Xerox recommends raster to vector conversion

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Apr 20, 2005

Xerox UK is endorsing the Scan2CAD scanning and raster to vector conversion program for use with the new Xerox 6000 series of wide format printers with integrated scanners.

Scan2CAD, a low-cost scanning and raster to vector conversion program, has been selected by Xerox UK as the software it will recommend to electronics engineers for document and drawing image acquisition from the new Xerox 6000 series of wide format printer with integrated scanner.

The Xerox 6030 and 6050 wide format solutions consolidate the functions of several devices into one compact footprint.

The Xerox 6050 will print up to nine A1 black and white copies per minute at 600 x 1200dot/in while concurrently scanning black and white images at 600 x 600dot/in.

The Xerox 6000 series supports Twain, a standard image acquisition protocol for communication between software applications and scanners.

After evaluating several products Xerox UK are recommending Softcover's Scan2CAD for scanning with the Xerox 6000 series.

Scan2CAD supports Twain fully.

"Since the launch of the 6030 and 6050 multifunctional devices we have been looking for the ideal software to support scanning on the printer's integrated scanner", said Richard Cloot, Xerox UK Wide Format Manager.

"Scan2CAD provides a powerful software solution which fulfills all of our requirements, including full support of TWAIN, at a very affordable price".

Scan2CAD is a tried and tested scanning solution capable of quickly acquiring, loading and saving scanned (raster) images.

In addition, Scan2CAD has a wide range of straightforward professional tools for editing and cleaning of the scanned image, automatic raster to vector conversion (when the scanned raster image is turned into a DXF vector file for editing in any PC CAD program) and DXF vector (CAD) editing.

The Xerox 6000 series includes automatic background suppression among its Twain-supported functions.

This improves the quality of the raster image by removing from the scan tinted or coloured backgrounds, typically found in sepia prints and dyelines etc.

The scanned image will automatically load up in Scan2CAD and can then be saved in a variety of popular, user-defined raster formats, like BMP, TIF, etc.

Once in Scan2CAD additional improvements to the scanned image can be made.

Scan2CAD's raster editing tools can be used to rotate (deskew) the image, to clean (despeckle) it, to fill holes in raster lines and thicken or thin lines.

Using Scan2CAD's tools to tidy up and clean the scanned image ensures that a high quality raster file will be saved for future drawing archiving, printing and or raster to vector conversion.

Dave Ham, Dealer Pre-Sales Analyst, Xerox (UK), was responsible for evaluating Scan2CAD and the other scanning programs.

Scan2CAD's speed of acquiring the scanned image was one factor that impressed him.

"Scan2CAD perfectly complements our new Xerox 6030 and 6050 devices to fulfill the scanning requirements of our customers".

"A host of Twain functions are available for capturing the best image from the scanner".

"An abundance of Scan2CAD features to enhance, edit and convert images will ensure customers realise the full benefits of scanning documents".

"When reprinting the scanned image, the quality was excellent", said Ham.

Steve Hannath, Marketing Director of Softcover International, said: "Xerox are a global document market leader acknowledged for providing solutions that enhance business productivity".

"Xerox creates satisfied and loyal customers by using technology to deliver market leadership, by delivering quality and by providing excellent value".

"The fact that Xerox UK now recommend Scan2CAD as a software solution to their resellers and users is a powerful endorsement of the capabilities of our low cost raster to vector convertor".