CAD Drawing Plotter

Written By Eisla Sebastian

A CAD drawing plotter is basically a printer that is capable of producing large-scale line art images like blueprints and schematics. When they first came on the market, they used a pen that was attached to a printer arm and a large drum that moved the paper up and down. As technology advanced, though, the pen CAD plotters were gradually replaced by large scale inkjet printers. When shopping for new CAD plotters, it is important to select a model that fits the types of print jobs your company produces, as well as your projected future printing and plotting needs.

CAD Drawing Plotter - Features to Look for When Buying Them
Like any other type of printer product, you need to know exactly what you are looking for before you buy one. CAD plotters come in a number of shapes and sizes, and each has its own set of capabilities and drawbacks. The first thing that you need to look for is a CAD drawing plotter that can handle the size of paper you use in your business. For example, if you need to print blueprints that have a page width of 36 inches, a printer that can only handle page sizes up to 30 inches is going to be useless to you. If you regularly print multiple widths, look for a plotter that features multiple print rolls so you can have more than one size paper ready at all times.

Another feature to look at is the color printing capabilities. If you deal strictly in black and white, obviously a black and white plotter will suffice, and you can save a little money here. If not, though, you'll need to invest in a color CAD drawing plotter. Color plotters are slightly more expensive both in the short term and the long run, as they tend to have a larger initial price, and you'll pay more when purchasing ink, toner, and pen cartridges.

Printing speed is another characteristic that you'll need to look at when shopping for a CAD drawing plotter. Printing speed can vary depending on the model you are looking at and the complexity of the images you need to print, but most inkjet models should provide you with a page per minute average. Faster printers are generally going to cost more, but if you deal in a volume business the extra money may be worth the investment.

Reputable plotter dealers will work with you to determine your requirements for these and other plotter characteristics. Start talking to qualified plotter dealers today – use our free quote request service to connect with multiple vendors who can compete for your business.