your worldwide imaging partner.
Types of microfiche
The most common type is referred to as Computer Output Microfiche or COM fiche. They are
produced by a specialized piece of hardware that reads data in a print image format and through
a laser burning process creates and individual image on a Mylar card. Accounting reports,
payroll records, tax rolls, and most any computer generated report that requires an archival
retention period of over seven years have been committed to COM fiche. Standard microfiche are
either 42 or 48X - 208 or 270 pages of data respectively. There are also Super Dense fiches
that have been created at 72X. All of these can be converted to digital format by our
equipment.
Jacketed fiche are actually 4x6 inch plastic sleeves designed to hold strips of either
16 or 35mm film. This allows the grouping of related data into one logical record. Payroll
and Human Resource departments used this technology to facilitate filing and retrieval of
an individual's records. There are also duplicated jacketed film that have a purplish or
bluish tint to them. These duplicates no longer have plastic sleeves, though there are
horizontal lines where the sleeves were.
Normal usage for Step-and-Repeat fiche is for owner manuals or operational handbooks. The
images are arranged permanently in a grid pattern (there are no plastic sleeves). The cards
have a header at the top, which contains identification information. there are cases where
a step-and-repeat card may hold more than 300 images.
Re-writable fiche (Microx and AB Dick) contain positive images that can be erased or
have a new record added. These cards are utilized in a filing system, usually under a name
or social security number.
Processing after digitizing
Any of the variations of the microfiche process are candidates for the digitizing process.
However to make the end product most valuable, Indexing of the records is recommended.
Since microfiche were used originally in a filling system, naming of files and/or directories
is a simple process. The box, batch, envelope, or the data on the header can be utilized
to index the images.
Pricing
A microfiche pricing calculator is available for
our partners (login required). However for a firm price and production time estimate,
send a representative sample of the media to our Florida Headquarters.
Please include the required DPI, and a definition of any indexing requirements.
