The global market for printed signage was estimated to reach $63.3 billion by 2031,with a CAGR of 6.3%. The figure has remained high despite the growing demand for digital and LED signage. Signage is a critical part of branding for the growth of businesses, particularly in a highly competitive business market.
No matter where you go in the world, printed signage remains the most popular form of signage for individuals and businesses. While you might want to use a printed sign for your next project, it isn’t as easy as just hitting the print button. Before you print, you must determine what you want to print, how big the sign will be, and the environment where it will hang. With that information, you can choose the right plotter printer to fit your needs.
Getting the best prints, which include various images, has become very important. Those images must be crisp and clear, so the sign reflects your brand positively. When a sign is printed well, it can provide clear messaging to your potential customers instead of confusing them and making them go to another business.
This process is even more important now, especially in an age where people are keen to replicate the clear and crisp images on their computer screens. The plotter printer, which prints vector graphics, is gaining popularity for its accuracy while printing a range of documents that demand a high level of accuracy in the small details. Still, you might wonder which plotter printers will fit your printing needs and be the best investment for your business.
Let’s start by determining your printing needs and which plotter printers will be the best match for you.
What Is A Plotter?
A plotter printer is computer-based printing hardware that can be used to draw multiple continuous lines using a unique pencil, pen, or any attached writing tool. Although different printers are available on the market, plotter printers are preferred when working on extensive pieces with multiple details included. That means you get a clear print of your image, accurately reflecting the graphics you designed for your signage.
A typical printer can often not print out large signs or graphics simply because of their size. Additionally, typical printers cannot maintain the clarity of a print, particularly if the toner is low. Plotter printers can use large sheets of paper to do their work without negatively impacting the resolution of your sign. Plus, these printers can also give you high-quality and detailed prints regardless of format, making them easier to work with in different settings.
These printers also create more precise drawings simply because the pen does not leave the paper or other materials. Precision is critical for building designs or engineering schematics. There is also a higher level of accuracy.
What type of material would you like to construct your sign out of? Other printers can limit your ability to be more creative, but plotter printers can be used to print on various materials, including metal, plastic, aluminum, and more. That means your signs can be designed to stand out from more traditional options. The only disadvantage of plotter printers is that they require more space for storage and are priced considerably higher than traditional printers. Supplies, including rolls of paper, will also need to be housed as part of utilizing plotter printers.
However, today’s technology is continuing to evolve, which means these printers are becoming more compact while allowing you to get the precision and accuracy you want on the surface of your printing materials. So while the size is an important factor, it doesn’t have to be the deciding one.
A plotter printer could be worthwhile if you expand your sign business. Our team can also assist you in finding the right supplies to ensure your plotter printer continues to run effectively.
What Type of Document Would Typically Be Printed on a Plotter?
Vector graphics are printed using plotter printers. These printers can produce high-resolution graphics, which are utilized in construction, engineering, and even on maps. Smaller printers often cannot produce consistent, crisp, accurate details for CAD and architectural drawings.
Plotter printers can be used to create signs or even design specific garments meant to match up with a brand. However, the main uses are printing large billboards and other advertisement boards. If you want to do more promotional pieces, including regularly printing out t-shirts, you might consider another printing option besides a plotter printer.
Different Plotter Types
There are three main types of these plotters in the market: drum plotter, inkjet plotter, and flatbed plotter. All of which have different capabilities based on the materials being used. For instance, if you are using larger paper, it is important to know the sizes in advance to determine which plotter printer can handle that size or material.
Now, let’s go over each type of plotter printer, and what they can do so you can easily match one to your sign-making needs.
Drum Plotter
The drum plotter printer comes with a typical drum, where the paper lays for printing. The pen is fixed, but as the drum moves, the paper moves under the pen to allow the graphics to emerge.
This process enables the pen to draw a single axis developing markings on the material. The drum size limits the size of the paper you can use; typically, drum plotter printers can only work on a limited number of materials.
Ideally, you want to use bendable materials, like PVC or canvas, because they are flexible enough to be placed around the drum based on its circumference. These materials must also be easy to maneuver while the drum rolls.
Flatbed Plotter
This type of plotter uses a relatively flat surface, allowing you to work with materials that don’t necessarily need to be as bendable. This plotter printer also gives you more flexibility since your materials are not limited to the circumference of the drum. Instead, you can print larger pieces, giving you more space to be creative in your designs.
Another aspect of this printer is that instead of just having one fixed pen, you can have multiple colored pens, making your designs more intricate and detailed.
Before you start determining the material you want to print on, make sure it can fit easily into the bed of your plotter printer. That will help you maintain your design’s resolution and clarity during the printing process. It’s ideal for printing on metal sheets, plywood, and some plastic surfaces.
Ink Jet Plotter
An ink jet plotter printer could be the answer if you are looking for a budget-friendly option. Using a combination of cyan, magenta, and yellow inks, the inkjet plotter creates your graphics and images. The colors are pushed directly onto the material being printed on. For businesses looking to have a plotter printer available but not looking to dedicate a large amount of space to it, the inkjet plotter can be a simple solution that offers flexibility in terms of space and costs.
Since this is a smaller plotter printer, be sure that you size your materials beforehand to make sure they will fit in your printer. Another thing to remember is that these printers are designed for simple color prints versus more complicated prints.
Not to say that you can’t get quality prints and sharp details with a pop of color, but it is still important to remember that more complicated designs or graphics might need a different plotter printer.
Inkjet plotters are part of the group of modern plotters, which includes laser, electrostatic, and thermal printers. As technology improves and more options become available, you have more choices to create your beautiful prints.
Deciding the Right Plotter Type
Before you decide on a plotter printer, consider the type of work you will be doing, what you want to produce, the plotter printer brand’s reputation, and the availability of accessories. As supply chain issues continue to impact businesses, it is important to know that you have a reliable supply of pens, chemicals, material racks, and cutter blades for your projects. Without these, your ability to deliver to your clients will be impeded.
These details of your work should incorporate the size of your project, the material you want to print on, and the number of colors you want to include. Having that information ensures that your plotter printer can handle the graphics and projects you will need to complete. With a clear picture of the work you will be offering your clients, you can ensure that your business isn’t buying a plotter printer that exceeds your needs. This is an investment, so if you are planning to expand your business in the future, then you want to make sure that your plotter printer can also handle an increased workload before you make your purchase.
Since you are investing in your business, make sure that the number of orders will meet the purchase cost. Essentially, it would be best if you did an ROI analysis to justify the costs involved, including the initial purchase, the ongoing maintenance, and the printing supplies.
On the other hand, if your business can support it, you need to choose a plotter printer that fits your current budgetary needs while allowing your business to take advantage of growth opportunities.
Other factors to consider when choosing a plotter are print resolution and speed. You will need a plotter that spends less time printing but still produces high-resolution prints.
Some printers provide additional options, such as scanning, so those additions must be factored into your analysis. If you won’t use these additional options, you might want to consider a different plotter printer option.
Choosing the Right Brand
There are many brands in the market, so our goal is to give you tips for choosing the right brand to fit your needs. First, ensure that that brand is compatible with many plotter items or your specific plotter pen. That will determine whether you are able to get the right supplies when necessary.
Second, check out these brands for the options they offer to make sure that you have all the options your business requires. You can look more at various plotter printer brands on our site.
Third, remember that various brands have specific measures, and you need to be sure the size and specifications will work for your projects to achieve your targets. You also want to guarantee that it can grow as your workload increases.
Fourth, keep in mind that you will need to make sure your plotter printer can be easily repaired and that regular maintenance can be done regularly. Otherwise, you might find yourself
Finally, you want to look at the costs involved. While you might find the printer with all the bells and whistles you want, it might not balance out in terms of costs for your business.
Getting Your Plotter Right
We have looked at the different plotter types and what makes each one stand out. If you are ready to acquire a plotter, then determining the right plotter type becomes easy once you know how you will use it and factor in your costs. You also learned the importance of making sure that you can get the right supplies to fit your printer.
Simple Solutions International offers comprehensive solutions for your modern printing needs. We can provide reviews, supplies, and more as part of finding the right plotter printer for your needs.
Simple Solutions International offers a full selection of plotter blades and plotter pens as well as a variety of useful tools for use in plotting and sign-making, such as plotter adapters, masking film, spray mask, and other sign-making tools and accessories.