A plotter is an output device that is designed primarily to produce charts, drawings, maps, three dimensional illustration, and other forms of hard copy. Plotters work by a variety of technologies. The two most common types of plotters in use today are ink-jet plotters and electrostatic plotters. At the low-cost end of the plotter market are ink-jet plotters. Ink-jet technology has dropped dramatically in price in recent years, and the popularity of these plotters has surged as a result. Many of them roll out paper over a space-saving drum like mechanism. While others use cut sheets stored in a feeder tray.
Virtually all ink-jet pointers, can also double as plotters, users with specialized graphics needs say, an engineer who produces oversized drawings may want to consider ink-jet devices targeted principally to commercial plotting rather than general purpose desktop applications. By far, most plotters are of the ink-jet type today. Electrostatic plotters define the faster and more expensive end of the plotter market. These widely used devices create images with a toner bed similar of that of a photocopying machine, but instead of light pulses, they use a matrix of tiny wires to charge the paper with electricity. When the charged paper passes over the toner bed, the toner adheres to it and products an image.
Virtually all ink-jet pointers, can also double as plotters, users with specialized graphics needs say, an engineer who produces oversized drawings may want to consider ink-jet devices targeted principally to commercial plotting rather than general purpose desktop applications. By far, most plotters are of the ink-jet type today. Electrostatic plotters define the faster and more expensive end of the plotter market. These widely used devices create images with a toner bed similar of that of a photocopying machine, but instead of light pulses, they use a matrix of tiny wires to charge the paper with electricity. When the charged paper passes over the toner bed, the toner adheres to it and products an image.