Large Format Map Scanning

Map Scanning

Before the invention of large format scanners, duplicating a map required the user to either scan the map in small pieces and then 'stitch' them together using an image editing suite or, in the worst case, draw the map again from scratch! Scanners have been used for many decades now but the early digitising scanners were small, flatbed devices. They could scan up to A4, or sometimes even A3 documents and produce a digital file that can be stored on a computer.

This kind of digitisation allowed the efficient storage of all manner of paper-based works, from photographs to documents. It was also possible to scan in 3D objects by laying them on the flatbed surface and store the images for cataloging purposes.

The idea behind large format scanners was to allow the digitisation of large documents up to A0 in one scan. It became a useful method of creating digital maps from paper versions. These digital maps can then be stored on a document management system for easy retrieval at a later date.

There are numerous benefits of having digital copies of hard-copy maps. Firstly, once in the digital medium they are more robust and can be used over and over again with no deterioration. Also, these maps can be geo-rectified to allow their use in numerous GIS packages, allowing other GIS data to be overlaid and analysed.