Browse CADPlotting articles about large-format printers and plotters, including device setup, drivers, media, printable area and manufacturer-specific output issues. Use this category to move from general hardware concepts to focused HP DesignJet, Canon imagePROGRAF, Epson SureColor and related plotting guides.
The HP DesignJet T1700 is a 44-inch workgroup technical-plotter family with single-roll, dual-roll and PostScript variants. In AutoCAD, its extra width and device processing options increase the importance of controlled Page Setups and media mapping.
Epson’s SureColor T-Series spans compact 24-inch technical printers, 36-inch workgroup models and 44-inch production systems. The right AutoCAD strategy is to standardize the exact Epson driver, roll/media and Page Setup for each workflow.
Large-format plotters can fail on complex drawings even when smaller jobs work. Use sheet-size comparison, PDF isolation and content testing to determine whether the bottleneck is drawing complexity, driver rendering or the physical device.
Set up an HP DesignJet in AutoCAD by proving the operating-system printer first, selecting the exact device in Page Setup, choosing the real roll/paper size, and only then saving a PC3 if you need AutoCAD-specific overrides.
Epson SureColor T2170/T3170/T5170-class devices are compact technical printers aimed at personal, small-office and workgroup CAD use. AutoCAD setup should emphasize roll size, driver consistency and simple named Page Setups.
Every physical plotter has a media-dependent relationship between nominal sheet size and the area it can actually mark. Borderless capability can reduce margins on supported media, but it does not replace a CAD border standard.
Most HP DesignJet problems that appear suddenly after a Windows, driver or workstation change are not drawing problems. Use a device-first diagnostic path before touching viewport scale or title blocks.
The older Epson SureColor T3000/T5000/T7000 generation remains common in CAD offices. The main challenge is modern driver compatibility and deciding whether to keep a legacy HDI workflow or move to the current manufacturer system driver for the operating system.
Roll-fed CAD plotting becomes reliable when the office separates roll width, cut length, media source and AutoCAD paper size instead of treating ‘roll paper’ as one setting.