Use Your Office Plotter for More than CAD Construction Plans

Initially written in 2014 and updated in 2023

Seasoned design-build industry veterans likely remember the days of "pen plotters." These devices, strictly used for vector data, created lines on sheets using actual pens. 

However, today's office plotter has evolved into a dynamic printing platform, blurring the line between a traditional plotter and a wide-format printer.

Today, these devices, often referred to as "plotters" within the architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) world, offer a variety of applications beyond CAD. One of the most popular uses? Plotter posters! Let's delve into some examples of plotter usage across different sectors.

Leveraging Plotter Posters for Effective Communication

AEC firms can reap significant benefits from an office plotter. For instance, during weekly sales or project meetings, you can use the plotter to create large-format schedules or charts. 

This shift from taping together more miniature sheets to printing large, comprehensive plotter posters can improve understanding and communication during meetings.

Additionally, AEC firms can save costs by printing their indoor signage. One of our clients, for instance, saved $450 by printing and publishing their posters.

That is the amount a local print company wanted to charge them for two posters mounted on boards for an upcoming trade event. So, instead, they used their Canon TM-300 printer to print the images on Canon VL6 Vinyl (with an adhesive) and mount them themselves. 

Revolutionizing Visual Information with Plotters

The office plotter is making waves beyond the AEC world. Corporate environments, recreational facilities, hospitals, public facilities, and government offices are finding value in this technology.

With the help of plotter software like Adobe products or Canva, in-house design departments can create eye-catching signs and posters. They can print their assets in-house instead of relying on expensive third-party print shops.

Enhancing Progress Management with Plotter Posters

Wide-format printed posters, produced using plotter software, can help visualize business tasks and manage progress effectively in factories, corporate offices, and field offices. This method ensures a shared understanding of objectives, enables easy progress monitoring, and helps resolve problems sooner.

Powering POP Displays and Signs

Using a color-wide-format printer for POP displays and signs is the most evident non-traditional application. 

Supermarkets, department stores, hotels, shopping malls, and restaurants can significantly benefit from this usage. However, many of these businesses, especially those affiliated with a franchise or corporate office, often wait for their marketing materials from their parent channels.

Imagine if these companies could run a local promotion independently. With their wide-format printer, they could inexpensively print low-stock notices, bulletins, and advertisements. This functionality allows for the following:

• Printing as many copies as needed, ready when needed
• Accommodating frequent content revisions
• Attracting more customers and stimulating sales
• Strengthening corporate identity or unique images

Takeaways for Office Plotters

In the rapidly evolving business landscape, leveraging every tool at your disposal to its full potential is crucial. An office plotter, once a specialized device for CAD work, has evolved into a versatile powerhouse for a wide array of applications, transcending industry boundaries. 

From enhancing internal communication and progress management in AEC firms and corporate offices to revolutionizing information dissemination across multiple sectors and powering engaging POP displays, the potential uses for your office plotter are only limited by your imagination.

Harnessing this potential can lead to substantial cost savings, improved operational efficiency, and a strengthened corporate identity. So, don't just see your office plotter as a tool for CAD drawings. Ultimately, this dynamic functionality and increased ROI will please all involved construction project stakeholders. 

Explore its full potential and let it catalyze innovation, growth, and success in your business. Investing in an office plotter is not just a business decision; it's an opportunity to unlock uncharted territories of possibilities. Let your plotter be more than a plotter. Let it be the silent partner driving your business forward.