Despite the widespread use of CAD systems, a high volume of original large format drawings, plans and maps still exists on paper, vinyl or linen.

These technical drawings are used in a diverse range of our Clients including Local Authority Planning Departments, Manufacturing Companies and Engineering Consultancies. The storage of such material typically requires a large archiving area, with necessary ambient and handling controls in operation to prevent damage or deterioration.

The alternative to such traditional storage methods is to have the drawings scanned by a specialist outsourcing company such as MTL Document Services. Our Drawing Scanning Section utilises Colortrac scanners to scan all drawing types up to A0 in size, regardless of the material they are printed on. We have the capability to convert over 1000 drawings per day, providing a high volume, fast turnaround to meet our Clients’ requirements.

In order to capture the highest quality image, to conform to our ISO accreditation, we are able to scan in black and white, greyscale or colour up to 600dpi. Within the ScanWorks capture software, sophisticated image enhancement features allow the operator to improve post-scan image quality. This reduces the need for rescanning of poor quality originals, thus protecting the integrity of the drawings.

Images can be stored in a variety of industry standard file types including TIFF, JPEG and PDF format, and indexed according to any Customer-defined requirements. Upon completion, the images are securely returned to the Client on any media including CD, DVD or USB external hard drive.

The Client is subsequently able to centrally store the images, to be accessed directly from any authorised PC. This frees up valuable archive space, allows instant access to the drawings and prevents any potential future deterioration in quality.