A high quality CAD system uses the following for printing drawing and graphs.
A high quality CAD system uses the Digital plotter for printing drawing and graphs.
A digital plotter is a computer output device which draws curves and other computer graphics data on ordinary 8-1/2 × 11 inch (21.6 × 27.9 cm) paper. See Fig. 2-24.
Data from the computer is translated into signals which cause tiny incremental movements of the plotter's pen. The pen on the plotter (a felt-tip ink pen) is moved by a combination of X and Y carriage motions. The pen can move in eight different directions. These eight directions are used to simulate all the movements necessary to create curves. Since the incremental movement of the plotter is small (0.005 inch or 127μm) proper selection of directional moves combine into what the eye perceives as a smooth curve or line.
The plotter is a computer printer for printing vector graphics. In the past, plotters were used in applications such as computer-aided design, though they have generally been replaced with wide-format conventional printers. A plotter gives a hard copy of the output. It draws pictures on a paper using a pen.