reprographics

Reprographics, or reprography, is the process and industry of reproducing technical drawings and related documents, widely used in architecture, engineering, construction, and planning. It covers copying, scanning, printing, and distributing large-format drawings, maps, and plans, as well as digital archiving and management of project sets.

Historically, reprographics began with blueprinting and diazotype processes for architectural drawings. Photographic reproduction and xerography replaced chemical methods in the mid-20th century, and digital large-format printing and scanning became standard from the late 1990s onward, enabling outputs directly from CAD and PDF files.

Modern workflows typically start with CAD or PDF files, followed by preparation, output, and delivery. Services include large-format monochrome and color printing, copying, plotting, redlines and overlays, binding, and project set management. Digital archiving, indexing, and distribution—via physical prints, PDFs, or cloud delivery—are common, often integrated with BIM or CAD systems.

Equipment commonly used includes large-format inkjet and electrophotographic printers, high-capacity scanners, and software for color management, tiling, and scale control. Quality control focuses on accurate scale, line weights, and color fidelity, guided by industry standards. Reprographics providers serve architecture and engineering firms, construction contractors, government agencies, and map or plan publishers, supporting coordination, documentation, and archival needs.