Best A0 Large Format Scanner For Office Use In Singapore.

Contex SD ONE MF : An Affordable & Powerful Large Format Scanning System

Contex AO and A1 Size Multifunction Scanner

Scanners, good to have but not really a necessity, heard that line before? Well indeed its true that we have moved considerably into the digital age..and that’s great. Paper is saved and with that the environment as well. Do pause for a moment and think it through though..every building that is being constructed requires paper drawings to get it off the ground. Things haven’t changed much since the days of old in that aspect.

So why are we talking about scanners, well scanner are essential to do two main things the first is archive and share and the other is to make copies. So lets talk about the first, when you make a change in your drawing you will need to keep a copy of the changes you have made. This is critical in the archive and documentation of a particular project, without which no record will be preserved. The second is probably after you have made that change you will need to print it out on your large format plotter, so if you have a large format scanner that works with your large format plotter then you have a complete solution.

Now of late, more and more multi functional machines are in the market, some of them include the HP T830 & HP T3500. The HP T830 has been gaining much traction due to its compact size, low cost of purchase and functional design. The T3500 is still reserved for customers who have a higher print volume. There have also been some new additions in the low-cost multi function arena from canon.

The trouble begins, especially when you’re looking at these machines is the screen size for the scanner. They practically serve no real purpose in helping you understand what it is your scanning.

If you take a close look at what is being offered with these low-cost multifunction printers you will realise the screen is really small. So lets say you’re scanning a document and would like to see a preview of what your scanning, or even lets say crop out a certain part of the image or even annotate/write on that image…You just cant do it. No way, no how. See this makes it really difficult to really get a grasp on what your scanning or copying, it adds no value to your workflow at all. In fact most models that these large manufacturers are pumping out, are really low cost. I am all about low cost, but why should I sacrifice low cost for all the negative impacts my staff would have to endure over the course of the machine especially when related to scanning.

So lets talk about a viable solution, firstly when it comes to integrated scanners, major brands like HP, Canon And Epson, rely on a basic scanner, which is more often than not a OEM either by colortrac or contex. When a brand OEM’s for another brand, they do so being careful not to cannibalize their own market share. So there are definitely better multifunctional machines out there, it’s just that you have not been presented to it. Here are some glaring issues:

Integrated Scanners and printers, mean just that…integrated, if one component fails the whole machine fails.
A scanner is actually surprisingly hardy and can be reused, however because they are integrated you have to discard the whole machine including the scanner.
The screen sizes are too small to be useful
You cannot annotate on the fly nor can you perform any form of editing.
The scan quality is lacking in reproducing accurate colors and accurate lines.
No cloud connectivity for scanners
No wi-fi capability

So with these issues, on paper when you are looking at big name brands, it looks well and good, but you really have to critically deep dive into the issues to understand. So lets talk about a viable solution. The CONTEX MF ONE.

What i like about contex, is the fact is they have just one type of business, the business of manufacturing world-class and good quality scanners. That’s it, that’s all they do. The business of optics is extremely complicated and you will realize that large format scanners actually cost more than the printers. So who is the best at it, in my opinion contex scanners are the scanners you need to get you there. In understanding the contex mf one, let me share what is unique about this particular solution:

Scanner & Printer are separate but connected:
The scanner is its own habitat.
Its connected via a wi-fi signal to your plotter
It can also be connected directly from the Ethernet port
A separate scanner ensures a contingency for failure
Keep your scanner upgrade your plotter:
Scanners usually cost more than the printers.
It would be better to keep your existing scanner and then just upgrade your plotter
Since plotters are constantly being upgraded this option is useful for customers who want the latest technology in their machines
A Useful Screen Size
Low cost MFP’s usually have a really small screen size
Also there is no preview available
The CONTEX MF ONE allows for a large screen size that is practical and useful
See more and do more when you’re not straining to see what you’re scanning.
On the Fly Edit and Annotate:
The CONTEX MF ONE allows you to do something rather unique.
You can now annotate on the preview screen save it or print it out.
In addition you can also perform cropping and enlargements of certain sections.
All of these functions without bringing your file to your PC.
Thus saving you a lot of time and effort.
Accurate Colors and precise lines:
To reproduce the correct colors and to scan fine details you need a quality scanner.
Mass produced scanners do a decent job of scanning, or rather making it appear like a good scan.
However, when you work with fine lines and details it is imperative you use a scanner which you can trust.
One example is the common use of highlighters, in our tests mass-produced MFP machines cannot capture highlighter colors well enough.
The Contex MF One will use a technology that is found in high-end scanners called ‘contex clean scan‘
This technology ensures your details are captured with the right colors and details.
Cloud and wi-fi enabled:
Most scanners do not allow you to scan your document directly into cloud applications such as google drive.
Most of the times scans are stored in the local area network folder.
In using the contex MF one, you can create individual profiles for individual usersso that they can save files where they want them to be.
This added feature assist users in customizing their scan experience.

So when you are indeed looking for a multifunctional printer, take some time and explore the product, learn what you can about the quality it can produce, the efficiency it provides and the workflow which will affect your business. These days more and more low cost solutions are put together for the sake of appeasing the end user, to make them feel that they have indeed got a good deal. When it comes down to it, scanning is an important aspect of any architectural, engineering and construction firm. There is no way to store and capture large documents without scanning them. So take a look at your options carefully and see whats right for your business.

As always i hope the pointers here will help you understand more about large format scanners and also give you an alternative perspective on scanners which are available.

Do visit our website for a full range of products that we have to help your business.http://www.largeformatspecialist.com.sg

Sincerely & Respectfully,

Marco Moochala

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