Crowley C400 Aperture Card Scanner

The C400 aperture card scanners are designed to digitize all formats of 35 mm microfilm aperture cards and punch Hollerith data. The compact aperture card scanners are able to digitize at production levels using an automatic feed system that can scan batches of 150 cards unattended or can be manually fed for on-demand card capture. Advanced image enhancement and editing tools are included, adding versatility and ease to this aperture card scanner. Once scanned, the data from the aperture cards can be accessed instantly for viewing, printing, email, distribution or storage. Aperture card readers allow for the easy digitization of this valuable medium.

What are Aperture Cards?

Although you’re likely familiar with this medium, they’re currently rare enough that a brief description of their purpose and function is worth noting.

Aperture cards were first put to use for their current purposes in the mid 20th century. Their adoption accompanied the rise of early computers, which were designed to process the data contained on the cards. Like other microfilm, aperture cards are purposed to compress data into a smaller format, making duplication and transfer easier than it would be if data remained full-sized.

They do this through a series of physical hole punches representing coded data. Additionally, the cards contain miniaturized microfilm chips, allowing for image storage.

For decades, these cards were the preferred method of data storage for many industries due to their ability to be easily read, indexed, stored and quickly retrieved by computer.