Types of Microfilm Scanning Services

Microfilm scanning services have many components and options. In addition to straight 16mm and 35mm roll film conversions, microfilm scanning services also include:

Quality control. Generation Imaging practices four phases of quality control: at the scanner operator level, a post-scanning audit, an intense quality control, and a final media check.

Indexing. The sky is the limit when it comes to naming images at Generation Imaging. Using proprietary software designed by Dan Gandul and Damian Hospital, and coded by a programmer who has over 10 years experience in the micrographics industry, your images can be outputted in any format. From breaking rolls by start pages or data entry by names, SSN, drawing numbers, dates, or account numbers, anything is possible. G.I.’s indexing program has multiple modules, including a QC program, which enables the modification of individual images.

OCR (Object Character Recognition). Using propriety OCR software, Generation Imaging can create OCR searchable PDFs, text files, or spreadsheets with the extracted data. Recommended settings: 300 DPI for typed text.

Image processing. From autocropping to duplex image splitting to quality enhancements to changing file formats, a microfilm scanning services company must offer all in one solutions.

Output. CD, DVD, USB stick, USB external drive, FTP, or filesharing are all possibilities.

If you require microfilm scanning services of any kind, please contact Generation Imaging for an estimate. Information needed: how many reels, their type, how many frames are on a reel on the average, file format, naming, and any optional processes. It’s okay if you don’t have detailed preferences:  Generation Imaging can help you decide which microfilm scanning services are best for you.

Your Microfilm Scanning Company Is Available Today

This is the best time of the year to scan your microfilm. Generation Imaging is the scanning company that provides microfilm scanning services at reduced prices. There are times during the year when we get super busy and our scanning resources are at capacity. If you have been planning to convert you microfilm to digital, our scanning company can make room for your scanning project before the year ends. Our scanning company works around the clock to meet all of our customers needs and we have completed many of our projects. This is an opportunity for you to schedule your microfilm conversion with our scanning company.

The production manager at our scanning company has about a dozen projects penciled in but no real commitment to start as of now. This can change at a moments time and as always, there is no way to tell what tomorrow will bring. My recommendation is to call and reserve your spot as soon as you can. Topically, our scanning company will get busy near the end of the year. This is due to budgetary reasons]  and customers wanting to use the funding that was allocated for the project within the fiscal year. Our scanning company anticipates this process to start soon.

Our scanning company will guarantee you a priority spot in the production line if you notify us. Our goal is to keep our commitments to you. Therefore, we will not over-commit.  First come works well for our scanning company and makes it fair to our customers also. We do understand that last minute needs are part of the system. Our scanning company has the capacity to adjust to some degree, to meet your last minute need, but is best to schedule with time.

Microfilm Conversion

A microfilm conversion is another term for microfilm scanning, roll film scanning, and microfilm digitizing. Using a roll film scanner, 16mm or 35mm roll film is transferred from analog to digital. The scanner must be set up to blow the small frame back up to its original document size. Therefore the scanner operator must know the reduction ratio (similar to aspect ratio). Some scanners have auto-detect reduction ratio parameters, but nothing beats the careful supervision and instincts of an experienced scanner operator.

The other factors that a scanner operator must consider with a roll film conversion are frame detection parameters, quality settings, and output naming conventions. Each element requires a combination of technical skill, experience, and creativity. If the detection settings are not properly configured, the microfilm conversion would result in missing images and cut-off images. If the quality settings are not carefully created, the resulting images may be blurry, out of focus, too dark, too light, plugged, or improperly sized. Finally, incorrect scanner output naming settings will ruin the final product by misnaming the files, putting them out of order, or not meeting the client’s specification.

Generation Imaging has the experience, latest technology, and talent to perform any microfilm conversion project that comes our way. No microfilm conversion is too big or too small for us to process. The employees at Generation Imaging have performed thousands of microfilm conversion jobs over the decades, and know the correct way to set up and monitor the scanners. Contact us today for your microfilm conversion quote.

Is your Microfilm A Candidate For Records Scanning?

Records scanning can be the solution a a number of issues with your microfilm or microfilm system. To determine if your microfilm will benefit from a records scanning process, you can look at these three factors: First try to determine the age of the microfilm. Second, evaluate the frequency of use of the microfilm. And third, figure out if the value gain from internal and external customer service. Records scanning will improve all these areas.

Lets look at how records scanning will help each one of these areas in more detail. The age of the microfilm is a very important factor because of the potential of data lose. Microfilm can undergo a decomposition process where it will become dry and brittle. Records scanning should be considered way before this begins to happen. If you sense any smell from your microfilm, this could be the beginning stages of decomposition and you may want to talk to an export about records scanning.

The frequency of use of the microfilm can also be an important factor. Excessive use and improper handling can lead to scratches on the microfilm that may contribute to lose of data. Records scanning before the film is scratched is essential to capture all the information. Records scanning can also help reduce the time wasted from spooling and winding rolls of microfilm.

Records scanning is also noticeable in streamlining the process of storing and retrieving information. This will directly impact the service level to internal and external customers. Records scanning will allow for a completely automated system. For companies that want to improve customer satisfaction, records scanning will allow you to find information at a much faster rate. Records scanning will also allow you to share information without limitation to a roll of microfilm.

How to Convert Computer Output Microfilm to Digital Image

Computer Output Microfilm (COM) is the most tricky type of 16mm roll film to convert to digital image. Computer Output Microfiche is not problematic, but its roll film version creates numerous issues for roll film scanners not manned by an experienced scanner operator.

The true professional and experienced scanner operator relishes in the challenge of scanning Computer Output Microfilm to digital images because it truly pushes his or her level of technical expertise.

Why is Computer Output Microfilm is different than tradition roll film? Regular roll film has frames containing documents with a clear separation/space in-between each frame. The edges are nice and contrasted from the background of the film. Scanners can be set up to detect on these edges and separate each frame to create individual images.

However, Computer Output Microfilm usually has very thin edges between frames and almost no space in-between them. This is due to how they were created: they were electronic data stored on a PC and were transferred to 16mm roll film.

Depending on the layout of the Computer Output Microfilm, the experienced scanner operator can attempt to detect frames by carefully choosing multiple sense areas, and modifying edge detection filters, but the operator is at the mercy of the nature of COM, and this usually results in missed detection.

Another aspect that is film dependent is if the COM has blips or not. If the COM has small markers on the outside of the frame, it may be possible to detect each image. However even this may not be an exact science due to the nature of COM.

The final method would be to scan strips of several images with a backup over-scan to guarantee that all frames are captured in these ribbons. Then these giant images must be manually split and cropped to create individual frames from the strips.

If you have Computer Output Microfilm to convert, please contact Generation Imaging today,