How does a drum plotter work?

A drum plotter is an output device that produces hard copy graphics by drawing on paper with pens. It consists of a rotating drum, which holds the paper, and a pen carriage, which moves across the drum to draw lines. The pen is controlled by a computer, which sends instructions to the plotter on how to move the pen and draw the desired image.

Here are the steps on how a drum plotter works:

1. The computer sends a signal to the plotter, telling it what to draw.

2. The plotter moves the pen carriage to the starting position of the drawing.

3. The pen is lowered onto the paper and begins to draw.

4. The pen moves across the drum, following the instructions from the computer.

5. The pen is lifted up when it reaches the end of a line.

6. The pen carriage moves to the next line and the process repeats.

Drum plotters are capable of producing high-quality graphics, with a resolution of up to 2,400 dots per inch (dpi). They are also very fast, able to draw up to 10 inches per second (ips). However, drum plotters are also quite expensive and are no longer as common as they once were.

Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of drum plotters:

Advantages:

* High-quality graphics

* Fast drawing speed

* Ability to draw on a variety of paper sizes

Disadvantages:

* Expensive

* No longer as common as they once were

* Can be noisy