What length can I plot?

I am using 2005 and 2004 and I am thinking of buying a large plotter from
HP. Their ad states that 300 feet is the longest possible plot with a
plotter of theirs (the 5000 and the 5500 Designjets) that I am considering.
Is AutoCAD capable of that or am I going to have to consider something else
for long plots?

I understand RIP (Raster Image Processor) software may be able to help.
But, then, one posting on an Autocad group suggests that RIP doesn't
understand Autocad.

I also understand that Postscript has its limits -- so that it may not help.
Len Miller

 

of that or am I going to have to consider something

to

No, Michael. My question was, "Is AutoCAD capable of that... " Meaning, is
it capable of the capacity that the plotter people say it is capable of (HP)
of the. Yes, they say it is 300 ft. and it will handle a roll of that
length.

I appreciate the fact that you're the first one I've found who's actually
defined a (long) length that they've plotted -- 50ft -- from Autocad.

No, I don't have a drawing that would need to plot 300' or 100' or even 50'
(like you) -- but I WILL be generating plots in the future that COULD be in
the 100ft length range. Before I tell a client I can do that and before I
BUY a plotter that I THINK can do that from an Autocad drawing, I appreciate
someone out there like yourself telling me you've ALREADY done that.

I asked my plotter dealer more than a week ago this same question (how
long?) that so far, all he can say is "the AutoCAD folks say they'll get
back to me".

Thanks a bunch for your help.

Len Miller

 

Just to clarify, I have plotted 50' long, however, the drawing was a very
simple template of a long "S" shape. Picture the top view of an "S" shaped
steel framework (so there were 4 lines representing the two steel plates
running the full length, and then just straight lines showing cross bracing
every 3' or so). This plot was then used as a template to build/weld the
structure together (the base of the tank - from this, plywood was bent into
forms and acrylic was molded to the form, once cooled it was placed on top
of the framework and then the framework was covered with a custom stone
veneer).

While AutoCAD/HP can plot 50' long, you'll really need to consider what
you're printing. I've had headaches with 24"x36" sheets that didn't want to
print due to the detail level of the drawing. My plotter is ~8 years old
and by today's standards is a dinosaur (thus why I'm considering replacing
it). Mine has only 4MB of plotter memory (which is sometimes not enough to
process the plot accurately/timely). Most new plotters these days come with
32MB (I think) and so that would really help.

You know where else you might ask this question, the Autodesk print-plot
newsgroup (server: discussion.AutoDesk.com newsgroup:
autodesk.autocad.print-plot.com) There's a lot of knowledgeable people on
the Autodesk groups including Autodesk employees (but the groups are
moderated which can make them less than ideal).

HTH,

Michael (LS)

 

You need to plot something LONGER than 300'? What they hell is it going to
be used for? I'd think that just because you CAN plot that long, there are
many reasons why you wouldn't want to. Hell, I did an "S" shaped shark/fish
tank for a restaurant and the fabricator of the tank wanted to build it
offsite and deliver it, problem was, it wasn't going to fit through the
doors into the building. I printed the tank at full scale and then it was
built on site, using my print as the template. In order to show it all full
size it took three 50' long strips (each 42"w). The only problems that were
encountered were the "fragileness" of the paper (the long the paper the
easier it is to wrinkle, tear, etc.)

To answer your question, there are a number of factors but the easiest
starting point is how big of a roll of paper will the plotter hold? My old
HP DesignJet will accept 150' rolls. IIRC, Oce & Xerox plotters use 500'
rolls. So that would give you an idea of maximum length. Then you'd have
to overcome the issues of processing the file (in computer? in plotter?).
How memory intensive is the drawing to be plotted? Etc.

There's some nice commercial plotters (i.e. Oce Arizona 600) that will do
large prints, but it's usually not the best choice to do one long continuous
plot (think of billboards and how they're "strips").

HTH,

Michael (LS)

 

Michael,
Thanks for filling in many of the conditions under which you do your long
plots.

As to autodesk.autocad.print-plot, I posted there on the 18th, 19th, and
20th under different topics. The one on the 19th was relative to this
question.

Len Miller

 

We have printed complex drawings up to 30' in length on our HP750C
From AutoCAD. (Aerial photographs in the background, lots of linework
including color). I think the only limitation in autocad is what the
plot driver (and the physical plotter) can handle. In many cases this
is less than the entire roll of paper because of how the plotter
addresses points on the printed page. If i recall our plotter
addresses points by a signed 16-bit integer (600dpi) which gives it a
maximum of 53 feet of addressable space in theory. (The actual
specifications state 50' maximum.)

Longer plots we've printed in pieces simply because of the difficulty
handling such large prints. I seem to recall one plotter that had a
takeup roll that would simplify this significantly.

-Tim

 

Tim,

The Designjet 5500 UV states a 300ft Maximum plot length. Not that I need
that length but rolls are available in that length (costing a small
fortune).

I think I am well equipped for it, running Win2k Pro with 1.5 Gbytes of ram
with a PENTIUM P4 3.0 GHZ.

The printer itself has 128mbytes of RAM and 40 Gb hard drive. I will be
getting the takeup roll.

Len Miller


-- so I guess the ball is in their court.