Crosfield Electronics facts for kids
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| Industry | Imaging |
|---|---|
| Fate | Acquired by Fujifilm |
| Successor | Fujifilm Electronic Imaging |
| Founded | 1947 in London, England |
| Founder |
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| Defunct | November 1996 |
Crosfield Electronics was a British company that made special electronic machines. It was started in 1947 by two clever people, John Crosfield and Dennis Bent. Their goal was to create devices that helped the printing industry.
The company became famous for its amazing inventions. They were pioneers in something called colour drum scanning. This technology was used in their products like the Scanatron (from 1959) and later the Magnascan (from 1969). These machines helped to make high-quality colour images for printing.
In 1974, a company called De La Rue bought Crosfield Electronics. Later, the company was taken over by Fujifilm from Japan. It was then renamed Fujifilm Electronic Imaging. Today, after a management buy-out in 2008, it is known as FFEI Ltd.
What Was Crosfield Electronics?
Crosfield Electronics was a company that focused on imaging. This means they worked with pictures and how they are made. They created advanced electronic devices for the printing world. Imagine how photos and designs get onto paper. Crosfield Electronics made some of the key tools for this process.
The company was founded in London, England. It started right after World War II. John Crosfield and Dennis Bent wanted to bring new technology to printing.
Pioneering Colour Scanning
One of Crosfield Electronics' biggest achievements was in colour drum scanning. Before this, making colour prints was very difficult. It often involved a lot of manual work.
A drum scanner works by wrapping a picture around a spinning cylinder, or "drum". A light then scans the picture very carefully. It picks up all the tiny details and colours. This information is then turned into digital data. This data can be used to create printing plates.
The Scanatron was their first big success in 1959. It was a revolutionary machine for its time. Later, in 1969, they released the Magnascan. This was an even more advanced scanner. These machines made it much easier to reproduce high-quality colour images. They helped newspapers, magazines, and books look much better.
The Company's Journey
Crosfield Electronics grew and became very important in the printing world. Its innovations changed how colour images were prepared for print.
In 1974, a larger company called De La Rue bought Crosfield Electronics. De La Rue is known for printing banknotes and other secure documents. This acquisition showed how valuable Crosfield's technology was.
Later, in 1996, the company was acquired by Fujifilm. Fujifilm is a famous Japanese company known for cameras and imaging products. Crosfield Electronics became part of Fujifilm's electronic imaging division. It was renamed Fujifilm Electronic Imaging.
Even after being bought by Fujifilm, the company's legacy continued. In 2008, the management team bought the company back. It is now an independent company called FFEI Ltd. It still works on advanced imaging solutions today.
Sources
- Crosfield diary notes
