HP Draft Pro Plus

Current Machine Status

Repairs needed. Electronics just failed to power on one day after many years of service. Basic checks on the power supply fuse, transformer, and capacitors did not reveal obvious problems. Modern electronics may bring the otherwise still outstanding machinery back to life.

Operation

Really quite simple.

1. Ready paper feed. Lift the lever as shown in the diagrams stickered to the machine.
2. Insert paper. Make sure to flatten, and align the right-hand edge with the arrow and line on the movable roller clamp.
3. Clamp. Press the lever down, while ensuring the paper remains flat. Plotter should automatically shuffle the paper to ensure a good fit.
4. Call plot.sh script on the desired postscript file.

Stationery

Roughly A2 sized paper is provided in a bucket on the floor. Much larger paper can be handled, of course.

Support

See mirage335 at HacDC's IRC channel. If he is around and not to busy, Dan Barlow is the plotter's owner, and an expert in all trades.

Please Avoid

Plotter is Dan Barlow's property, not HacDC. He will be quite disappointed if it is damaged. Additionally, it has been a great public demo for HacDC on many occasions. Please be gentle.

In particular, be delicate with the mechanics. Nothing should ever need to be forced.

If in doubt, consult the support options mentioned above. Better to ask questions than to cause damage.

Cavets

• Coordinates must always use landscape orientation, even in paper is loaded in a portrait direction. Check HPGL files for landscape orientation.

Documentation

https://github.com/HacDC/PenPlotDriver

Future Improvements

• Single-mode 405nm 1W UV BDR-209 laser diode scorching/engraging/cutting laser. Will offer finer linewidths than traditional pens, infinite 'ink', and precision cutting capabilities.