Digitisation of technical archives, binders and drawings
Short answer: We digitise paper archives of technical documentation – binders, drawings, protocols and manuals – into searchable PDF or PDF/A, with the tab structure kept, files named to your standard and delivery into your archive or document system. Scanning takes place in our own facility in Västerås, Sweden, as a single project or in stages for a whole archive.
What we digitise
- Manuals and operation and maintenance binders
- Project and commissioning documentation, test and inspection protocols
- Drawings, diagrams and maps
- Contracts, quality and environmental documentation
- Books, reports and loose bundles of documents
You do not have to prepare the material. We remove clips, staples and plastic sleeves and flatten folded pages. Fragile originals are handled with care.
Searchable and structured
Searchable text. OCR makes the text searchable. Accuracy is high for typed text and lower for handwriting and old copies.
Structure kept. The index tabs of a binder are kept as bookmarks. You choose the output that suits how you work:
| Output | Result | Suited for |
|---|---|---|
| One PDF per binder, with bookmarks | One document with clickable tabs | Binders read as a whole, such as O&M binders |
| One file per tab | Folder structure with one file per chapter | Tabs that are filed separately in a document system |
| One file per document | Each document as its own file | Individual documents that are searched and shared |
Long-term archiving. PDF/A at 300 ppi is our standard for material that must be kept.
Naming and metadata. File names follow your template, for example running number, document type, object number, revision or date. We can also index and divide documents by chapter.
Whole archives, in stages
Larger archives are digitised in stages, with a budget agreed per shelf metre. Files can be uploaded and sorted directly in your archive or document management system.
How it works
- Review of the material and agreement on output.
- Receipt with a count confirmation.
- Preparation of the material.
- Scanning.
- Post-processing: OCR, bookmarks, file names, quality control against the originals.
- Delivery in your chosen format, sorted into your system if you wish.
Customers outside Sweden send their material to our facility in Västerås. Originals can be returned in their binders, kept in our archive, or shredded with a certificate. Material stays in our production in Västerås and is handled traceably from receipt to delivery. A data processing agreement is signed when the assignment includes personal data. Freight, customs and VAT depend on the destination and are agreed in the quotation.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need to take the contents out of the binders?
No. We remove clips, staples and sleeves and flatten folded pages ourselves.
Is the text searchable?
Yes, through OCR. Accuracy is high for typed text and lower for handwriting and old copies.
Are the index tabs kept?
Yes, as bookmarks in one PDF, or as one file per tab.
Can the files go straight into our system?
Yes. File names follow your template and files are uploaded to your archive or document system.
What happens to the originals?
They are returned, kept in our archive, or shredded with a certificate, as you choose.
Can you handle a whole archive?
Yes, in stages and with a budget per shelf metre.
See also: large-format scanning and as-built documentation.
Tell us about your archive
Describe the material and the result you want, and we will come back with a quotation.