10.1 Introduction 10.2 Information Distribution

Structure 10.1 Introduction Objectives 10.2 Information Distribution 10.3 Typewriters 10.4 Duplicating Processes Spirit Duplicating Stencil Duplicating • Offsct Litho Duplicating 10.5 Copying 10.6 Auxiliary Methods 10.7 Facsimile 10.8 Summary 10.9 Terminal Questions 10.10 Answers 10.1 INTRODUCTION Like any other office we need equipment to provide for information distribution in the laboratory office also. For information distribution we require multiple copies of various letters and document which can be handed over,personally or mailed to the concerned persons. A variety of office machines and equipment's are now available for preparing documents and making multiple copies. In this unit we will cover the following: i) various kinds of typewriters and their uses, ii) various reprographic processes for information distribution. Objectives After studying this unit you should be able to: list various types of reprographic methods, describe uses of various kinds of typewriters, explain duplicating and copying processes and describe materials and machines required for the purpose, compare the advantages and disadvantages of spirit, stencil and litho duplication, and describe the uses of microfiche and facsimile. 10.2 INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION The organization and management of any institution, be it an isolated lab or a large site with many labs, requires that information is managed. Methods of managing information - selecting it and distributing it to the right people - are the subject of separate study, usually under the heading of 'Information Technology'. Here we will restrict ourselves to information distribution. Laboratory In unit 9 we discussed some of the most efficient ways of managing Organisation and information with the use of computers. However, if a computer in a lab Management-l l receives information, it is only available to those with immediate access to it. The information is not widely available. In order to disseminate information widely, machines and equipment are used in all types of offices. The common examples of such machines are typewriters, duplicators, photocopying and xerox machines. These labour saving devices are an integral part of any office. Therefore, it is important that you get familiar with them. Office mechanisation should be considered a must for all laboratory organisation and management. You may not have come across this term before. Office mechanisation is the process of introducing the use of machines and equipment in place of manual operation of office work with a view to increase efficiency and output, and reduce office cost. It is preferred mainly to improve quality and efficiency of work and ensure accuracy. Introduction of the latest devices in lab offices from time to time facilitates handling of information and its distribution effectively. Reprography In order to diiseminate information widely some method of reprography is invariably used. Reprography is the science and practice of copying documents by photography or xerography. You may have used a xerox machine for making copies of your degree, grade card, application forms etc. The scope of reprography is wide, covering areas such as duplicating, document reproduction and copying, including photographic copying. The wide range of methods can be divided into two basic techniques. (1) Duplicating, and (2) Copying. Though the terms appear to imply the same process, technically they are different. One of the fundamental differences is that in duplicating a special , master has to be preparedfrom which copies are made. The duplicating process will often eventually expend the master. With copying however, copies are made directly from the original which remains intact for further use. The choice of method will depend on the facilities that are available in an office, the number and quality of the copies required, and cost. Here we will consider some of the more usual processes from the point of view of convenience, copy quality and cost. The knowledge of those processes is essential because you will certainly require to use them sometime in the lab office. Before we discuss duplicating processes and requirement of material and machine, we must consider various kinds of typewriters commonly available in labs and their uses. Besides routine work typewriters are also used for cutting stencils about which you will learn in section 10.4. SAQ 1 a) Indicate which of the following staiimen~iare true or false? Write T for true and F for false in the given boxes. i) Reprography includes duplicating and copying processes. Information Distribution ii) Duplication and copying are the same process. iii) In duplicating the multiple copies are obtained directly from the original. iv) Reprography methods are used in order to disseminate information widely. b) In the following statements fill in the blank spaces with the appropriate words. i) .......................... are used for managing information in the most efficient way but they are costly. ii) The common machines used in the offices for making multiple copies of a document are ...........................and ..................................... 10.3 TYPEWRITERS Typewriter is the most common machine used in almost all offices. Typewritten letters are attractive in appearance as compared to handwritten ones. The same matter can be typed in lesser space on writing paper along with carbon copies. Thus, use of a typewriter helps to bring about speed and efficiency in written communication and lab management. Many other advantages such as quick tabulation, storage of data, typing of formulae, etc., may also be obtained by the use of special purpose typewriters. There are a variety of typewriters available in the market. Each of them has some specific features and uses. The details of some commonly used typewriters are given below: Standard typewriter You must have seen this manually operated machine. Standard typewriters of various makes such as Remington, Facit, Godrej, etc., are available in the market. A standard typewriter can type ten characters to the inch horizontally and six lines to the inch vertically with single spacing. Moreover, a number of carbon copies can also be obtained depending upon the quality of typing and carbon papers used. Electric typewriter Electric typewriters are similar to standard typewriters but with an electronic motor taking the place of human energy. It is much faster than the standard model. They can produce up to 20 copies of a document if paper of appropriate thickness is used. The slightest touch of fingers sets the keys in motion and the impressions produced are uniform and perfect. Electric typewriters are commonly preferred because of the speed of typing, fineness and uniform quality of the print. Besides they are good for cutting stencils, typing.invoices and preparing material for printing. Automatic typewriter It is a power-driven machine, which automatically types a standard pro forma from a previously punched or stenciled master (Ref. to section 10.4). When the master is placed on the machine and the machine is switched on, the matter is automatically typed on the paper at a speed of about 150 words per minute. Non-standard information like names, addresses, etc., may be inserted at appropriate places by manual typing. Thus, it is suitable when letters or circulars bearing routine messages have to be reproduced in large numbers. Electronic typewriter An electronic typewriter has a 'memory' or 'electronic brain' which enables it to recall the whole document at a time and type it automatically at the press of a button. A small display panel reads out the memory and permits editing and modification of drafts on the typewriter itself prior to final print-out. An electronic typewriter is shown in Figure 10.1. Fig. 10.1: Electronic Typewriter. Typewriters with special attachments Certain special attachments can be used to the typewriter for typing work of a special nature. These are: The continuous stationery device - It is used for typing continuous strips of office forms. The front feed device - It enables insertion and typing of cheques and receipts. Card-holding attachment - It enables small stiff cards or labels to be fed and curved round the roller. Use of Typewriters for Multiple Copies Offices frequently require copies of various letters and documents. The simplest method is to make the copies at the same time along with the original letter or document. Carbons, carbon-coated sheets or carbonless copy papers are often used to get a small number of legible copies. A standard typewriter can produce upto six carbon copies, whereas an electric typewriter can produce upto 20 copies as compared to four legible copies by handwriting. But where the number of copies required is more than 20, a duplicator may be used for the purpose. In the following section we will discuss the duplicating process. But before moving further try the following SAQ. SAQ 2 a) List the various kinds of typewriters. ....................................................................................... b) In the followil~gstatements fill in the blank spaces with appropriate words. i) An.. .................. typewriter automatically types a standard pro .. forma from a previously stenciled master. 11) An.. ........................typewriter has a memory and can automatically type a whole document on command. iii) Approximately twenty copies can be produced by an.. .........................typewriter. iv) With ...........................device the standard typewriter can type

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