“I’m living through most of the development, and there is some advantage to experiencing it as it chronologically unfolds.”

Doyle Cryer, National Account Executive, National Azon

Industry veteran Doyle Cryer has seen his share of scanning advancements in his 30 years in the business. “We’ve gone from taking 6 minutes to make a black-and-white scan of a D-size drawing to 1.6 seconds. That is pretty good,” comments Cryer.

As an expert in large-format scanning, countless organizations rely on Cryer’s advice for digital solutions to their hard-copy large format documents.

Experience, he claims, is one of the greatest contributors to his success. He notes, “I’m living through most of the development, and there is some advantage to experiencing it as it chronologically unfolds.”

Cryer knows what drives people to acquire large format scanners. “People are looking for document security or seeking different ways to share information at never-before-imagined speeds. They also want to share information from a previous format for easy access across the country or the world.”

Technological advancements in scanning happen at a rapid pace, and Cryer keeps a close watch on Contex, the market leader in large format scanners. Its line of large format scanners are the industry’s most efficient, and the latest models are boosting scanning workflows by 50% in some cases.

Celebrating a digital document’s birthday

“Decentralized information distribution is at the heart of just about every scanning operation now. All the information exists in hard-copy format, but it is not easily copied and shared,” Cryer explains. “Any document that doesn’t have a digital birthday needs to be reborn electronically, and that is where Contex scanners play a key role.”

Production scanners are ideal for most of Cryer’s customers, which include reprographics shops and a growing number of historical archivists, as well as state and local planning departments and government agencies. Although many of these customers already have scanners built into their multifunction printers, Cryer notes, “nobody trying to archive or scan volumes of documents would do it on an MFP.”

Competitive advantage or disadvantage

“Reprographic shops must take advantage of the faster and higher-productivity machines,” advises Cryer. “It’s hard to compete with a service bureau producing a thousand scans or more in an 8-hour shift without the speed of today’s newest scanners. We help our customers stay current by leveling the playing field.”

This is one of the reasons why Cryer’s team recommends Contex large format scanners — the technical innovations never cease to amaze. Contex’s production scanners include the IQ Quattro, IQ Flex, and the recently introduced HD Ultra X scanner series.

Commenting on Contex’s latest innovation, Cryer says, “Our customers’ feedback on the HD Ultra X series has been awesome.” He adds, “For sheer speed and productivity, even industry veterans have had to sit up and take notice. It is a game changer — from document loading to increased production levels.”

Preserving history

In addition to reprographic shops, a growing number of archivists are also reaping the benefits of Cryer’s scanning recommendations. As he explains, “Archiving projects can take a long time, making it challenging for an archivist to scan and share in an orderly manner. Plus, it can tie up equipment, impacting other research projects.” Cryer adds, “This is why productivity in scanning is important. The speed of Contex scanners is unsurpassed, but it’s not just in inches per second. It’s about software intelligence, and the ability to incorporate quality assurance directly into the scanning workflow, at the operator level.

“Seeing the scanning software in action is an eye-opening experience,” he continues. “Contex scanners virtually eliminate rescans. There are no do-overs. This is important in archiving since every time a document gets touched or moved, it raises the possibility of a mistake.”

Creating a legacy

“Contex has more scanners in the field that are 10 years old and still going strong than anyone else I know of in the industry,” comments Cryer. “It’s a great time to be alive to experience how technology makes people’s lives better, for the long haul.”