Pen plotting technology is a unique printing method that employs a mechanical arm to accurately draw designs on various media, such as big size paper or fabric. This technology is often used for creating intricate and detailed artworks nowadays, where in the nineties it was mostly used in Architectural/CAD design businesses.

A pen plotter is a specialized computer controlled printing device that uses a pen to draw very precise, high-quality graphics on paper.

You can compare it to a modern 3D printer, but it uses the Z-axis only to lift the pen up from the paper. 

We have plotters where the paper is static on the bed and where the arm moves in X and Y direction. We also have plotters that pull the paper back and forth and where the arm only moves in one direction. 

There is also a kind that can freely travel, like the Pen Mouse. These are fun, but we don’t use this for serious business. 

Modern inktjet plotters are pretty fast, use ink cartridges and produce photo quality prints. They are all around us and some versions are even found in homes. We like the old vintage plotters, because they challenge us. They are not easy to operate, often break and require care and attention. Watching the pen slowly working to the endresult is above all very pleasing and satisfying to watch. 

We have a bunch of them in working and none working condition. We dedicated a page on them here. 

Vintage plotters are not easy to find secondhand anymore. We have bought some plotters that were stored in moist environments and needed lot’s of maintenance and repairs. The costs are often much higher than the profit. So not at the moment, but maybe some day when commercially feasable. 

For black and white, we use new old stock deposable  or refillable Rapidoplot plotter pens. They are similar to Rotring technical pens. 

For color we use various pens, felt tip, to ink pens, whatever fits the plotter. (speed, pressure, size)

Designing or creating code various depending on complexity. The plotting process itself can take anywhere between 30 minutes for small plots to even 5 hours for A1 plots. This is depending on pen travel distance, complexity and maximum usable drawing speed.