When you own a wide-format plotter printer, you need to be savvy regarding the inks, paper, and other materials you use in it. Paper quality especially affects the quality of the prints, so it’s vital to be wise about the types of media you put in the device. Multipurpose paper, of course, is one of the more common types of media in printers. Appreciated for its affordability, flexibility, and other fine qualities, multipurpose paper seems like a natural and economical choice for a wide-format plotter printer. But is it really? Can you use multipurpose paper in a wide-format plotter? Here are a few facts and things to keep in mind before doing so.
What Is Multipurpose Paper?
This might seem like an obvious question, but it’s one of those questions everyone assumes they know the answer to without really knowing it. Multipurpose paper, as its name suggests, can serve many different functions. It’s a versatile type of paper that’s most often present in homes and offices. It serves such mundane but important tasks as photocopying, printing, and even faxing. People consider many types of paper to be “multipurpose.” But by and large, multipurpose paper is about 20 to 24 pounds in weight and is for use in different types of common devices, such as laser printers and inkjet printers. That’s all well and good, but how does it fair in wide-format plotter printers? And for that matter, what makes a plotter printer a plotter printer?
Wide-Format Plotter Printers: The Nitty-Gritty
A wide-format plotter printer is a specialized type of printer. People use it to create large-scale graphics, blueprints, engineering schematics, and other documents requiring detail, color, and versatility. Plotter printers handle prints as large as 60 to 100 inches in width and use specific types of ink to produce sharp, clear, and detailed prints. They also accommodate media as diverse as paper, film, vinyl, canvas, and others. So here’s the million-dollar question: How does multipurpose paper work in a wide-format plotter printer? Or does it?
Multipurpose Paper and Wide-Format Printers: Yay or Nay?
Let’s cut to the chase. Multipurpose paper does work in wide-format plotter printers, but it may not always be the best paper for the job. It’s important to remember the following stipulations and warnings when using multipurpose paper in one of these high-performance devices.
Quality of Output
As mentioned, a wide-format plotter printer’s purpose is to create high-resolution prints. To do so, it requires higher-quality media that can handle the inks and other elements it employs. Multipurpose paper is for quick prints at a lower cost. As such, multipurpose paper lacks the coating, texture, and other qualities of heavier-duty or specially formatted papers, films, and so forth. As a result, multipurpose paper run through a wide-format printer may turn out blurry, smeary, faded, or worse. Therefore, you don’t want it for projects demanding higher quality.
Ink Absorption
Multipurpose paper simply can’t handle the levels of ink saturation that wide-format plotter printers put out. While other media absorb these, multipurpose paper ends up looking smudged with bleeding images. That leads to unclear and shabby-looking products and projects.
Durability
Want a project to hold up under heavy use, exposure to the elements, and other damage? Don’t run multipurpose paper through a wide-format plotter printer. Architectural plans, engineering drawings, posters and banners, and the like go through a lot. Many hands may handle them, or they may hang in a space that encounters sunlight, bad weather, and dirt and debris. Multipurpose paper can’t take the stress in such situations and will eventually tear, degrade, and fade.
Multipurpose Paper Pros
Despite the above facts, multipurpose paper has its uses in plotter printers. Some projects may even favor its use. Here are a few positive features of using multipurpose paper.
Affordability
As mentioned, multipurpose paper is a more affordable alternative to more expensive types of media. If a print doesn’t need to last long or hold up under heavy use, multipurpose paper may be the best choice. Consider it for handouts, temporary postings, short-term signage, and similar projects. It won’t tax your budget the way heavier-weight and specially coated papers might.
Wide Availability
Multipurpose paper is, of course, widely available online, in office supply stores, and in general stores. You can buy it in bulk and have it quickly delivered to your site the same day for last-minute projects. There’s no need to pause a big project in case you run out of media to print on, which saves time and money as well.
If you choose to use multipurpose paper, consider the following tips to ensure you get the results you desire.
- Adjust printer settings, including lowering ink saturation to prevent bleeding and smudging.
- Always run test prints before commencing with a big print run to eliminate unpleasant surprises.
- Keep an eye on print quality and make adjustments as required.
- Maintain your plotter printer to ensure optimal performance.
Plotter Paper: General Recommendations
As handy as multipurpose paper can be, don’t skimp on media if you want your jobs to look good. As high-tech, precise machines, plotter printers are “happiest” when you use the right media for the right jobs. Here are a few alternative wide-format plotter printer media and what to use them for.
Bond Paper
Bond paper is a good, solid choice when running off prints involving black and white line drawings and text documents. For sturdy construction and sharp, clear, and smooth-looking prints, choose bond paper.
Coated Paper
We’ve talked about coated paper, but what is it exactly? Coated paper uses polymers or other materials to provide a coating that absorbs ink better, aids in color reproduction, prevents paper from being translucent, and offers a level of protection. It’s great for detailed graphics and color prints and provides pleasant tactility.
Vellum
Architects and engineers favor vellum since it provides excellent durability and permits high-quality reproductions for blueprints, schematics, and plans.
Photo Paper
It’s all in the name. Photo paper is wonderful for reproducing photographic images with high resolution. It can offer great glossy, matte, and other finishes. It also aids in providing accurate color.
So can you use multipurpose paper in a wide-format plotter? The answer is yes, but it’s not always the best choice. Keep the above in mind when you choose to use multipurpose paper. If you have questions, contact us. We offer multifunction printers and more!
