Today, almost every home and office desktop computer is equipped with a printer: the need to print documents literally on the fly occurs quite often. But the capabilities of a conventional printer or multifunction device (IFIs) not always enough. If a simple printer is quite suitable for outputting a normal A4, then this will not be enough for large format printing. Then the plotter comes to our aid. Translated from the Greek, it is a device for constructing an accurate graphic drawing on a wide format (up to A0). In other words, such devices are also called plotters
General information about plotters
The fundamental difference between a plotter and a regular printer or MFP) is, that in addition to printing on plain paper, plotter is able to work with different types of consumables, as well as cut printed products. Custom printer models cannot work with large paper sizes (A1, A0), and the plotter can. Besides, specialized plotters are most often used in plotters, impregnated with dyes and reagents, manifested by a chemical reaction. Conventional MFPs involve the use of classic consumables.
What is a plotter in a broader sense? As it became clear, this type of device is used when you need to print products on large sheets of paper. A good example is advertising, advertising posters and billboards, printing drawings.
However, the plotter can be used not only for printing paper, their scope is much wider. The waves are real, example, work on wood or vinyl, you can find a textile plotter and even a food 3d device. But the cost of such models is quite high, therefore, they did not become widespread.
Textile plotter Mimaki Tx300P-1800
The most popular models of plotters work with paper, film, vinyl, plastic, performing layouts for various purposes.
There are special devices for cutting printed products - cutters, and they are also referred to as plotters. You can rarely find devices 2 v 1, combining both possibilities - printing and cutting. Let's try to understand, how these devices are classified.
Solvent plotter cutter VersaCAMM VS-300i
Basic classification
There is currently no generally accepted classification of plotters, widely used everywhere. Despite this omission, There are several principles for distinguishing plotters. One of them - on purpose. The division will be small, only two options:
- cutting;
- printing.
Epson SureColor SC-T7200 plotter with PZK and ink
The printing machine is not able to cut printed products on its own. Usually, for this purpose it is necessary to buy the second device, or first consider the device, that combines these functions (if necessary). For cutting of already printed advertising production the cutting plotter - a cutter is intended, it is suitable and stickers, films, and in some cases even for vinyl products.
Vektor HC-1290 cutting plotter
By type of construction plotters are:
- flat (tablet);
- rolled;
- laser.
Flatbed plotter
Flat fixing sheet, and the cutting of the film is performed by a movable carriage with a knife, moving according to a given scheme. In the case of a roll machine, the carriage moves in different directions, thereby cutting out the desired pattern when feeding the material. The laser cutter has a flat design, but, in contrast to the first option, instead of a carriage with a knife, a high-precision laser is responsible for cutting. Of course, that the quality of such products will be much higher: processing of small and exact details is possible.
The printing plotter is the most accessible unit for creation of small circulations of advertizing or celebratory production in the conditions of office space.. No storage or special conditions are required for storage and maintenance of such a device, what can you say about consumables.
Most often paper or vinyl, on which there is an imprint on the set layout, represent the material, impregnated with chemical solutions, poorly tolerate sudden changes in temperature.
Therefore, when storing materials for a printing plotter, it is strongly recommended to adhere to the temperature regime.
Rolls of colored vinyl
The difference between plotters is in the drawing block
In the case of the drawing block, the classification is easier to perform. There are the following varieties:
- feathery;
- jet type;
- laser type;
- electrostatic type;
- direct conclusion;
- thermal transfer of information.
Consider in more detail each of the above techniques.
Feathery
The principle of operation of a feather plotter is simple: the image is applied to the base with a pen, which is able to move in only two directions. A special pencil or liquid paint can be used as a dye. The latter is solvent and ecosolvent. What does it mean? Solvent inks contain solvents, which allows you to create patterns on PVC surfaces, for which they were created. Eco-solvent paints also contain solvents, but less aggressive and toxic. They do not emit a pungent odor at work and are more economical.
The electric motor is responsible for moving the pen in such plotters, therefore, when creating drawings and sketches, they make a lot of noise. Another significant disadvantage of feather plotters is the low print speed. However, there are pros:
- high quality of the received images;
- rich color and good contrast (with color printing).
Streaming
The same technology is used in the jet plotter, as in the printer: printing is carried out by applying many small colored dots 4 basic colors (CMYK). Inkjet plotters are popular, because they provide many benefits:
- high speed operation;
- good resolution;
- affordable service and consumables;
- optimal cost.
Inkjet models can be with CISS (uninterrupted ink supply system). This quality is very important in the context of continuous or extremely fast professional printing, when you ever refill the cartridge.
Laser
The laser plotter works on exactly the same principle, as well as the printer. We can say, that it is a widescreen laser MFP. The basis is electrographic technology, based on the photoeffect of light-sensitive semiconductor layers of materials, containing selenium, as well as the action of electrostatic fields. The image is t. n. intermediate carrier (rotating drum with selenium applied to it), which is charged to extremely high potential - hundreds of volts. With the help of a light beam, this charge is removed, forming an undeveloped electrostatic image, attracted by magnetized fine toner. In the future, everything is mechanically transferred to the prepared paper.
Laser plotters can print images in minutes, thanks to which they gained mass popularity in advertising, and in the printing business. However, their cost is quite high compared to the first two types.
Electrostatic
An electrostatic plotter is somewhat similar to a laser. Its principle of operation is based on the formation of hidden images (electric), T. n. "Potential relief". Unfortunately, the disadvantage of this technology is, that special electrostatic paper is required for printing, thoroughly covered with dielectric and impregnated with hydrophilic salt. Such paper requires constant storage conditions, example, humidity, to maintain electrification. The slightest violation can lead to its damage.
Another disadvantage of electrostatic printing plotters is the very high cost of maintenance of the devices themselves, purchase of consumables. The advantages include the stability of the finished product. The image obtained with the help of an electrostatic plotter is resistant to UV rays, stored for a long time, without losing brightness, and has a high degree of protection from other external climatic conditions.
With a direct conclusion
Direct output plotter also needs specialized paper, without which their operation becomes impossible. This paper is specially impregnated, and at the edges leave a narrow line of "comb" mini heaters. Heating is performed while feeding the paper from the roll. Color change occurs in places of heating and depends on temperature.
Unfortunately, such printing technology is black and white. Direct output is not able to provide color reproduction, only a few grayscale.
At present, materials for direct output plotters have become available and widely used in printing. Many archival repositories order printing using direct output. It has to do with that, that the finished product has a long shelf life and minimal sensitivity to external influences. Printing is done on paper, rings and films.
With heat transfer
Devices, operating on the principle of heat transfer, differ in that, that between the heating element and special paper (in t. h. and a film of different levels of transparency) contains a color matrix. Its thickness usually does not exceed 4-10 micron. The color matrix is placed close to the paper, to which part of the paint passes when heated. The paint layer is made of wax and is not fusible.
One color is applied in one pass. Color correction is achieved in four full passes. Unfortunately, in this regard, we have to mention the high cost of materials and the need for frequent replacement. So, four times as much ink is needed to create a color image, than to play a black and white image. It is because of this factor that this printing technology has not gained mass popularity. Most often, thermoplotters are used there, where you want to create a 3D image (example, cartography) with high quality color reproduction. in addition, this technology is used to create quality presentations.
Plotterie "two in one"
Print plotter with cutting function is often called a hybrid or plotter cutter. Despite some confusion in terminology, with the device of these devices everything looks quite simple. Most often it is a printed plotter of the roll type with the ability to cut products. This combination of functions under one case is very convenient, especially when it comes to cutting film or paper immediately after printing. In this case, you can use one device instead of two, which greatly simplifies the process.
Is engaged in release of such devices, in particular, Cricut company. Although among their products there are ordinary plotters.
The technical characteristics of the plotter-cutter may differ depending on the request. Basically, when choosing such devices are guided by the following indicators.
- The degree of width of the cut, usually, comes to 1000 mm. This is enough to make most types of advertising products. Large-format plotters are used to make more specialized orders, but most everyday needs are able to cover appliances with a width of 500 to 720 mm.
Plotter-cutter Roland TrueVis VG-540/640
- The accuracy of cutting is no less important. The thinner the material you need to cut, the greater the accuracy of the blades will be required. The dependence in this case is direct. Of course, the greater the accuracy, the higher the price of such a cutter.
- Optical characteristics are also important for this type of device. Most often, the positioning of the optics is the presence of a specialized sensor, able to make labels on a printed layout. With the help of certain contours, you can cut material of any complexity. This optical sensor works by binding to the dimensions (coordination grid) source material. Attached by size, the blade will be able to cut paper or film exactly to size and bend, repeating the smallest nuances of the picture.
- Blade pressure. Everything is simple here: the stronger the blade pressure on the material, the thicker the paper or film, the blade will be able to cut. To work with plain paper will be enough pressure in 350 p. If you mean working with harder material, example, vinyl, then such pressure will not be enough. For vinyl, the degree of pressure on the knife should be at least 400-500g.
- Cutting speed. If the daily task does not include urgent cutting of printed products, then do not consider the model at high speed. Overpayment for this option will be quite significant.
In addition to the characteristics, discussed above, plotter cutters differ in the presence of the display, network pointer, cross knife, basket for materials and fastening for rolls.
How to use different types of plotters
That's where there really are no limits to imagination, so it is in the field of modern plotters. Of course, the main demand is to meet the needs of advertising products and printed materials. Various archival and cartographic documents occupy a slightly smaller percentage, where the consumer is interested in the high quality of the printed product, than in its quantity.
To date, the field of commercial use of plotters in the field of individual entrepreneurship is developing very actively and successfully.: small photo salons, private studios, working on an individual order. Such workshops accept orders for work from felt, fabrics, for scrapbooking - all this is made using a plotter.
For specific tasks, requiring a special approach, you can even use latex cutting material, but it should be noted, that not all models are able to work with it.
The printing material may have special properties, the limiter in this case is only the imagination of the client. You can print almost anything on the surface of the material, anything. In some cases, the paint is applied to the three-dimensional parts (example, mapping with colored feathers). Examples of different applications abound, starting from posters, printed on vinyl material, to individual "stretch" wallpaper, made of innovative materials, which are painted with the help of a modern plotter-cutter, and later cut.
Another area of application of plotters is the printing of banknotes. They are made on cutting plotters, which first mark and cut the bills. The same applies to the printing of any government documents with the brand "state mark". Large volumes of printing are always performed on large format technology, then cut and ready to be delivered to the destination. Even paper, on which passport data are then applied, prints and cuts the plotter, data are entered later, at the local passport office.
Documents, clothing, advertising signs, posters and banners - all this is hard to imagine without the considered device for printing and cutting. It is no exaggeration to say, that this type of devices moves forward entire industries and social organizations, ensuring their interaction.
Conclusion
Though, that there are many types of plotters, one thing remains unchanged - their mass demand. Every day this type of equipment covers the needs of many promotions, announcements and projects. The plotter allows the person to express the emotions more brightly and qualitatively, So, as they deserve. Despite the high cost of consumables, the use of plotter boats remains relevant. It is rare for an industrial machine to stand idle for more than one day, most often the device is fully loaded on weekends, day and night. And this is easy to explain - only a plotter can work with large formats, imprinting on them all the necessary information.