How Printer and Plotter are Different

Plotter- Conventionally, a plotter printer was widely known as just a ‘plotter’. In traditional times, the functionalities of the plotter were defined by the usage of a pen or a marker to draw lines on a long sheet of paper to render a design from a CAD (computer-aided design) program. At present, these kinds of plotters have seen a wind of change, by combining modern-day trends and technologies.

A plotter is a hardware device that takes command from a printer and then makes the drawings on the computer using various pens. The plotter is primarily used for printing hard copies of complex designs such as large graphics, construction maps, architectural blueprints, and business charts. The major advantage of a plotter is that it produces line accuracy of the highest precision and CAD design using a pen. This can help produce continuous lines.

Printers- A printer gets defined as a device that draws images and texts on the page with the help of commands given through a computer. The only thing that gets termed as a slow process in this is that the user does not get to print continuous lines. It accepts the text and graphic output from the computer and takes all the information and prints it out on the paper. Several sizes and papers are present within the system, and it optimizes itself according to the requirement. Large-format CAD printers are increasingly changing the way of CAD/GIS printing in the large format printing industry.

Few key differences

• A plotter provides the output in a format that is similar to a vector graphic whereas the output file data in case of a printer usually stored as bitmap or pixels.
• The main benefit of a printer is that people can get the document in hard copy format at a faster speed whereas the rate of a plotter is slower when compared.
• The main benefit of the plotter is that they draw lines and figures on the page with the support of a pen and therefore, produce continuous lines. The lines are not continuous for the printer and therefore is at a disadvantage.

Plotter and Printer are the two most common used terms in getting the hard copy of CAD drawings which has been forming the basis of the subject. They are different from each other, actually opposite and therefore it becomes that much more important for people to have a better understanding of how they are difefrent.

If you are on the lookout for a high precision large format printer for your CAD design printing then the Canon imagePROGRAF TA-5300 MFP L36ei is an ideal choice. It is perfect for printing R&D designs, architectural plans, engineering drawings and is equipped with top-notch features for producing highly precise quality prints.

Large-format plotters and printers are extensively used in CAD/GIS designing because they bring fine precision and greater detail to the designs. The cost-effectiveness of large-format CAD plotters and printers is another reason why they are the most sought-after choice among Architects, Engineering companies, Construction companies R&D & Manufacturing companies.