Reprography (a
portmanteau
In linguistics, a blend—also known as a blend word, lexical blend, or portmanteau—is a word formed by combining the meanings, and parts of the sounds, of two or more words together. of ''reproduction'' and ''photography'') is the reproduction of
graphics
Graphics () are visual images or designs on some surface, such as a wall, canvas, screen, paper, or stone, to inform, illustrate, or entertain. In contemporary usage, it includes a pictorial representation of the data, as in design and manufa ...
through mechanical or electrical means, such as
photography
Photography is the visual arts, art, application, and practice of creating images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is empl ...
or
xerography
Xerography is a dry photocopying technique. Originally called electrophotography, it was renamed xerography—from the Greek roots , meaning "dry" and , meaning "writing"—to emphasize that unlike reproduction techniques then in use such as c ...
. Reprography is commonly used in catalogs and archives, as well as in the
architectural, engineering, and construction industries.
Overview
In the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, the industry is relatively small, with approximately 3000 firms. It comprises entrepreneurial businesses serving predominantly the large- and wide-format reproduction needs of the legal, architectural, engineering, manufacturing, retail, and advertising industries. Average sales volume is about $1.5 million per year and average employee counts are 20–25 people.
Large-format reproductions are produced with a variety of technologies dependent, in part, on the application of the final product and quantity needed. Examples of typical reproduction methods include:
diazo (blueline),
electrostatic
Electrostatics is a branch of physics that studies slow-moving or stationary electric charges.
Since classical times, it has been known that some materials, such as amber, attract lightweight particles after rubbing. The Greek word (), mean ...
(xerographic),
photographic,
laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word ''laser'' originated as an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radi ...
, and
ink jet.
Reproductions can be made from the same size or smaller/larger hard copy originals. Prints can also be computer generated from
CADD (computer aided design and drafting) files or from a growing variety of desktop publishing and design software packages.
In addition to addressing the large-format reproduction needs of their customers, reprographers frequently sell reprographic equipment and consumable supplies. Other business services such as mounting and lamination, quick copying, microfilming, scanning and facility management may also be provided.
Typical items produced by reprographers include architectural/engineering
blueprints and renderings, indoor and outdoor signage, maps, billboards, backlit displays, trade show graphics, legal and medical exhibits, etc.
Most of the reprographics firms in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
belong to the
International Reprographics Association (IRgA).
Reprographics is also referred to as ''reproprinting''.
See also
*
Blueprint
A blueprint is a reproduction of a technical drawing or engineering drawing using a contact print process on light-sensitive sheets introduced by Sir John Herschel in 1842. The process allowed rapid and accurate production of an unlimited number ...
*
Duplicating machines
*
Image scanner
An image scanner (often abbreviated to just scanner) is a device that optically scans images, printed text, handwriting, or an object and converts it to a digital image. The most common type of scanner used in the home and the office is the flatbe ...
*
List of duplicating processes
*
Overprinting
*
Photocopying
A photocopier (also called copier or copy machine, and formerly Xerox machine, the generic trademark) is a machine that makes copies of documents and other visual images onto paper or plastic film quickly and cheaply. Most modern photocopiers ...
*
Whiteprint
External links
International Reprographic AssociationReprographics 101 BlogThe Reprographics Industry Hall of Fame
{{Authority control
Office equipment
Printing processes