Pen Plotter, History

Pen plotters print by shifting a pen or other device across the face of a piece of paper. This signifies that plotters are vector graphics apparatus, rather than raster graphics as with other printers. Pen plotters can illustrate multifaceted line art, including text, but do so unhurriedly because of the power-driven movement of the pens. They are time and again incapable of capably creating a solid area of color, but can hatch vicinity by sketching a number of close, standard lines.

 

Images: Sofpedia

Plotters presented the fastest way to economically create very large drawings or color high-resolution vector-based artwork when computer memory was very high-priced and processor power was much regulated, and other kind of printers had restricted graphic output capabilities.

Pen plotters have in essence become outdated, and have been supplanted by large-format inkjet printers and LED toner based printers. Such devices may still comprehend vector languages initially designed for plotter use, since in many uses; they recommend a more economical alternative to raster data.

Hewlett-Packard made its first acquirement in 1958 when it acquired the F Mosley company from California. Mosley made graphics recorders for implements. This industry subsequently became the San Diego Department which made Hewlett-Packard’s pen plotters. In the 70’s, pen plotters were the only way to get high-resolution hardcopy graphics production from computers. The outcome of output from graphics printers normally varied between 70 dots per inch and 100 dots per inch. But, even Hewlett-Packard’s first digital pen plotters could create a line resolution equivalent to 1000 dpi. Until 1987, pen plotters were also the lone cost-effective means of getting color output from computers.

Put side by side to modern color inkjet and laser printers, pen plotters were very time-consuming and unwieldy to use. Users had to frequently worry about a pen running out of ink. If one pen ran dried out at the end of a plot, the total plot had to be re-done. Hewlett-Packard plotters were also restricted to a maximum of 8 dissimilar colors, without having to alter pens in the halfway point of a plot. Lastly, plotters could only illustrate lines and vectors; they couldn't duplicate raster or accurate images. In spite of these limitations, the extreme resolution and color capability of pen plotters made them the color hardcopy output device of choice until the late 80’s. During this time, Hewlett-Packard benefit from a worldwide market share of over 50%.

Plotters were a fine, while not spectacular, dealings for Hewlett-Packard through the end of the 70’s. After that, the business expanded quickly due to 3 factors. 1st, Hewlett-Packard introduced paper-moving plotters to change the old flatbed technology. 2nd, Hewlett-Packard entered the outsized -format plotter business which had beforehand been the domain of companies like Calcomp and Versatec. 3rd, association of Hewlett-Packard pen plotters to non- Hewlett-Packard systems developed dramatically. The link to non- Hewlett-Packard systems was driven by use of business graphics on IBM and well-matched Personal Computers.

 

These commodities were utilized at Hewlett-Packard’s San Diego Branch. Pen plotters were product line 30 for the section until the product lines were split up in 1989.



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Large-Format Printing: Suggestion and Guidelines

Printing with a large format printers can every now and then be tricky and complex. These guidelines and suggestion should help circumvent some probable problems.

• Margins. Set aside for the non-printable area in the margins. Limit design space is 41.6 inches on 42-inch paper. Failing to take into account the non-printable area can cause adverse results (uneven, clipping, scaling, and others).

• Stay away from Long Documents. If not your design center on the need for a sole long document, map your document as a progression of panels. Bigger files take long time to process. Long documents are more expensive to re-print. With panels, only the tricky panels will need to be reprinted. The longest we suggest for a solo panel is 60 inches (by 41.6 inches).

• Utilize a Scanner to Enlarge. If you have a flatbed scanner, you could widen an image by scanning it. This is perfect for enlarging old photographs or digital pictures that are too low resolution. If you are enlarging a digital pictures, print it out first at the extreme resolution and at the greatest size on first class paper, and then scan it. You now have a higher-resolution picture that you can print outsized than the original.

• Save PDF files in the PDF/X format. Storing files as PDF for printing assures the picture and font information will be put together within your file. Screening the PDF at 100% may illustrate some likely problems prior to printing such as mislaid or low resolution imagery.

• Photoshop. It is the most excellent application for editing pictures and performs mostly with pixels. A drawback with pixels is that the pixel based pictures is not to be scaled since all you are doing is enlarging the squares/pixels which lose attribute and clearness. If you are a web designer you will work very closely with Photoshop for numerous elements and graphics. Photoshop should not be used to produce text for print.

• Optimize Documents. Document size promptly impacts handing out time. Optimizing your document will result in faster printing.

• File Names. Employ folder names that exclusively identify your document. Adding up your own name, as piece of your folder name, is a fine place to begin.

• Bring Your File With You. In particular the first few times you print. Bringing your file with you when you come to print will permit us to address any possible trouble right away.

• Stay Close by For a Quick look. You are expected to pay for documents you request to print. After getting estimation, your document should commence printing, be available to scrutiny the document as it begin so you can call off if it is not printing as intended.

• The best method to attain a desired result is to go trial and error then improve the process for your own needs.

Allow Plenty of Time. Large format printing takes a lot time Make time for the likelihood of a re-print.

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Large Format Printers

by macroenter101

Large-format printers are by and large accepted to be any printer with a print width between 16″ and 100″. Printers in excess of 100″ mark may be named Super-Wide or Grand format. Large format printers are employed to print streamers, placards and general poster and in some cases may be more cost-effective than short-run process such as screen printing. Large format printers usually use a roll of print material rather than single sheets and may include hot-air dryers to avoid prints from sticking to themselves as they are created.

 

Tools for making Large Format Printers:

• Aqueous: thermal or Piezo inkjet printers employ an ink identified as aqueous or water-based. The expression water base is a usually acknowledged misnomer. The pigment is assumed in a non-reactive mover solution that is from time to time water and other times an alternative liquid, including soy sourced liquid. Aqueous ink commonly comes in 2 essences, Dye and Ultra Violet. Dye ink is extreme color, low Ultra Violet resistant variety that offers the widest color gamut. Ultra Violet ink is normally duller in color but hold up fading from Ultra Violet rays. In general principle to desktop inkjet printers. Completed prints using dye inks must be plastic-coated to safeguard them if they are to be used in the open air while prints using Ultra Violet inks can be employed outdoors un-laminated for a restricted time. A variety of materials are available, including posters, streamers, metabolized plastic and cloth. Aqueous technology needs that all materials be well coated to take and retain the ink.

• Solvent: this phrase is used to express any ink that is not water-based. Piezo inkjet printers whose inks employ oil or a petroleum by-product such as acetone as its carrier liquid. Eco-solvent inks more often than not contain glycol esters or glycol ether esters and are time-consuming drying. The time-consuming prints are waterproof. May be used to print straightforward on uncoated vinyl and other medium as well as uneven substrates such as Foam Board and PVC.

• Dye sublimation: inks are diffused into the unusual print media to create continuous-tone prints of photographic feature.

• Ultra Violet: Piezo inkjet printers whose inks are Ultra Violet -curable (Dry when cured with Ultra Violet light). The ensuing prints are waterproof, pressed & dazzling. Any medium material can be used in this technology, polymer made medium are the finest. Ceramics, glass, metals, and woods are also employed with printing with this tool.

·        Pen/plotter: a pen or pens are utilized to illustrate on the print substrate. Chiefly used for producing Computer-aided design  drawings. Generally being outmoded by digital technologies such as Solvent, Aqueous, and Ultra Violet.

 

The utmost difference concerning digital printing and traditional methods is that there is no need to swap printing plates in digital printing, while in analog printing the plates are frequently change. This end result in quicker turnaround time and reduce expense when using digital printing, other than typically a loss of some excellent picture detail by most commercial digital printing procedure. The most accepted methods comprise inkjet or laser printers that leave pigment or toner onto a large variety of substrates as well as metal, photo paper, canvas, glass, limestone, paper, and other materials.


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Features of Inkjet Cartridge

An ink cartridge or inkjet cartridge is a module of an inkjet printer that holds the ink that is placed onto paper during printing. Each ink cartridge holds one or more ink tank; individual producers also insert electronic contacts and a chip that correspond with the printer.

End user inkjet printers, such as those produce by Canon, HP, and Lexmark utilize a thermal inkjet; within each partition of the ink reservoir is a heating component with a tiny metal plate or resistor. In reaction to a signal given by the printer, a tiny current drift through the metal or resistor making it hot, and the ink in connection with the heated resistor is vaporized into a miniature steam bubble within the nozzle. As a result, an ink droplet is forced out of the cartridge plunger onto the paper. This procedure takes a small part of a millisecond.


The printing depends on the efficient flow of ink, which can be slowed down if the ink start to dry at the print head, as can occur when an ink level becomes at a low level. Dried out ink can be wiped from a cartridge print head by mild rubbing with alcohol on a swab or paper towel. Alcohol will harm the printing head and dissolve the plastic at the connections, on the other hand. Luke warm water will dislodge the dried up ink at 85% of the time.


The ink also works as a coolant to care for the metal-plate heating elements − when the ink source is gone, and printing is tried, the heating elements in thermal cartridges often be used up, destroying the print head. When the ink 1st begins to run low, the cartridge must be refilled or replaced, to prevent overheating ruin to the print head.


Ink cartridges are usually more expensive than consumers might imagine – from time to time a considerable fraction of the cost of the printer. To save money, many people use well-matched ink cartridges from a seller other than the printer maker. The elevated cost of cartridges has also given an encouragement for forger to supply cartridges wrongly claiming to be made by the original company. A different substitute involves modifications of a primary cartridge allowing use of non-stop ink systems with outside ink tanks. Others use aftermarket inks, refilling their own ink cartridges by means of a kit that contains bulk ink.


It can at times be cheaper to purchase a new printer than to change the set of ink cartridges provided with the printer. The foremost printer manufacturers use a razor and blades business version, frequently breaking even or losing money selling printers whereas expecting to make earnings by selling cartridges over the life of the printer. Because much of the printer manufacturers’ income are from ink and toner cartridge sales, a number of these companies have taken a variety of actions not in favor of aftermarket cartridges.

Feature of Inkjet Cartridges:

1.) 2 separate cartridges are placed into a printer: one containing black ink and one with each of the 3 primary color. On the other hand, each primary color may have a dedicated cartridge.

 2.) Some cartridges hold ink specially prepared for printing photographs.

3.) All printer suppliers manufacture their own style of ink cartridges.

4.) Cartridges for unlike printers may be unsuited either physically or electrically.

6.) Some cartridges have built-in the printer’s head.

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Thermal Paper and Its Importance

Image: Alibaba

Thermal paper is a unique fine paper that is layered with a chemical that changes color when exposed to heat. Thermal paper is a kind of paper that has a type coating that permit for inkless printing.  When heat is employed to the coating, the effect is a well-defined, clear image, without the need for ink or ribbons. It is used in thermal printers and particularly in inexpensive or lightweight devices.


The outside of the paper is coated with a solid-state combination of a dye and a suitable matrix; a fusion of a fluoran leuco dye type and octadecylphosphonic acid as an example. When the matrix is heat up above its melting point, the dye responds with the acid, change to its colored form, and the altered form is then conserved in a metastable state when the matrix solidifies back quickly enough. While on an open heat source, such as a fire, it can discolor the paper, a fingernail scratched quickly across the paper will also produce enough heat from friction to create a mark.

 

Most direct thermal papers need a protecting top-coating to:

Reduce attenuation of the thermal image caused by exposure to ultraviolet radiation/ultraviolet illumination/UV/actinic radiation/actinic ray light, water, oils, grease, lard, fats, and comparable causes…

• provide improved print head wear

• lessen or remove residue from the thermal coating on the thermal print heads

• provide higher anchorage of flexographic printing inks applied to the thermal paper

• Focus the warmth from the thermal print head on the active coating.

Thermal paper and thermal printers can be purchase at any of your favorite office supply stores or paper supply stores or you can also buy from the web to your favorite paper dealer. Top quality thermal paper printouts can last for years or even decades, unlike ordinary papers printed out. And it is because of the reasons why many people choose using thermal papers than a regular paper. Thermal paper is used extensively because it’s known for its swiftness, precision, top quality and it’s a price-effective product. If you’re running an eco-friendly business then you should ponder trying the recycle thermal paper.


It’s the most cost efficient paper any businessmen can use. At the same time, it creates a higher quality of result, accurate and fast. This type of paper is does not seep out, and is an almost error free product, since an ink is not needed to have a text or picture. With a thermal paper you can be certain that you have improved sight of what you wanted print out. These are only a few basis, quality and benefits that you can get out of thermal paper.


Some people say it’s pricey to buy a thermal paper rather than a bond paper. But the real deal you have to face is the thermal paper does not have to require an ink to print. Unlike with a regular bond paper that need an ink. And when you use thermal paper printer, it’s still quicker than a dot-matrix or inkjet printer, and it create less error plus it’s very easy to replace rolls. With these kinds of material, you’re problem free for a low outlay and can go on for a long haul.

Large Format Photo Printing - Helpful Tips Part 2

Hopefully the tips for Part One(1) helped clear up some of the confusion and questions being tossed around from people printing in wide format. Most of the issues with printing large involve just setting up the equipment, system, and driver properly. So without further ado, here is the part two (2) of my Large Format Photo Printing – Helpful Tips.

 

Image: Foto Factory

 

Understanding software differences WRT sizing

Every single one softwares, including PhotoShop and Qimage must work contained by the boundaries of the printer which are identified by the driver. If you have a specify and out of the question errand, another software might operate the demand in a different way. For instance, when you did not stipulate a borderless printing, the greatest extent size print permissible on 16×20 paper by means of the Epson 4800 is 15.766 x 19.333 inches.


When you attempt to print a 16×20 with PhotoShop, you will be informed that the print size is larger than authorized however you will be given a “Proceed” alternative. When you proceed, PhotoShop will print a 16×20 although it will clip the edges of the file and what you’ll end up with is a 15.766 x 19.333 inch turn out that has the edges gone. When you utilize Qimage, a pop up will inform you that the print size is bigger than one page and you will be enquired if you want a poster. When you give a negative response, you’ll have a 15.766 x 19.333 inch print (similar as PhotoShop) save for the edges being cropped off.


These are merely two dissimilar ways of managing the similar dilemma moreover in both case, the printer will have a 15.766 x 19.333 inch print: a printer/driver restriction. It is imperative to be familiar with how different programs operate sizing responsibilities and in particular, what comes to pass when you attempt to print sizes that does not match on the paper. No matter what printing software you bring into play. Be custom with how it operates sizing discrepancies.

Spooling Options

A Qimage will almost always send more (potentially much more) data to the driver than PhotoShop or other printing programs due to Qimage’s interpolation procedure. At the same time, you have to make certain that the printer is arranged up correctly for large format photo printing. Not having the printer/spooler set-up as it should be may result in incomplete prints, no print at entirely, or failure due to the system not being capable to operate the amount of data being passed to the driver.


Initially, open the control panel, click “printers and faxes”, and then right click on the printer. Pick “Properties” from the right click menu then click the “Advanced” tab. If “Enable Advanced Printing Features” is checked at the bottom, Uncheck this specific choice. This is the reason for 98% of printing difficulty when printing large format as this feature can only handle a small amount of data and isn’t meant for photographic printing so the option should remain unchecked.


The former options on that tab as a rule make little difference but I recommend checking “Spool print documents so program finishes printing faster” and also “Start printing immediately”. Those alternatives will guarantee the best use of resources on the machine. Finally, click the “Print Processor” button and make sure that the right side is set to “RAW”. If any other data file is selected, it is probable that your photographic printing will not work properly. Click “OK” to save the changes.


Use the above table as a good rule of thumb for printing prints larger than 20×30 inches to circumvent system overload. Below 20×30 inches: just keep the interpolation levels set to “Max”. While there should be no problem printing at “Max” interpolation level in Qimage well beyond this arbitrary 20×30 size on a competent device, it will prolonged the process and will increase the strain on the entire system (particularly with respect to hard drive space).

Large Format Photo Printing – Helpful Tips Part 1

Large format pertains to any degree of imaging format from 4×5 inches which is 102×127 mm or larger. The main service of a large format, a film or anything digital, is a higher resolution. The higher resolution, the better the details of a captured moment is, so it has better quality photos. But large format photo printing can sometimes be unpredictable and tricky. So here are some tips that should be able to help avoid would-be problems.

Image by: Move Your Ass