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With the advent of Computer Aided Drawing (CAD) programs and computer workstations, the job of draftsman changed dramatically. Before the new technology entered the workplace, everything was done by hand using an array of different tools. After CAD was introduced, all of these tools became obsolete curiosities. All that was needed to create an engineering drawing was a computer terminal and an engineering plotter printer.

Before CAD, drawings were, in fact, drawn rather than printed. The draftsman applied pencil or, in most cases, pen to paper and drew. To make straight lines, the draftsman used a T-Square which slid up and down along the edge of the drawing table. If they needed a vertical line, then they could place a triangle against the T-square as a guide. Later, drafting machines were invented and allowed vertical , horizontal and angled lines to be drawn using a system of pulleys to keep the instrument parallel to the bottom edge of the drawing surface.

Straight lines were easy. To draw curved lines and circles, however, you needed even more tools. Circles were drawn using a compass for larger circles or a circle template for smaller circles. Circle templates were simple pieces of plastic with round holes cut out of them in a variety of sizes. The draftsman would put his pen or pencil on the inside edge of the circle and trace it. A compass held the pen on one leg and a metal point on the other leg. The compass was adjusted to match the radius of the desired circle and the sharp point was place at the desired center point of the circle. The leg with the pen or pencil was then swung around the center point until a full circle had been drawn, usually leaving a small hole at the center point.

If one needed to draw a curve that wasn’t precisely circular, then the dreaded French curves were brought to bear. A French curve was another piece of flat plastic that was carved in such a way that its edges presented a wide variety of different curves. The draftsman would plot on his paper a number of points along the curve required for the drawing and then slide the French curve around until one of its curves touched all of the plotted points and described the desired curve. If the curve was particularly complex, this process might be repeated multiple times for different parts of the curve.

No line was ever drawn freehand on a technical engineering drawing. Freehand was fine for original concept sketches, but could never be trusted to draw the precise curve or perfectly straight line called for on the drawing.

All of that changed when CAD was introduced. CAD made drafting easier, by automatically making lines straight or curved precisely as desired. Snap grids made every line perfect. When a paper copy of the drawing was needed, the file was sent electronically to the large size plotter printer and a paper copy was printed out.

Thermal paper is a special kind of paper that can be used in any kind of compatible printer. Thermal printers, the kind of printers that use thermal paper, work by writing on the paper with heat and instead of ink. Thermal paper changes colors when it is heated past a certain temperature. The really cool thing about these printers is that they don’t need any ink. This means as long as the printer has paper, it can print. Think lower maintenance cost, less hassle, and less printer downtime.

This operational efficiency make thermal printers ideal for high volume commercial applications like store receipts and automated gas station pumps. To enhance the efficiency, thermal paper often comes in thermal paper rolls, and in various widths. This allows the customer to pick the size paper that best suits his informational and cost needs. And the rolls make it easy to store a comfortable amount of paper inventory in an easy to install form factor. Specialty paper retailers like BuyRolls.com offer broad selections of thermal paper, in different quantities and for different types of printer.

Thermal paper is also found in office space and home environments waiting to be used by the fax machine. A key feature of fax machines is their low level of required maintenance. Like in the above examples, because the thermal paper doesn’t need any external ink to work, fax machines that use thermal paper are easier and cheaper to maintain. Fax machine paper usually doesn’t come in rolls. Instead it comes in packaged 81/2 x 11” reams of sheets to fit fax document dimensions.

This novel paper doesn’t have to be all work and efficiency, however. Thermal paper is a great way to teach kids about chemical reactions in a visual way. Drawing a chemical equation on the blackboard is fun for some, but for many of us, lacks the excitement of the real world. Thermal paper shows us chemistry in action. The light part of the paper represents the unreacted chemicals awaiting activation. The dark areas show the result of the chemical reaction. By manipulating the paper, applying heat, or even pressure to different areas of the paper, the student can have a much more memorable experience with the topic.

While thermal printers and thermal paper aren’t perfect for all applications, they certainly serve a clear need in some specialty spaces. Their operational efficiency is unparalleled in the printer world, and their reliability is equally valued. And the paper to power the printers is readily available from specialty paper retailers like BuyRolls.com. Keep thermal paper in mind the next time you’re planning your retail site or office space.