster and vector editing tools, Scan2CAD provides a practical solution. Its automatic raster to vector conversion is superior to "tracing type" programs because it goes beyond mere tracing to create a CAD drawing with identifiable drawing elements.
"There's a FREE Trial on our web site - www.softcover.com.
"Softcover has succeeded by staying small and concentrating on the needs of cost-conscious CAD users. In doing so Scan2CAD has been bought by large multinationals and professional organisations worldwide. Our R&D is ongoing. Users of Hitachi's Image Tracer are encouraged to contact Softcover. Until the end of March 2007 we are offering Image Tracer users an upgrade to Scan2CAD!"
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20th December 2006
NEW PRODUCT: Océ announces new multifunction TDS700 printer
Océ, a leader in digital document management and delivery systems, today announced the new Océ TDS700 large format monochrome printer, a highly productive, mid-volume system which they claim prints, copies and scans technical documents quickly and with exceptional quality.
Designed to work with thousands of different hardware and software configurations, including optional color scanning, Océ describe the modular design of the TDS700 as "fits the way you want it". This flexible system addresses a range of business environments from corporate engineering workgroups to central reproduction departments to commercial reprographic service bureaus.
Océ claim its future-proof design allows it to adapt to changes in document workflow as businesses evolve. This, they say, makes the Océ TDS700 a sound investment.
Sal Sheikh, Vice President, Marketing, Océ Wide Format Printing North America, said "In today’s organizations, a large format print system has to be many things to many people. Business executives want productivity, a safe investment and peace of mind. End users want reliability and simplicity. The Océ TDS700 meets all these requirements. With a robust, configurable printer, a choice of two scanners, multiple media configurations, a variety of finishing options and a suite of software tools, it fits the way you work both now and in the future".
Océ TDS700 Customer Benefits
Designed with streamlined production in mind, the Océ TDS700 is equipped to meet the tightest of print deadlines. The highly productive system handles up to nine, D-size (A1) prints per minute and provides over 10,000 sq. ft. of uninterrupted printing capability, without the need to stop the system to load toner or paper. Its up to six-roll media capability and ergonomically-designed roll loading system means users spend less time reloading media.
The Océ TDS700 next-generation Radiant Fusing Technology is claimed to provide the fastest print time from a cold start in the industry, eliminating warm up and waiting time. The powerful Océ Power Logic® Controller processes print, copy and scan jobs quickly and allows for concurrent processing of the next file while the previous file is printing, reducing waiting time between prints. The result is faster turnaround times, less wasted materials and a more productive staff.
The Océ TDS700 fulfills current and future large format technical printing requirements because its modular design is field upgradeable to evolve with changing needs.
The base configuration consists of the Océ TDS700 printer with two rolls, a manual sheet feed, an integrated receiving tray and the embedded third-generation Océ Power Logic Controller. As a core system, the Océ TDS700 is poised to handle mid-volume jobs, yet can be readily upgraded to support monochrome or color scanning, folding or high-production cut sheet stacking to reduce manual finishing bottlenecks, two-to-six roll and multiple cut sheet media options, and various software tools to meet future changes in technical document workflow demands.
The 600 x1200 dpi pico printing of the Océ TDS700 ensures exceptional quality output – sharp, fine details, smooth grey scales and brilliant renderings of 3-D drawings and intricate graphics.
With the scanner option, users benefit from Océ Image Logic® image-enhancement technology, which has set the standard for first-time-right copies and prints. Océ Image Logic software is a patented digital-enhancement process that analyzes an original’s image, millimeter by millimeter, to refine and optimize it while suppressing background imperfections.
Whatever the type or condition of the original – blueprint; sepia; even old, darkened drawings - the results are right the first time, eliminating time-consuming and costly trial-and-error rework. The single mirror, single camera design of the Océ TDS700 scanner eliminates the need for image stitching and minimizes the probability of distortion. The Océ TDS700 enables businesses to quickly and conveniently produce a professional image with every print, copy and scan.
With a full range of software available, the Océ TDS700 can be configured to the specific ways departments and companies work. The Océ Print Exec® Software Suite optimizes the entire technical document printing process – from desktop job submission to enterprise-wide print management.
Océ Repro Desk® software offers online print processing that boosts the profitability of central repro departments and commercial reprographers. To improve profits even further, Océ Account Center allocates printing, copying and scanning costs to departments, projects and customers, turning expenses into chargeable income. Other software options can be added to the Océ TDS700 as and when they are needed.
The Océ TDS700’s intuitive "smart" user interface makes work easier for end-users by guiding them through the system so they get their documents when they want them. It allows the saving of user-specific settings for future (and password-protected) access.
Océ Advanced Queue Management allows users to schedule and reorganize jobs as priorities change. One-step scan-to-file enables scanning to just about any location (controller, FTP site or network location), minimizing the time needed to digitize documents for storage or distribution. The Océ TDS700 also features an integrated output receiving tray on top of system, which takes up less space and neatly stacks collated prints for easy access with no post-process sorting required.
The Océ TDS700 will be available in early 2007.
About Océ
Océ N.V. (NASDAQ: OCENY) is a leading provider of digital document management technology and services. The company’s solutions are based on Océ’s advanced software applications that deliver documents and data over internal networks and the Internet to printing devices and archives - locally and around the world. Supporting the workflow solutions are Océ digital printers and scanners, which Océ claim are considered to bev the most reliable and productive in the world. Océ also offers a wide range of display graphics, consulting and outsourcing solutions.
Océ employs around 24,000 people, with pro forma annualized revenues of nearly $3.7 billion, operates in approximately one hundred countries and maintains research and manufacturing centers in the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Belgium, the Czech Republic, and Romania. www.oce.com.
Wide Format Printing Systems,
Océ (UK) Ltd,
Océ House,
Chatham Way,
Brentwood,
Essex CM14 4DZ.
UK.
Website: http://www.oce.com/uk
"Océ", "Océ Power Logic", "Repro Desk", "Océ Print Exec", "Océ Image Logic" and the Océ logo are registered trademarks of Océ-Technologies B.V.
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1st December 2006
USER STORY: How CAD consultant Alan Darbyshire benefits from a SmartLF.
Allied Images, UK distributor of Colortrac SmartLF scanners, describe how Softcover's sale of a Colortrac SmartLF scanner bought wide format scanning benefits to Derbyshire-based CAD consultant, Alan Darbyshire.
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