Every FADGI bundle includes professional installation, calibration, calibration verification, a GoldenThread Device Level Target, and operator training. Ricoh fi Series scanners are designed to support FADGI MTR workflows when properly installed, calibrated, verified, and maintained.
Speaker: Vaughn Minger, National Sales Manager
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What NARA, the National Archives, has done is create this guideline. As of June 2024, they will no longer accept paper records from agencies across the nation.
They created digital guidelines that help ensure the image quality of records being sent to the National Archives for permanent storage.
It is a guideline, not a formal standard or an ISO standard. It is what NARA will use as its benchmark. They will continue making adjustments, improving it, and making changes over time.
The new federal digitization guidelines required us to follow their testing procedures and use their color charts. We worked to match those requirements with what our engineers had already developed.
Our production scanners, including the fi-7600, fi-7700, fi-7800, and fi-7900 series, are ready today. We envision the entire product line supporting these requirements, with scanners capable of processing from 60 to 140 pages per minute.
Our market share in the federal market has always been strong.
For federal government customers, ease of use is important, but reliability has been especially important because of federal purchasing cycles and budgeting processes. Customers want to know they have a product that works well today and that they can continue to plan around in the future.
Now as Ricoh, and previously as Fujitsu, the brand has been trusted for more than 20 years.
It comes down to durability and image quality.
The fact that we can deploy our entire fi Series product line on-site means an IT department only needs to use a single driver to manage the entire fleet.
If they need support, they can make a phone call and receive a replacement scanner the next day. The experience is designed to be seamless.
The support team we have continues to differentiate us. We hear stories about competing solutions, and I would put our team up against anybody.
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FADGI is the Federal Agencies Digital Guidelines Initiative. It sets the image-quality standards agencies use to digitize records for long-term preservation with bodies like NARA (National Archives and Records Administration). FADGI-conforming images are intended to meet these benchmarks for preservation and records-management workflows.
Federal electronic-records mandates such as M-19-21 and M-23-07 require agencies to manage permanent records digitally. Producing FADGI-conforming images can support those preservation objectives and may help reduce the risk of costly rescanning projects in the future.
A FADGI-capable scanner is a document scanner with the image-quality performance necessary to support FADGI standards when combined with proper calibration, verification, software, operating procedures, and ongoing maintenance. FADGI conformance is determined by image output and adherence to proper process.
FADGI-capable scanners must be calibrated and verified against established image-quality targets. For government agencies, archives, and preservation programs, these capabilities provide a strong foundation for producing images that can be evaluated against FADGI requirements. Ricoh bundles include calibration services and a GoldenThread Device Level Target. Verification software is a separate, paid requirement for the end user.
Applying standards of excellence to FADGI compliance
End-to-end FADGI compliant bundles
Smart questions to ask about FADGI-compliant scanners
Read our blog post about FADGI guidelines and compliance
Ricoh fi Series scanner bundles are designed to support FADGI MTR workflows. Each bundle includes installation, calibration, verification support, operator training, and a GoldenThread Device Level Target to help organizations implement image-capture processes aligned with FADGI objectives.
The fi-8950 bundle has been independently evaluated by Keypoint Intelligence for FADGI MTR performance. Organizations seeking third-party validation may find this evaluation useful when assessing scanner solutions for FADGI-focused workflows.
Ready to support your digital-preservation objectives with high-quality image capture? Explore the recommended fi-8950 bundle or talk with a PFU expert to identify the right solution for your records, workflows, and compliance requirements.
Talk to a FADGI ExpertExplore the FADGI BundleThe appropriate requirements depend on the materials being digitized and the applicable records-management rules. The FADGI Modern Textual Records profile is designed for modern textual documents, such as documents produced on modern office paper. Other materials, including photographs, bound volumes, maps, or fragile historical documents, may require different capture methods or image-quality specifications. Agencies should determine the applicable requirements for their specific record series and intended disposition. NARA’s permanent-record digitization requirements are in 36 CFR Part 1236, Subpart E, while FADGI provides related technical imaging guidance.
The fi-8950, fi-8930, fi-8820, fi-7700, fi-7600, fi-8190 & fi-8290 series bundles can fulfill FADGI MTR when calibrated accordingly.
Yes. GoldenThread NXT software, sold separately, analyzes images of the included target to help verify and document scanner performance.
No. FADGI capability depends on the scanner's optics, sensors, and calibration, and most consumer or general office scanners cannot reach MTR.
Requirements vary by record type and intended use. Federal agencies and other organizations are responsible for determining which NARA, FADGI, contractual, or internal requirements apply to their digitization projects.
FADGI rates image quality on a one-to-four-star scale. Modern Textual Records (MTR) is the standard for text documents printed on modern office paper. Ricoh fi Series scanners, calibrated accordingly, can fulfill FADGI MTR when calibrated accordingly.
