At first glance, many don’t know what an aperture card is. Aperture cards are from the pre-modern computer-based search system. When you needed to find a specific item or reference number, cut-out notches on the aperture card itself would allow you to locate it because of the specific position and size of the cut-outs. It may sound overly time-consuming now, but at the height of its popularity, it was incredibly advanced technology for the time. As helpful as they may have been at the time, being used from the early 1950s until now, there have been a number of advances in technology and better solutions created in document storage. However, many companies still have valuable information trapped on the cards, much like the closely related microfilm and microfiche. That’s where aperture card conversion comes in. Aperture card conversion scans the metadata and images, converting them to a digital file you can access on your computer. At Resource Data Management, we specialize in aperture card conversion for Harrisburg and the surrounding areas and are here to tell you more about it!
What It Is
An aperture card is a type of punched card with a cut-out window into which a microfilm with an image has been mounted. And aperture cards are usually punched with machine readable metadata that goes along with the image. Aperture cards are typically used in engineering and the like for blueprints and plans. The information about the drawing, for example the drawing number, is often both punched and printed on the card.
Why It Needs to Be Converted
While many aperture cards still play an important role in archiving, their role is being replaced by digital systems. Aperture card conversion converts the information stored on the aperture card to a digital format, allowing businesses to access the information again on their computer.
What Aperture Card Conversion Is
Aperture card conversion allows you to convert your cards to digital images for improved access and retrieval. RDM will use the Hollerith or handwritten data on the card to provide an index resulting in immediate access to valuable data.
Benefits of Aperture Card Conversion
There are many benefits to aperture card conversion. For one, it converts the data stored on the aperture card to a digital and shareable format. You will be able to house essential data in a digital format that you can share with employees or send via email, save to the cloud, etc.
Handling physical aperture cards also requires machinery, and processing optical film takes significant time. So, it is a good idea to keep them as a backup. But digital format makes more sense and is more convenient for today’s operating systems.
When you’re ready to look into aperture card conversion for your Harrisburg business, give us a call. We serve not only Pennsylvania but the entire surrounding tri-state area. If you have questions about implementing aperture card conversion for your business, please give us a call at 215-953-5175 or Contact Us.