A New Family of Intelligent Multi - Color

Ihese fast, precise, programmable plotters draw report-quality four-color p/ots. Features include dashed-line fonts, several built-in character fonts, user-defined characters, and symbol plotting. F napUIC PEN PLOTTERS provide a permanent, \f graphical representation of collections of numbers. The numbers may be derived from financial and statistical data bases, test and measurement system outputs, or computational results. The idea is similar in all cases-turn the numbers into graphic representations that promote the human visual data reduction process. Models s872A and zzztA X-Y Plotters (see Figs. 1 and z) are designed to perform this function with unprecedented facility. These programmable microprocessor-based A3-size (11x17 in) plotters produce high-quality plots in up to four colors. Basically identical, the two plotters differ in their input/ output interfaces and in some built-in functions. The design of a new generation of X-Y plotters presented opportunities to try out exciting new technology. But technology must be transformed into product features that benefit the user. Therefore, the objectives for the new plotters included such user benefits as improved line quality, mechanical reliability , and low cost of ownership. Line Quality Line quality starts at the prime mover. Ser-vomechanisms are the traditional means of reducing the effects of imperfect mechanisms and motors. The 9872A17227A approach is to start with an inherently linear step motor and an essentially constant torque curve. The coupling between motor shaft and pen tip is a stiff, deadband-free mechanism instead of the traditional servo loop. The mark that a pen plotter leaves on the paper is a permanent record of how the mechanism moved the pen from point A to point B. An S-shaped anomaly of 0.1 mm peak-to-peak amplitude spread out over a 100 mm vector has zero visual impact, but a series of 0.1-mm sinusoidal anomalies at a wavelength of t mm will cause great concern for the health of the mechanism. Line width changes or modulation can be caused by the pen bouncing at the beginning of a vector, or by a pen tip that can't deliver sufficient ink PilntedInUSA at the maximum slewing velocity. The 9872AJ7221.A writing system delivers high-performance vector Cover: Model 98724 X-Y Plotter ls fhe HP-lB (IEEE 4BB)version of a new pair of microprocessor-based pro-grammable four-color plot-fers. The other version, Model 72214 has a binary-coded RS232C i nterf ace. Fig.1. HP lnterface Bus version of the new four-color X-Y plotter , Model 9872A, is compatrble with IEEE Standard 4BB. lt …