Microfiche Scanning
An Introduction to Microfiche Scanning and Conversion
The demand for microfiche scanningScanning
The process of turning documents into images that can be manipulated on
a computer and conversion to digital formatDigital Format
These can be TIFF or JPEG, which are computer files used to store pictures or graphics. We also use PDF (Portable Document Format) which are designed for easy printing and sharing. has become increasingly popular over the years, as more and more organisations feel the need to speed up their operations in order to concentrate on the more important tasks in the office. Obtaining data from a microfiche requires a special microfiche reader which can become a liability in terms of cost, maintenance and retrieval time.
In the past, organisations had their documents, drawings, books, plans, newspapers and company records etc, preserved onto microfiche slides with the intention of retaining their vital business information for years to come. At the time, microfiche slides offered the best possible storage and archive solution before the computer and digital age really came into play. Now it is becoming an out-dated method of storage with the electronic age taking over and therefore offering more stable, secure and flexible access to digitised documents.
Advantages of Microfiche scanning
- Access any microfiche image on your screen instantly using a text search
- Get rid of all your old microfiche slides once they are safely backed up electronically
- No need for a microfiche reader or those stored documents that cannot be referred to anymore
- Access these documents in or away from the office by email distribution or online hosting
- OCR scanning of the microfiche ensures that all microfiche files are text/keyword searchable
Microfiche Scanning Formats
Prior to scanning and converting the microfiche or microfilms to digital files, as there are various types of microfiche available, the first step would be to ascertain the actual microfiche type to enable us to find the best possible solution for starting the scanning and conversion project.
The following are some of the most commonly used microfiche formats:
16mm Microfiche - This microfiche is used to archive A3/A4 size documents with a frame of 6 x 4 inches. It can contain approximately 60 pages per microfiche.
35mm Microfiche - This microfiche is often used to archive large engineering plans, building/construction plans and newspapers. The frame size is 6 x 4 inches and depending on the size of the documents it can contain 12 - 15 frames per microfiche.
COMBI Microfiche - COMBI is an abbreviation of combination and contains both 16mm and 35mm size documents and drawings. This microfiche is mainly used in the building industry and by local authorities. The size of the microfiche is 6 x 4 inches and contains a mixture of A3/A4 drawings and plans.
COM Microfiche - COM is an abbreviation of "Computer Output to Microfiche". This type of microfiche is used in a corporate environment to store and archive mainframe or computer generated reports and data. This microfiche is also widely used in the vehicle manufacturing industry to archive large vehicle parts lists, drawings and other relevant data, the size of the microfiche is 6 x 4 inches and can contain up to 270 pages per microfiche
JUMBO Microfiche - JUMBO microfiche is in fact a COM microfiche but is double the size, this type is normally used in the US auto-mobile manufacturing industry, however we still see some around in the UK
Our highly skilled microfiche scanning advisors can advise on which solution is best suited to the type of microfiche used in the scanning and converting process, even if it is not listed above.
The Microfiche Scanning Process
Our microfiche scanning and conversion bureau can convert your microfiche into organised computer files and store them onto either CD's or DVD's, so they can be viewed, printed, emailed and shared amongst other users on a PC or laptop. Scanned microfiche files are similar to any other image files and can be converted to Adobe Acrobat PDFPDF
A very popular multipage file format that is used ny many companies because it can be opened by almost anybody using free software most people already have on their computers. files, full text PDF SearchablePDF Searchable
A type of PDF that has been processed using OCR so that its content can be searched. files, TIFFTIFF
A type of computer file used for storing pictures, these can be full color, grayscale or black and white. A multipage TIFF file can contain many pages in a single file., JPEGJPEG
A single page per file image format that is popular among graphic designers and web designers it is advised to use this format if you're scanning colour images for presentation purposes. or any other format required. For all our projects, we utilise the latest microfiche scanners which produce impeccable quality and accurate images at impressive speeds to give you a quick turnaround.
Microfiche Scanning and Conversion to Editable Format (OCR)
In addition to our microfiche scanning services to electronic formats such as PDF, TIFF or JPEG, we also convert microfiche data into an editable format which is also known as OCROCR
Involves the use of computer software to translate images of type written text into machine-editable text. (Optical Character Recognition) Scanning. Depending on the document layout and formatting, we can scan and convert any microfiche into Microsoft WordMicrosoft Word
A popular piece of word processing software sometimes abbreviated to MS Word., Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Excel
A popular spread sheet program., CSVCSV
(Comma Separated Value) File is a file containing information separated by commas or ASCII text filesASCII
American Standard Code for Information Exchange. A text document containing no formatting information., Microsoft AccessMicrosoft Access
A popular database application by Microsoft that uses Microsoft Database (MDB) files., XMLXML
(eXtensible Markup Language) A descendent of HMTL for web publishing. Considered to be more general and uniform than its parent. , HTML, Fully PDF Searchable files or any other recognised formats.
Microfiche Scanning Advisors
Our scanning advisors are specially trained for all types of microfilm and microfiche, to discuss your requirements in more detail or to get a quote call Pearl Scan on 0161 832 7991 or request a FREE online microfiche scanning quote.
