Have you ever wanted to print large, vibrant, high-quality images but didn’t know how? A regular inkjet printer can’t get the job done, so what can you do? A plotter printer can help you. If you aren’t sure what that is, you’re certainly not alone. Let’s look at what plotter printers are, how they work, and how they can benefit your next project.
What Is a Plotter Printer?
Plotters printers, also known as just plotters, are much larger and more expensive than traditional office printers. People used them to create sizable, high-quality pictures or signs. The printers follow the demands of computers to print out large, complex designs. Professionals often create architectural blueprints with them. What sets them apart from your average printer is that they use writing instruments, such as pens and markers, to make continuous lines. In contrast, an average printer uses a series of dots. Typically, plotter printers are much slower than regular printers, as they’re extremely precise, and the motion of using continuous lines takes more time.
How Do Plotter Printers Work?
To understand how plotter printers work, you first have to know that there are multiple types of plotters. These types can fit into two main categories: drum plotters and flatbed plotters. Drum plotters move both the paper and the pen—the pen moves up and down while the drum moves the paper side to side while rotating. Conversely, the paper in flatbed plotters remains completely fixed. The printers simply move their pens to create images.
While they both produce great images, they aren’t the same, so you can’t use them interchangeably. Flatbed plotters are very large and can be hard to find space for, but they produce extremely high-quality images and can print on a wide variety of materials. Drum plotters are much smaller. While they still produce fantastic results, they can’t beat the resolution a flatbed printer can provide and can only print on paper.
What Are the Benefits of Using a Plotter Printer?
Aside from producing great images, plotter printers work in applications that require extreme precision. When crafting an architectural blueprint, there’s no room for error. This is exactly what a flatbed printer can provide. Additionally, the printer can produce the same image over and over again without any reduction in quality. Therefore, you can ensure that you’ll get great results every time. Fortunately, you don’t have to buy a plotter printer to use one, as there are many companies across the globe that’ll allow you to rent one.
Now that you know more about what plotter printers are and how they work, it’s time to ask yourself the ultimate question. Will a plotter printer benefit your project?
