Plotter

Plotter:

A plotter is a computer hardware device much like a printer that is used for printing vector graphics. Instead of toner, plotters use a pen, pencil, marker or other writing tool to draw multiple, continuous lines onto paper rather than a series of dots like a traditional printer. Though once widely used for computer aided design, these devices have more or less been phased out by wide format printers. Plotters are used to produce a hard copy of schematics and other similar applications.

Figure: Plotter

Advantages of plotters:

1. Plotters can work on very large sheets of paper while maintaining high resolution.
2. They can print on a wide variety of flat materials including plywood, aluminum, sheet steel, cardboard, and plastic.
3. Plotters allow the same pattern to be drawn thousands of times without any image degradation.

Disadvantages of plotters:

1. Plotters are quite large when compared to a traditional printer.
2. Plotters are also much more expensive than a traditional printer.