Microfilm / Microfiche Scanning

Microfiche - film scanning/conversion steps:

• Micrographic Scanning: Convert microfilm or microfiche to digital image.
• Image Enchancement: De-skew, increase digital quality, image clean up etc.
• Image Formats: Group IV TIFF compressed, PDF (200 dpi to 600 dpi)
• We carefully analyze your goals and needs, conduct tests, and explore alternatives before designing and implementing the conversion process.
• We will work with you to develop and create the right search solution for you.

Electronic image indexing:

• The success of electronic micrographic images is measured by how quickly and easily you can access them. Whether for day to day retrieval purposes or archival storage, MIXNET can develop efficient indexing techniques for legal, medical, governmental, non-profit and commercial use.
• This type of indexing involves:
• Image Indexing and Index verification
• Scanning text with OCR (Optical Character Recognition) and OCR correction
• Database creation

Benefit from a higher return on information:

• Field Indexed searches (name, date, type, document number, ID)
• Optional full-text search as a retrieval aide
• Optional storage of color images
• Linking of electronic files (Web, ADOBE PDF, CD-ROM)
• Data Exchange capabilities for information exchange with other applications
• Remote access and publishing capability (Web)
• Expandability to integrate additional document storage/retrieval applications

MIXNET's state of the art scanning and conversion services can help you:

• FREE up your office space
• FIND your documents more easily
• ACCESS your documents faster
• SECURE your documents over time
• SAVE on document management and storage costs

Microfilm

Types of Mircrofilm

16mm roll film

 is used primarily to record 8.5x11 and 11x14 documents that were created by manual methods. Documents, especially ones that have signatures such as employment records, contracts, hospital records, etc. have been committed to film due to archival requirements. A normal roll of 16mm will contain roughly 2000 to 5000 images. These types of records are found in most governmental agencies. The County Recorder or Clerk of Courts offices have the responsibility to maintain all Official Records indefinitely and many have acknowledged the need for automation (conversion to digital media) and are actively working towards that goal.

35mm roll film

 is most often used for large drawings such as plat maps and engineering blueprints. These A (8.5x11) through E size (44x34) drawings can be found in every Cities' Building Department and large architectural firms. The film is created by a photographic process and requires a development process to complete. The images are normally stored on small reels (300 to 500 images per roll), boxed, and hand-written identification is placed on the outside.

Image Types

Images may have been filmed as simplex (one document per frame), or duplex (two images side-by-side on each frame). Many times the duplex images contain the front and back of the original source document. Most reels are simplex, but we process duplex rolls easily. Depending on your needs, we can scan both document sides in one frame, or split out the two documents into separate images.

There are many variations of image quality. For instance, images can be filmed positive or negative, with variable image lengths, and different sizes. There may also be inconsistencies in regards to image density due to film degradation or inconsistencies in the original development process.
However, our production team and technical experts will always bring out the best potential from any form of media.

Processing after digitizing

The value of the converted media is greatly increased when it is properly indexed. Index information can be manually encoded in the end product. As an option for film that contains "blips" (small counters created when the film was made), we can extract the information those blips represent. For example, a roll of ilm may contain medical records with a "big blip" indicating the start of a new patient's folder, and a "small blip" indicating the pages within that folder. The output file name format for blip-extracted images can be arranged in any way you would like - in a multi-tiff, in sub-directories, or by indexing each master blip.

Kodak Oracle Bar-code extraction is another of our capabilities. Similar to blip-extraction, we can retrieve data from Oracle bar-coded frames. When the bar-codes are consistent and clear, we can use this data for indexing purposes and/or provide the information as the image file name.

We have indexing software that can accommodate documents that have a book and page numbering system. That coupled with our quality control and validation, would assure that the pages match their proper file names. We can also index other types of documents using software developed in-house to meet any type of format. We also have systems to match your images to your databases.

Quality Assurance

As with other media, a project plan is developed as per your specifications. Each roll of film we receive is logged into a production database which is used to track the job through the entire process. Each roll is checked to determine proper scanning settings and focus; several images are printed for manager approval before scanning actually begins. Each scanner is monitored during the scanning process, to maintain quality and to locate any defects on the film. When scanning is complete, each roll is stored until the entire project is complete. If there are any changes from the original test, we will contact and notify you.

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Microfiche

Types of microfiche

Computer Output Microfiche

   or 

COM fiche

   is the most common type. They are produced by a specialized piece of hardware that reads data in a print image format and through a laser burning process creates and individual image on a Mylar card. Accounting reports, payroll records, tax rolls, and most any computer generated report that requires an archival retention period of over seven years have been committed to COM fiche. Standard microfiche are either 42 or 48X - 208 or 270 pages of data respectively. There are also Super Dense fiches that have been created at 72X. All of these can be converted to digital format by our equipment.

  

Jacketed fiche

   are actually 4x6 inch plastic sleeves designed to hold strips of either 16 or 35mm film. This allows the grouping of related data into one logical record. Payroll and Human Resource departments used this technology to facilitate filing and retrieval of an individual's records. There are also duplicated jacketed film that have a purplish or bluish tint to them. These duplicates no longer have plastic sleeves, though there are horizontal lines where the sleeves were.

 

Step-and-Repeat fiche

   is for owner manuals or operational handbooks. The images are arranged permanently in a grid pattern (there are no plastic sleeves). The cards have a header at the top, which contains identification information. There are cases where a step-and-repeat card may hold more than 300 images.

  

Re-writable fiche (Microx and AB Dick) contain positive images that can be erased or have a new record added. These cards are utilized in a filing system, usually under a name or social security number.

Processing after digitizing

Any of the variations of the microfiche process are candidates for the digitizing process. However to make the end product most valuable, Indexing of the records is recommended. Since microfiche were used originally in a filling system, naming of files and/or directories is a simple process. The box, batch, envelope, or the data on the header can be utilized to index the images.

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Aperture Card

Aperture cards

 are a punched card with a 2x2 piece of 35mm film set on one side. They are typically used for the storage and retrieval of blueprints or engineering drawings. The microfilm portion may contain one or more A size (8.5x11) through E size (44x34) drawings. Normally the title or other identifying information is keypunched into the aperture card and interpreted across the top. This data is used primarily to programmatically create the index for the job.

The size of the drawing is important because it dramatically affects the price. Should the end user be required to print the document in its original size, it must be scanned as such. If the requirement is only for viewing and it can be printed at a smaller size than the original, a more economical approach can be used. Due to the required processing time, larger size drawings and/or higher DPI affect the price.

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Why MIXNET?

• MIXNET provides low-cost document conversion services.
• MIXNET will bring you a higher return on information.
• MIXNET can reduce the cost and time for document management by 40 to 50 percent.