Ink Types: Pen/Plotter

Last week we discussed the fascinating process of dye sublimation. Today we’ll discuss pen/plotter printing. If you’re new to the series, we’re introducing printing technology based on the different types of most commonly used inks, including:

• Aqueous
• Solvent
• UV
• Dye sublimation
• Pen/Plotter
• Latex

The plotter is a computer printer for printing vector graphics. For the most part, the plotter is a thing of the past. Pen plotters print by moving a pen across the surface of a piece of a paper. Although they can perform some fairly complex line-art drawings, they have largely been replaced by large-format inkjet printers and LED toner-based printers. You might find plotters in a “printing museum” but you probably won’t find them in the workplace. Even so, they were very popular in the 1970s and paved the way for further technologies!

Next week we discuss: latex inks.