Calcomp Technology, Inc., often referred to as Calcomp
or CalComp,
was a company best known for its
Calcomp plotter
Calcomp plotters (sometimes referred to as CalComp plotters) were the best known products of the California Computer Products company ( Calcomp or CalComp).
Overview
The Calcomp 565 drum plotter, introduced in 1959, was one of the first comput ...
s.
History
It was founded as California Computer Products, Inc
[ in 1959, located in ]Anaheim, California
Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States, part of the Greater Los Angeles area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orang ...
.
Sanders Associates, Inc., purchased Calcomp in 1980. In 1986, Sanders Associates was purchased by the Lockheed Corporation
The Lockheed Corporation was an American aerospace manufacturer. Lockheed was founded in 1926 and merged in 1995 with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin. Its founder, Allan Lockheed, had earlier founded the similarly named but otherwise-u ...
, and merged into Lockheed's Information Systems Group. Lockheed kept CalComp as a brand name.
Shutdown
Calcomp Technology shut down its operations in 1999, and transferred different product lines to various other companies, some of whom continue to use the "Calcomp" or other "Cal-" trademark
A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a form of intellectual property that consists of a word, phrase, symbol, design, or a combination that identifies a Good (economics and accounting), product or Service (economics), service f ...
s:
* Technical Services and spare parts: CalGraph Technology Services, Inc.
* TechJet 5500 Large Format Inkjet Plotter / Printer Information: CalComp Graphics.
* Digitizer, Tablets and scanners: GTCO CalComp, Inc.
* Film Imaging Systems: EcoPro Imaging (now part of OYO Instruments)
* Cutter and sign maker products: Westcomp
Products
It produced a wide range of plotter
A plotter is a machine that produces vector graphics drawings. Plotters draw lines on paper using a pen, or in some applications, use a knife to cut a material like Polyvinyl chloride, vinyl or leather. In the latter case, they are sometimes k ...
s (both drum and flat-bed), digitizer
Digitization is the process of converting information into a digital (i.e. computer-readable) format.Collins Dictionary. (n.d.). Definition of 'digitize'. Retrieved December 15, 2021, from https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/ ...
s, thermal transfer color printers, thermal plotters (InfoWorld June 13, 1994 p. 40) and other graphic input/output devices. In 1969, it produced about 80% of all plotters worldwide.
It also produced IBM plug compatible
Plug compatible refers to " hardware that is designed to perform exactly like another vendor's product." The term PCM was originally applied to manufacturers who made replacements for IBM peripherals. Later this term was used to refer to IBM-com ...
(PCM) disk and tape products. The disk products ranged from 2311 (CD-1,5, 17, 18, 24, 25) through 3350 equivalents. The tape product was a 3420 equivalent.
Calcomp acquired Talos and Summagraphics, which had acquired Houston Instruments.
Houston Instruments
Houston Instruments was another manufacturer of pen plotter
A plotter is a machine that produces vector graphics drawings. Plotters draw lines on paper using a pen, or in some applications, use a knife to cut a material like Polyvinyl chloride, vinyl or leather. In the latter case, they are sometimes k ...
s. They used the DMPL DMPL, or Digital Microprocessor Plotter Language, is a vector graphics file format from Houston Instruments developed to control pen plotters and later used on cutting plotters.
Driver
This language is not compatible with HP-GL, see its EAGLE
...
plotting control language. They competed with Hewlett Packard plotters such as the HP 7470
The HP 7470 was a small low-cost desktop pen plotter introduced by Hewlett-Packard's San Diego division in 1982. It was the first small-format plot that moved the paper, rather than the pens.
It used a revolutionary "grit wheel" design which moved ...
.
They were purchased by Summagraphics.
DMP-29
* DMP-40, DMP-41, DMP-42
* DMP-50, DMP-51, DMP-51MP, DMP-52, DMP-52MP, DMP-55, DMP-56
* DMP-60, DMP-61, DMP-61DL, DMP-62, DMP-62DL, DMP-63, DMP-64, DMP-65C
* DMP-161, DMP-162, DMP-162R
Computer division
In 1987, CalComp sold its computer division to a company that focuses on CAD/CAM
CAD/CAM refers to the integration of computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM). Both of these require powerful computers. ''CAD'' software helps designers and draftsmen; ''CAM'' "reduces manpower costs" in the manufacturi ...
.
References
External links
Referenceforbusiness.com: "History of Calcomp (California Computer Products, Inc.)"
{{US-manufacturing-company-stub
1958 establishments in California
1980 disestablishments in California
American companies established in 1958
Companies based in Anaheim, California
Computer companies established in 1958
Computer companies disestablished in 1980
Computer printer companies
Defunct companies based in Greater Los Angeles
Defunct computer companies based in California
Defunct computer companies of the United States
Defunct computer hardware companies
Graphics hardware
Lockheed Corporation
Technology companies based in Greater Los Angeles
Technology companies established in 1958
Technology companies disestablished in 1980