|
|
|
|
‘e-beam Film’ Exposes Service Bureaus to Specialty Vertical Marketsby John P WhitleyWhat is e-beam film?Electron beam film is a fine grain, silver halide film which is exposed directly with a computer controlled Electronic Beam Recorder (EBR) and processed into archival microimages using conventional photographic chemistry. The photographic-like quality of the images recorded by direct exposure of a 4 micron diameter electron beam has a much sharper edge acuity than microfilm images recorded with conventional COM recorders, which use either cathode ray tubes or laser beams. The direct electron exposure process does not suffer from spot degradation caused by phosphor granularity and lens losses in a CRT recorder or the light scattering and reflectance loss found in a laser beam recorder. This recording process also provides 256 level gray scale to record continuous tone microimages
Electron beam image recording technology, which has been used for LANDS AT, SPOT, IRS and other space imaging satellites, enables the recording of medical image radiology examinations such as X-Ray, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), CT computed tomography), US (ultrasonography), DE (digital florography), etc. These images are recorded at the radiologic image dimensions up to 4096 x 4096 pixels at 8 bit (256) gray scale levels. Over the past 22 years, Image Graphics, Inc., a privately-held company, has been an innovator of specialized image capture devices, developing and manufacturing high performance, digital-to-film electron beam recorders. They have profitably applied this technology to the preservation of documents on archival microfilm. High Resolution and Gray Scale Imaging for Rare Records, Books and ManuscriptsUsing high resolution (400, 500 and 600 dpi) in conjunction with 256 level gray scale recording capability, archival e-beam film has been used to preserve:· Rare land use, plot plans, circuit and supreme court records for the State of Virginia on 16mm microfilm and 105mm microfiche · Record digital files of 1500 brittle and deteriorating rare books on 35mm microfilm at 600 dpi as part of a pilot project with Cornell University. · To record the original hand written notebooks of Walt Whitman from digital files for the Library of Congress using gray scale to capture and preserve the original lead pencil density variations, page texture, erasers, smudges and stains. The benefit of this high resolution, gray scale microfilm recording process is to preserve the exact appearance of these documents, not just the information content, for future generations," said the Director of the firm’s Recording Center. In their Shelton, Connecticut facility, electron beam microfilm recorders are used for customers such as the State of Virginia, Library of Congress, Cornell University and others, who not only outsource their digital-to-microfilm conversion of rare records and documents, but want the highest image quality attainable for future generations. The output from electron beam recorders is a primary, eye-readable information storage media that will last for centuries, and allows 100% information recapture when scanned and digitized as Computer Input Microfilm (CIM). The high resolution and sharp edge acuity of text and data recorded on electron beam film enables a high resolution scanner to recapture 100% of the text information content through direct scanning and/or the optical character recognition process. Pat Grosso said "e-beam film technology opens up new business opportunities for imaging service providers and systems integrators. The ultra-high resolution of the equipment with the broad range of light sensitivity is the best image capture technology for imaging applications such as rare books, manuscripts, technical manuals and line art illustrations." Space Imaging Technology for Medical Diagnostic ImagingMedical diagnostic images can be recorded on microfilm from digital files for diagnostic use and archival storage. Diagnostic images are recorded at a standard microfilm 24X reduction ratio onto 16mm film or 105mm microfiche. These gray scale images are viewed on a standard microfilm enlarger at full size, and have the same quality as the full size original viewed on a light table. The microfilmed diagnostic images may also he digitized by a film scanner making the information available to computer workstations (for teleradiology and telecine medical applications).
Vertical Markets in FocusPatrick Grosso, President of the firm, said that the specific market areas they are concentrating on with their National Business Alliance and Sales Program encompass:· Federal, State, and Local Government Archives · State and Local Government Plot Plans and Land-Use Records · Public, Private, and University Libraries -Old and Rare Books, Manuscripts, Photographs · Legal - Circuit Court and Superior Court records, Litigation Support · Manufacturing - Engineering Drawings and Technical Manuals · Printing and Publishing - 70mm film for Rachwal Projection Platemakers · Financial Records · Aerospace and Automotive - Technical Manuals, Engineering Documentation · Nuclear Power Plants - Regulatory Records · State & Local Police Departments - JAFIS Fingerprints, Crime, Prisoner and Accident Reports · Medical - MRI, X-Ray, CT, SPECT, US, DSA and other Patient Images · Human Resources - Personnel Records, Photographs, Medical Imagery · Micropublications - with Halftone, Continuous Tone or Color Images from Postscript and PDF files National Business Alliance and Sales ProgramTo effectively address these specialized vertical markets with e-Beam film services, IGI has been working on establishing a national network of imaging service bureaus, system integrators and VARs, through a National Business Alliance and Sales program."We’re looking for a number of qualified service bureaus, systems integrators and resellers who have experience in the specialty applications markets we are going after," said Pat Grosso, President and CEO. "An alliance for e-Beam film products will mutually benefit both partners and IGI. These new service products hold a real potential for service bureaus to make money "Our Recording Center specializes primarily in the highest quality microfilm image product, which realistically cannot be achieved using traditional COM technology. Consequently. it’s not being offered by COM service bureaus," Pat Grosso said. "COM service bureaus and systems integrators should find our reseller program to be of interest. They can expand their line of microfilm products to include higher resolution, gray scale, postscript and PDF files."This article originally appeared in the IMAGING SERVICE BUREAU NEWS, and is reprinted here as first published. No alterations to the text content have been made. For subscription information to our publication, please contact: Image Publishing, 1-800-347-9310.
For More Information Contact: |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Copyright © 2002 Image Graphics, Inc.
|
