Plotters are a specialist type of printer which is able to draw high quality images on very largepieces of paper, for example 3 foot wide by 10 foot long.
They are used by engineers, architects and map-makers to draw plans of buildings, diagrams of machines or large scale maps. They can also be used for many other similar tasks.
A plotter differs from a printer in that it draws images using a pen that can be lowered, raised and moved across the paper to form continuous lines. The electronically controlled pen is moved around the paper by computer controlled motors.
Advantages
Drawings are of the same quality as if an expert drew them
Larger sizes of paper can be used than most printers can manage
Disadvantages
Plotters are slower than printers because each line is drawn separately
They are often more expensive than printers
They do not produce very high quality text printouts
