by Tara McMeekin
Associate Editor

The EskoScan 2636 scans at high resolutions and can hold two broadsheets side by side. The 2636, like all of Purup-Eskofot’s EskoScan models, digitizes prescreened originals. It employs XY scanning technology, enabling it to maintain consistent high resolution over the entire scan bed. The charge-coupled device sensor moves across an image in subscans that are stitched together mechanically, creating a complete image.

Additional options can be added to the EskoScan 2636 to enhance productivity and scanning quality, including data compression, automatic register, a rotating copyboard and an adaptive threshold and moiré filter board, which ensures full dot range and moiré-free reproduction.

The Harrisburg (Pa.) Patriot-News installed its first EskoScan nearly three years ago and when advertising demand dictated, it installed a second.

“We bought the scanners to expedite our ads and full-page ads. It really has cut our time from the old method and I think it’s truly a fantastic piece of equipment,” said Robert Prough, graphics supervisor at The Patriot-News.

With the EskoScan 2636s the newspaper has the capability to scan ads from one column to six columns wide and 21.5 inches deep.

“The scanner’s measurements are precise as to what we dictate to it,” Prough said.

(l-r) Robert Prough, graphics supervisor, Terry Finegan of the quality assurance department, and James DelSanto, prepress manager, stand in front of the 3-year-old Purup-Eskofot scanner at The Harrisburg Patriot News. The newspaper uses two EskoScan 2636 scanners to scan black-and-white, spot color and full-color ads from film negatives and positives.
Photo courtesy of The Patriot-News

The Patriot-News (daily, 99,871; Sunday, 151,603) scans black-and-white, spot color and full-color ads from film negatives and positives. An average of 50 ads are being scanned each day — more when they are dealing with special inserts during the holidays, for example.

“Along with our camera-ready ads, we receive ads by disk and e-mail,” Prough explained. “If for any reason there’s a problem and our system won’t accept a disk or e-mail because of a font embeddement — we request to have ads sent CMYK as opposed to RGB — the computers probably won’t accept that. But we have the adaptability in our computers to convert and send printouts and then use the scanner to scan the ad. Even if there was an error coming over e-mail, we can still improvise on the 2636s.”

The scanners are being used mostly for ads but The Patriot-News occasionally uses them to scan type. Prough said the newspaper is very pleased with the clarity the scanners provide.

“You know the old story: garbage in, garbage out. If we do get a bad piece of art, we can enhance it,” Prough said. “We’re happy with the [Purup-Eskofot 2636] because it really enhances even the second or third generation of an ad and the finished product is really very clear for our reproduction in the newspaper.”

Prough estimated that the scanners have cut his department’s time by about 75 percent vs. the old method of pasting up ads. The newspaper also likes the adaptability of the 2636s.

“We can send the finished product across the roof to our pressroom, which is approximately 10 miles away, so the adaptability is great in that aspect,” Prough said.

Although nothing is set in stone, there has been mention at The Patriot-News of a future move to computer-to-plate and the scanners will obviously better prepare the paper for such a transition.

“It’s self-contained,” Prough said. “I calibrate daily and I calibrate at the end of the week.”