Your company is growing and needs more efficient ways to print your schematics onto paper. You have decided to purchase a plotter.
But the information about the printer paper is overwhelming.
What is plotter paper? What type of paper is best for your project? Who knew there were so many different types of paper?
Do not worry. We have got you covered. Read on to learn more about plotter paper and which type is best suited for your projects.
What Is Plotter Paper?
Plotter paper isused in the printing of graphical outputs. These include charts, maps, and more.
The most commonly used plotter paper industries are Architecture, Construction, Engineering, and Geographical Information Systems (GIS). However, other industries may find the use of a plotter helpful, especially those that often do large format printing of vector graphics.
The process begins with someone creating a graphic using technical drawing software. These graphics are typically building designs, schematics, and charts. The graphic is then printed using a plotter.
A plotter is a special type of printer that is used in large format printing. It generally prints vector images in contrast to the raster graphics of traditional printers.
The plotter uses a pen for printing rather than traditional dot-matrix methods. This results in cleaner lines that help make it easier to read schematics.
The paper used for a plotter is specially made to produce high-quality prints in sizes appropriate for applications in these industries. Because there are so many applications, there are also many types of paper.
Types of Plotter Paper
So many varieties of paper are on the market today.These include coated plotter paper, premium bond paper, xerographic copier paper, and vellum plotter paper.
Some paper is brand new, and others are recycled.You can even get translucent or color plotter paper.
The type of paper that will work best for you depends on whether your plotter uses xerographic or inkjet printing. Take this into consideration when selecting the paper for your project.
Coated plotted paper holds printer ink in place until it dries. This type of paper also has a soft feel to it.
Premium bond paper is a popular choice for both xerographic and inkjet printing.
Xerographic copier paper is an uncoated bond paper. It works with monochrome xerographic printers. This type of paper is environmentally friendly.
Vellum paper used to be made from calfskin. Nowadays, it is sometimes called “vegetable vellum,” because it is no longer made from animal products.Vellum plotter paper is a synthetic paper made for inkjet printers.
Regardless of your project, you can be certain there is a type of paper perfect for it.
Size of Paper
Plotter paper size varies widely. When you are shopping for plotter paper, it helps to know how to read the label information.
When you are looking at a specification for plotter paper, the first number will refer to the width of the paper. Plotter paper typically comes in widths of 11, 17, 18, 22, 24, 30, 34, 36, and 42 inches. Some retailers offer custom widths as well.
The second number of the specification refers to the length of the roll. Plotter paper usually comes in lengths of 100, 300, or 500 feet. Some heavier-weight rolls may come in lengths of 150 feet.
The information for a plotter paper roll will include the core diameter. Roll cores are 2 inches or 3 inches in diameter. The smaller cores are for small machines, while the bigger cores are for big plotters.
Weight and Thickness
Plotter paper product information also includes weight. In the U.S., Basis Weights refer to the weight of 500 sheets of paper before being cut.
Sometimes you will see weight referred to in grammage. This type of measurement is more standardized and thus has less variance. Grammage refers to the weight of 1 sheet of material cut to a 1 by 1-meter square (g/m2).
In terms of real-life comparisons, 35g/m2 to 55g/m2 tends to be the most lightweight paper. This is around the weight of newspaper material.
The heaviest weight paper is 350g/m2 and above. This generally gets compared to cardstock, but that can be a misleading term. Plotter paperweights also refer to the product’s flexibility, which is not typical of “cardstock.”
In addition to weight, paper is also measured in thickness. This is typically reported in mils. A mil is equivalent to 0.001 inches.
Make certain to check what level of thickness your machine can handle. Some plotters can only handle substrates of 9 mils or less. Others can handle materials as thick as 31 mils.
Industry Standard Considerations
The type of plotter paper you will need depends on what you’re using it for. Different industries have different standard sizes for paper.
In U.S. architecture, sizes are referred to as Arch A, B, C, D, and E. The standard size of “Arch A” paper is 9×12 inches, while “Arch E” paper is 36×48 inches.
U.S. Engineering drawings are ANSI A, B, C, D, and E. “ANSI A”is 8.5×11 inches, and “ANSI E” is 34×44 inches.
International Standards Organization (ISO) sizes are A0, A1, A2, A3, and A4. ISO sheet size A0 is 33.11 x 46.81 inches, while A4 is 8.27 x 11.69 inches.
Meanwhile, the U.S. standard letter sizes are A, B, C, D, E, and F. A standard U.S. letter size A is 8.5×11 inches, and size F is 28×40 inches.
As you can see, there is a great deal of variance between standard paper sizes in different industries. You will need to consider this when deciding on which plotter paper to purchase. You do not want to purchase plotter paper that is too narrow for the standard in your industry.
Get Plotter Help Today
Now that we have answered the question, “What is plotter paper,” it’s time to order materials for your project. Whether you need to print blueprints for a house or a map for a survey project, there is a paper out there that will give you a great product.
Contact us today, and we would be happy to help you find the right plotter paper for your project.
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.