RE: Message for Dan - Thermal Image Plotters

[don.mcgorman@mnr.gov.on.ca]

Dan:

I found a set of manuals for the DM600 and a User Guide for the DMplus; I
can drop them at the CN office after work.

The DMplus has a part roll of paper inside the machine which I can provide
you (I'm not sure if it has a out-of-wrapper shelf life).

I'm told that apart from the paper, there are no other 'expendables'
required.

Apparently the paper costs $300 per roll.  

The MNR stopped using these devices for a number of reasons including: cost
of the media, problems connecting them to Windows NT, and new technology
available (less expensive, full colour).

Don

-----Original Message-----
From: Dan Brosemer [mailto:odin@cleannorth.org]
Sent: May 18,2001 1:30 PM
To: don.mcgorman@mnr.gov.on.ca
Cc: techies@lists.cleannorth.org
Subject: Re: Message for Dan - Thermal Image Plotters


On Fri, May 18, 2001 at 12:19:31PM -0400, don.mcgorman@mnr.gov.on.ca wrote:
> I recall that you were working on making some decisions about the Clean
> North plotter collection.

Timely.  I'm planning on going in tonight to have a look at them.  I intend
on getting the second HP going, and finding out what I can about the thing
in there that might be a t/wax.

> I found two Calcomp thermal imaging plotters in storage at the MNR that
will
> be headed to BOYD III.  One is a Drawing Master 600 and the other is a
> Drawing Master Plus.

Well, that settles it.  We have a Calcomp DM600 in the back, and I thought
it was t/wax.  Thanks for confirming it.

Generally, t/wax is capable of some excellent output, but they're not known
for their reliability, and I know little about the construction, so it may
take a bit for me to get up to speed to the point where I might be able to
diagnose any problems with them.

> I expect that these plotters are not all that useful as, among other
things,
> they require special paper.

I haven't priced it, but keep in mind that _all_ plotters require special
paper.  Ink plotters need high-absorbtion glossy bond, t/wax needs some
crazy weird coating... it might be slightly more expensive, but it's not a
huge difference AFAIK.

But the big question is if MNR has any of the expendables?  (paper?, wax?
(you must have to load those things with wax), etc.)  It might be useful if
we could get our hands on them (the expendables, not the plotters) before
the event so I could test our DM600 and see what I can learn about them.

Hey, how about manuals?

TIA
-Dan

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