By Cassandra Carnes

Part 2 of 2

The ability to perform business functions in a collaborative, electronic setting is essential to an organization’s relevancy and productivity. While a complete document management system incorporates many elements, including software and IT, a scanning peripheral is the component that links physical documents with virtual business processes. A number of companies provide the scanning hardware necessary to capture hardcopy documents across an organization.

Canon U.S.A., Inc. offers the imageFORMULA DR-X10C, a mid-volume production scanner that boasts high-speed and high quality image scanning, with reliable document handling capabilities. The device fits the demanding requirements of centralized scanning operations by delivering capture at speeds of up to 130 pages per minute (ppm) and 260 images per minute (ipm), in color, grayscale, or B&W. The energy efficient and durable DR-X10C offers an operator friendly design.

Users of the DR-X10C have the option to invest in a barcode Module III, an add-on software program for enabling barcode reading functionality to the ISIS/TWAIN driver. This barcode software automates workflow processes such as indexing, batch separation, and forms recognition.

For portability, Canon offers the imageFORMULA P-150 personal document scanner. Its compact size, simple use, and advanced feature set allows document capture outside of the office. The P-150 scanner—also known as Scan-tini—is designed for professionals to improve their personal efficiency and individual productivity in the office and transit.

Eastman Kodak Company offers a variety of document imaging solutions, including network, check, workgroup, departmental, and production scanners. The company’s production devices offer true speeds of up to 200 ppm with all image processing enabled. Auto orientation, batch scanning, Perfect Page imaging, and adjustable height are additional features.

Most recently, the company introduced the KODAK i5000 Series Scanners, which are designed to help enterprises and service bureau organizations increase production level capture performance through optimized accuracy and automated functionality. The i5200 Scanner and i5600 Scanner have rated speeds of 140 and 170 ppm, respectively, at 300 dpi in color and dual stream modes with all imaging features enabled. To meet the high-volume demands of these operations, the C-shape, duplex scanners come equipped with an automatic 750-sheet elevator design with four feed settings. The devices use embedded logic algorithms to automatically find the fastest processing path for scanning. The i5200 Scanner will be priced at $30,000 USD and the i5600 Scanner will be priced at $45,000 USD.

Beyond a scanning solution, Kodak provides its s1740 Capture System, developed to eliminate document pre- and post-sorting. It includes a fully integrated high-speed document scanner with inline document separation capability. Typical applications include centralized batch scanning for customer service, magazine subscriptions, payment and invoice processing, and mailroom operations. The system automatically post-sorts documents into two, six, eight, or 12 pockets based on content or document attributes.

Epson WorkForce Pro scanners are optimized for small- to medium-size businesses, or a single department within a larger organization. The devices give education, finance, healthcare, and state and local government organizations a new generation of high-speed scanning technology to further enhance productivity. Both the WorkForce Pro GT-S50 and GTS80 feature Epson’s exclusive ReadyScan LED technology, designed to eliminate scanner warm-up time. They also feature a unique LCD on the front panel that shows users exactly which scan job/configuration is selected.

The WorkForce Pro GT-S50 document image scanner touts a daily duty cycle of up to 1,200 sheets, plus a 75-page feeder, the device is equipped to tackle any task in a busy office environment. The WorkForce Pro GT-S80 offers businesses a powerful scanning solution, featuring speeds up to 80 ipm and a daily duty cycle of up to 1,800 sheets. This high-volume, sheet-fed scanner makes it easy to capture critical documents.

Fujitsu provides a range of high-speed scanners that are well suited for high-volume needs. The company’s suite of production scanners includes scanners from 90 ppm—or 180 imp, to over 130 ppm—more than 260 ipm, full-rated speed at up to 300 dpi in color, grayscale, or B&W modes. Fujitsu production scanners include the fi-6800, fi-5950, fi-5900C, fi-6670 sheet-fed scanners, as well as the fi-6770 flatbed scanner.

Hewlett-Packard (HP) Scanjet Enterprise 7000n Document Capture Workstation series enables organizations to improve workflows, boost productivity, and share documents. The workstation features advanced networking and security, allowing users to easily initiate scans and access and share files on a network. The HP Scanjet Enterprise 7000n series seamlessly integrates into existing infrastructures. It captures two-sided documents at up to 40 ppm and 80 ipm in B&W and grayscale and up to 35 ppm and 70 ipm in color.

OPEX offers a document capture platform that integrates mail extraction as a centralized scanning solution. The OPEX AS7200i is an out-of-the-envelope scanning solution that incorporates mail opening and extraction with image capture and classification. AS7200i operators only touch paper once to open, extract, and capture. This inline processing also allows for printing an audit trail and sorting mail contents without a separate preparation process.

Panasonic high-volume scanners are designed for the high-quantity capture of documents such as insurance claims, loan applications, and invoices. The company offers the HV-S4085CL, KV-S4085CW, KV-S3085, KV-S3105C, and KV-S5055C high-speed document scanner models.

Starting with the Basics
The right mix of hardware and software solutions is necessary to implement a document capture and distribution strategy. However, suitable hardware to handle daily volumes is a primary step towards record digitization. It is important to consider your organization’s document management requirements, as well as a defined strategy on backfiles and capture processes moving forward. dps

Click here to read part one of this series, Improving Business Flow.