Large format color CAD plotters are useful for any project that involves mapping or architectural renderings. Architects and engineers have long ago moved to plotters to do their actual drawings. Archaeologists could also make use of this technology to do their maps and reconstruction's of ancient buildings.

Anything that is already drawn by hand can be digitized and then printed on a large format color plotter. If you need just 13x17 inches then the Hewlett-Packard ColorPro CA can do the job. This desktop inkjet printer is made for architects, engineers and GIS professionals. It is not a large format nor a wide format printer (it does only tabloid size) but he does handle drawings and maps.

If you need a larger size, Encad and Hewlett-Packard both make the modern version of what used to be called a CAD plotter. Nowadays they are actually no longer called plotters since the plotters of the last generation were so slow. The new machines are many times faster. We photographed the Encad CAD color plotters at CeBIT, a huge computer trade show in Hannover, Germany. Next week we will inspect the Hewlett-Packard versions of their color plotters at the HP large format headquarters in Barcelona, Spain.

 

 

The current generation of architectural plotters are 4-color inkjet machines, basically the same as the printers sold as wide format color inkjet printers for doing signs, posters, and banners. These are all 300 dpi as that keeps the price reasonable. True photo-realistic printers start at 600 dpi, 720 dpi, and the top-of-the-line models are 1200 dpi and above (Roland and ColorSpan). Here the Encad CadJet 3D is pictured. Like all architectural plotters it does 3D renderings as well as traditional architectural drawings.

Which is better, Encad or Hewlett-Packard? A tough decision. Encad makes a good solid printer, known for lasting many years. You can pour whatever ink you want right in the bottle. You get a good resale value since the printers hold up well. Disadvantages are that cleaning out the ink lines and changing from indoor dye-based inks to outdoor or archival pigmented inks is a several-hour job, and messy.

As soon as we inspect the Hewlett-Packard counterparts we will report upon them. Hewlett-Packard has the advantage that it was making architectural plotters before most people had even heard of Encad.