What Are Plotter Printer Paper Sizes?

December 2, 2022
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In the present times, a plotter printer is also frequently referred to as CAD and GIS large-format printers. The advanced features of this category of printers make it ideal for complex printing and drawing requirements of an engineering or architectural firm. However, plotter and printers come in a variety of sizes which might make it confusing to understand the different sizes of paper.

When thinking about different paper sizes, people often find themselves in a dilemma like – “Is A3 bigger than A4?” Now that the paper sizes are operating on a reverse scale, and the largest dimension is actually the smallest one, people are bound to get puzzled. So, here is a guide for understanding which paper size will be ideal for your CAD design.

According to the ISO (International Standards Organization), the most widely used drawing sheet sizes are A0, A1, A2, A3, and A4.

These paper sizes have certain interesting features such as when we split the A1 paper into two equal parts, we get two A2 paper. On splitting an A2 paper into two equal parts, we have two A3 papers.

The dimension of the most commonly used paper sizes are:

A0: 33.11 x 46.81 inches
A1: 23.39 x 33.11 inches
A2: 16.54 x 22.23 inches
A3: 11.69 x 16.54 inches
A4: 8.27 x 11.69 inches

Roll Width – The width of the roll is one of the first considerations to be done when starting out with the plotter printer paper sizes. The roll width is usually measured in inches and generally has 11, 17, 18, 22, 24, 30, 34, 36, or 42 inches. Keeping the width of the roll in mind minimizes your expenses when printing many standard-sized architectural papers or complex drawings. Checking the size of the documents you would be printing on a regular basis will decide the roll width for your everyday printing requirements.

Roll Length- If you need to print longer-sized documents then you should always be careful of the length of the roll. This length is generally expressed in feet or meters. Specialized bond paper for engineering drawings comes in 150, 300, and 500 feet. With these sizes, you will have the freedom to produce multiple printed materials. It can also allow your printer to go longer between reloads, depending on your print size. An apt example of a large-format printer that is designed to suit your every printing requirement is Canon imagePROGRAF series. It is equipped with enhanced media handling capabilities and top-notch features.

A 36-inch width paper size will always be capable of printing A0 and A1 size drawing, while a 24-inch width paper size can print A1, A2 and A3 size of documents.

The Canon imagePROGRAF series is fully compatible with all standard paper sizes so that you can maximize your productivity and reach new heights.