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In 1842, the first blueprints were made by a British
astronomer and photographer using a photosensitive compound
applied to paper or linen cloth that turned blue when
exposed to sunlight.
Using light-sensitive chemicals to expose prints, first
through traditional and then diazo processes, continued to
be the dominant cost-effective solution for blueprints for
140 years. In the mid-1980s the blueprint business largely
moved to xerography, and now the industry is making its
biggest change yet.
An industry built on paper could hardly miss the trend
towards a paperless business world, and the market has not
missed the opportunity to change its offerings to meet the
new industry demands. The digital age has revolutionized how
blueprints are done.
Blueprint companies are now putting their clients’
blueprints into central databases and then enabling project
managers to access those databases from their own offices.
Virtual planning rooms are set up, allowing all parties on a
project to view plans, timelines and blueprints in a central
location.
One major benefit to these new digital blueprint files is
that project managers are able to hold reporting parties to
deadlines, check on bid requests and know which individuals
have accessed the plans. It offers accountability in an
industry where deadlines are critical.
Another advantage to using the virtual planning rooms is
that updates can be seen immediately. This eliminates the
need to order multiple sets of large-scale blueprints and
then distributing those prints to all parties on a project.
With project plans in a central location on the Internet,
architects and engineers can view those plans, order them
and distribute to each party from the comfort of their own
office.
While the Internet and digital files are becoming the
dominant players in blueprint technology, there is still a
need for paper plans on the job site and will be for some
time. The central database however, offers yet another area
of efficiency for printed plans: blueprint companies
offering a virtual planning room can have paper blueprints
delivered to the door of the project manager within hours.
With the Océ Plan Room,
City Blueprint can offer your company the digital age in
blueprinting. Our online virtual planning room provides
every benefit listed above, from central access to all
project plans, to accountability for your parties involved,
and efficient printing service and delivery for blueprints
needed on job sites.
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