Understanding Plotter Printer Paper Sizes | HP Large Format Printers & Plotters PH (2024)

Plotter paper rolls come in a variety of lengths and widths. Generally speaking, the plotter will plot the drawing on the paper, and then will slice the paper to size to make a perfect cut.


Common Roll Widths
The most common widths for plotter printer paper are 11, 17, 18, 22, 24, 30, 34, 36, and 42 inches. With very few exceptions, plotters will only be designed to use one width of paper.


So, for example, a plotter that prints on 42-inch paper will not be able to cut that down to a narrower width–the paper will always be 42 inches wide. It will be able to adjust the paper in the other dimension, however, so you could print a 42-inch x 28-inch drawing or a 42-inch x 36-inch drawing.


Also note that the plotted drawing will come out of the printer in the format that is most conducive to the style of drawing: A plotter that carries rolls of 36” paper will be able to plot a drawing that is 36” x 48” (ARCH E) or 34” x 44” (ANSI E), as well as all of the plotter paper sizes smaller than these.


Common Roll Lengths
The length of the plotter paper rolls will typically be 150, 300, or 500 feet. The roll length will depend on the capacity of the printer, and on the weight of the paper. (Papers with heavier weights will be thicker and the rolls will be shorter.


Core Diameter
Every plotter will have a designated core diameter, which is the tube or plastic form that the paper is wound around. Both 2-inch cores and 3-inch cores are common.

Understanding Plotter Printer Paper Sizes | HP Large Format Printers & Plotters PH (2024)

FAQs

Understanding Plotter Printer Paper Sizes | HP Large Format Printers & Plotters PH? ›

Plotter Paper Roll Sizes

What plotter size is 24x36? ›

Take note of these important specifications related to wide format paper and related print media.
SizeAKA (Other Names)Width x Height (inches)
Arch C-18" x 24"
Arch D-24" x 36"
Arch E-36" x 48"
Arch E1-30" x 42"
22 more rows

What is the difference between a plotter and a large format printer? ›

Key Differences:

Technology: Plotters use pen technology while wide-format printers use inkjet or thermal transfer technology. Quality: Plotters produce high-quality, precise images while large format printers are more cost-effective and versatile. Speed: Wide format printers are generally faster than plotters.

What size is a large plotter? ›

Common roll widths for wide-format plotters include 11, 17, 18, 22, 24, 30, 34, 36 and 42 inches.

What is the main difference between a printer and a plotter? ›

A plotter is a device that receives commands from the computer and then draws its picture on the page. A printer is a device that prints texts and images on a page after receiving commands from a network. These are less cost-effective and much more expensive.

How to choose a paper size plotter? ›

Since these are measured in sheets, you should probably decide which plotter paper size to get based on the width of the paper you will need. So if you are printing a large amount of 11 x 17 or size “B” documents, you can get your plotter paper rolls in 11-inch widths, and print them out to 17 inches at a time.

What does plotter size mean? ›

Plotter paper rolls come in a variety of lengths and widths. Generally speaking, the plotter will plot the drawing on the paper, and then will slice the paper to size to make a perfect cut. Common Roll Widths. The most common widths for plotter printer paper are 11, 17, 18, 22, 24, 30, 34, 36, and 42 inches.

Are plotters still used? ›

Whether you are a seasoned sign maker looking to update your machinery or just getting started, plotters are critical to your business. A plotter is used in construction and mechanical computer-aided design applications–it is a computer hardware device that is used for printing vector graphics.

What is another name for a plotter printer? ›

Nowadays, you might also hear a plotter printer referred to as a technical, CAD and GIS large format printer. It's a printer which uses either a pen, pencil or marker to draw multiple lines onto the page creating accurate and sharp images.

What format is best for large prints? ›

TIFF (Tagged Image File Format)—This universal format can be lossless or lossy. Usually TIFFs are saved either without compression or in a lossless scheme called LZW (Lempel Ziv Welsch) that applies limited compression. TIFF is among the best quality output and great when used for large-format printing.

How do you put paper sizes on a plotter? ›

In the Plotter Configuration Editor, click the Device and Document Settings tab. Select Custom Paper Sizes under User-defined Paper Sizes & Calibration. Click the Add button to start the Custom Paper Size wizard. Complete the process using the wizard.

What is the best size for a large print? ›

Large print is generally 16 to 18 point size. Giant print is anything larger than this. Regular print is usually 10 or 12 point.

What is the max plotter size? ›

Here are a few things to remember: The maximum width of the plotters is 36 inches. With that said, it is strongly recommended that you only go up to 34 inches wide to prevent possible unwanted cropping to your job.

What should I look for in a plotter printer? ›

What Should You Look for When Buying a Plotter Printer?
  • Quality and Color. This may go without saying, but the larger the printer, the higher the image's quality. ...
  • Print Volume. Plotter printers vary in volume. ...
  • Size and Space Needs. ...
  • Plotter Types.

Who would use a plotter printer? ›

Architecture and Engineering

Architects and engineers usually use plotter printers for the accuracy and precision the printers provide. Also, technical drawings, maps, orthophotos, and renderings are just a few of the MCAD and construction applications that architects and engineers can retrieve from plotter printers.

What can you print with a plotter? ›

Plotter printers, which use precise instruments rather than traditional inkjets to render lines, are ideal for applications where attention to detail matters. Blueprints, computer-aided design, and high-quality vector artwork all call for the consistency that plotters provide.

What print size is 24x36? ›

Help with Paper Sizes
Paper SizeApprox
NameNotesinch
A123 x 33 inch
24x36Maxi24 x 36 inch
27x40Movie 1 Sheet27 x 40 inch
22 more rows

What size is A2 plotter? ›

A3 & A2 Plotter Paper Rolls 297mm, 420mm. 432mm. Our CAD inkjet paper rolls have been carefully selected by us from the best available in Europe and fully tested for use with any dye and pigment wide format inkjet printer.

What size is A3? ›

Papermminches
A3297 x 420 mm11.7 x 16.5 inches
A4210 x 297 mm8.3 x 11.7 inches
A5148.5 x 210 mm5.8 x 8.3 inches
A6105 x 148.5 mm4.1 x 5.8 inches
7 more rows
Mar 2, 2023

What paper size is a 36 roll? ›

What Paper Size is a 36-Inch Roll? 36-inch bond paper rolls can add more depth or details. 36-inch rolls are larger than an A0 sheet in width (approx 33.1 inches). By architecture paper standards, this falls under the category of Arch D, which is 24 x 36 inches.

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