Colortrac enhanced The products, their markets, their competitors...?

Colortrac Background ~ Overview Market-driven LF scanner design & manufacture (since 1980s - via ANAtech, Scangraphics & Tangent) Application software development for Copying, Archiving, GIS, Raster Editing Facilities R&D in Cambridge UK Manufacture in UK, USA and China Sales & support centres in UK, USA and China International sales via VAR & OEM partners

ACTion Imaging Solutions ~ Formation Three separate market-leading Companies September 1999 Colortrac acquires ANAtech and Tangent One Company ~ Colortrac Ltd Product brands for individual markets Brands ANAtech Colortrac Tangent

ACTion Imaging Solutions 2003 ~ ‘Return of COLORTRAC’ One Company ~ Colortrac Ltd Two scanner brands One Company ~ Colortrac Ltd Product brands for individual markets Brands ANAtech Colortrac Tangent Colortrac Mainstream ANAtech High Value Tangent Terminated

Colortrac Background ~ Innovation Innovation leaders –1st to market with :~ Large scale scanning applications (1980s) Hi-Value sheet feed LF colour scanner (1993) Inexpensive LF colour scanner (1994) A0 digital colour copy solution (1996) Thick media handling capability (1998) 54” colour scanner (1999) Queen’s Award for Export 1999

Colortrac - The Market

Colortrac - The Market

Colortrac enhanced ScanWorks scan2file SW with image editing and advanced batch processing FOC CopyWorks copying and RIP SW FOC high throughput due to SW workflow low maintenance due to no scan glass available 36 to 54 inches all RGB and mono 2 year RTF warranty electronic & automatic stitch calibration TWAIN driver FOC – ISIS driver available stabile chassis minimizing need for calibration Firewire & SCSI (Firewire card and cable incl.) mono accelerator giving high productivity in mono mode glassless aperture (reduces streaks and lines in the image) DNA Dynamic Normalization Appl. (reduces streaks and lines in the image) Models: 3640e, 4260e, 3680e, 4860e, 4280e, 5480e

Is Hewlett-Packard a problem? 42” scanner with onboard scan2print/copy and scan2file processing Colortrac 3680e 4260e/4280e HP DJ 4200 HP MFP ”/42” high speed, flexible and reliable colour scanners 42” colour copier with onboard scan2print/copy + scan2file

Let’s examine the claims... *200 dpi Poor quality, touch pad resolution screen for control - NOT for viewing the scan ! 850 MHz processor - SLOW, OBSOLETE AND IMPOSSIBLE TO UPGRADE STYLUS? - Why is this fitted? A stylus normally indicates precision is needed. Suggests a high degree of control is required somewhere in the software KEYBOARD? - An untrained Windows operator will not welcome this. Why is it fitted if it the DJ4200 is so simple to operate? Glass which can get scratched and smeared. A scanner aperture glass means high levels of document cleanliness must be maintained. The glass will need replacing at regular intervals. Despite its weight the Contex chassis still fails to control camera stitch problems as well as Colortrac CD Writer - a DVD makes more sense!

The problems with this concept... *quote from Hewlett-Packard dj4200 details page 2. The DJ4200 is marketed as a simple device but file formats and scan resolution setting require training and understanding. HP say this product is for file format illiterates * Summary - Too technical for the print room operator. Too limited for the expert Colortrac and Contex have tried this before and it was not successful. Why? - The computer/ processor is superceded very quickly and is often out-of-date even when first launched. The user is locked into the supplied hard disk and processor. - The DJ4200 supports PDF, CALSG4, JPEG and others to CD, disk or file. This is completely opposite to HP’s, ‘ No knowledge required boast!’ 1. An internal computer can be a problem

The problems with this concept... Summary - Too restrictive - Hewlett-Packard printer ownership can be expensive. The user has no chance to switch to a different brand of printer to take advantage of better deals for media and inks or better local service or support. 3. The DJ 4200 software locks the user into printing / copying ONLY to HP printers.

What about the 815mfp...? Summary - Too wasteful - It can be if you later decide you want to run two printers. For example if you wish to have one printer for photographic quality work and a second for plain paper CAD copies. The 815mfp locks the user into printing / copying ONLY to the integral printer! Is this a problem?

The Colortrac advantage... The 3680e, 4260e/4280e are a better scanner buy and have the following advantages: - Higher scan speeds at 200dpi* - Better black & white scanning results - More interactive image control for better productivity - The 3680e has a narrower scan width but then 90% of customers are happy with a 915mm (36”) scan width. - The Colortrac offers a higher accuracy at 0.1% - Colortracs have a much better reliability record than current Contex Tx technology - The user is free to upgrade the attached computer and still have the original PC available for useful work * 4280e is same speed in colour and 50% faster in black & white than DJ4200

How to sell Colortrac... - flexibility add your own high-spec computer, choose your own software for an extensible and open/ non-proprietary growth solution - performance the Colortrac is faster in colour and productivity is better because of more effective black & white and colour image control and easier scanner maintenance - reliability because of better ‘engineered-in’ camera stability and fewer moving parts the Colortrac is more reliable - productivity Open aperture for higher effective throughput due to reduced maintenance and better first time quality

The conclusions are obvious... !

The Facts about Colortrac Open Aperture Open Aperture prevents streaks in the scanned image caused by dirt or deposits on the glass! An Open Aperture design cannot scratch the glass because there is no glass! BUT what about the effects of DIRT and DUST finding their way inside the scanner optics? WELL LET’S EXAMINE THE FACTS! The lid containing the pinch rollers and paper hold- down assembly has been removed for clarity

Open Aperture - ‘The Design’ The ‘Aperture’ on a Series 4 scanner is only 6mm wide All illumination and the delivery of the scanned information back to the CCDs is handled in the small area circled The CCD cameras are not positioned in the ‘gravity fall’ path below the aperture The CCDs are focussed on the media! WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN FOR THE COLORTAC USER? Scan path from camera(s) Media path through scanner Cross-section of the Series 4 head assembly

Open Aperture - ‘An experiment’ STEP 1. Take a metal wire and allow it to rest across the mirror (the mirrors could be where dust will settle). N.B. A metal wire is much larger than dust particles!

Open Aperture - ‘An experiment’ STEP 2. Run the scanner and look for the effect of the wire in the image Result: The wire has created a shadow or darker area but the scanner is still working! Scan direction

Open Aperture - ‘An experiment’ STEP 3. Now recalibrate the scanner using the white target (2 mins) Result: After calibrating the shadow has gone and the detail is still there in the arrow head! Scan direction

Colortrac Workshop - Lock-out tender specifications Lockout: No streaks, reduced maintenance, reduced running costs Advantages:

Lockout: Stable fully electronic compensation system (no motors) Advantages: Colortrac Workshop - Lock-out tender specifications

Lockout: Less temperature and surroundings induced optical problems Advantages: Colortrac Workshop - Lock-out tender specifications

Lockout: Advantages: Low frequency of firmware upgrade (no fixing problems in the field) Colortrac Workshop - Lock-out tender specifications

Lockout: Sheet-feed, high accuracy console and flatbed models Advantages: Colortrac Workshop - Lock-out tender specifications

Lockout: ScanWorks is unique because scan settings can be tested / adjusted / stored in the computer without rescanning for increased productivity Advantages: Colortrac Workshop - Lock-out tender specifications

Colortrac Flatbed Can accept almost any type of original e.g. irregular edged, friable, non-flexible and pressure sensitive documents ! Highly accurate A1 size colour and monochrome flatbed scanner 0.05%* 600dpi optical resolution Uses the acclaimed Scanworks software interface for maximum operational ease colour, high accuracy, flatbed Model: * Requires Colortrac engineer at installation

No need to use wallets to protect valuable originals Documents can be laid flat using the cushioned document cover No need to use warp correction software or geo-referencing post- processing to restore accuracy to scan Scan metal fastenings,* hangar strips, mounts etc * Avoid scratching glass Model: Colortrac Flatbed colour, high accuracy, flatbed

Museum archiving Geographical Information Systems High Resolution Colour Graphics Mapping Pre-Press Proofing Model: Colortrac Flatbed colour, high accuracy, flatbed

Model: There are relatively few rivals: Kongsberg*, Canon** and these are prohibitively expensive The is compatible withall of the current Colortrac software e.g. Copyworks, Scanworks, and its modules e.g. colour classification & colour profiling * Now called ProCaptura ** Not made any longer - no spares Colortrac Flatbed colour, high accuracy, flatbed

Colortrac enhanced The products; their markets; their competitors Thank you for your time and attention.