Calcomp

Calcomp Technology, Inc., often referred to as Calcomp[1][2] or CalComp,[3][4] was a company best known for its Calcomp plotters.

Calcomp Technology
TypePublic
IndustryPrinters and imaging
Founded1959 (1959) in Anaheim, California
Defunct1999 (1999)
FateSplit
SuccessorSee § Shutdown

History

It was founded as California Computer Products, Inc[1][2] in 1959,[5] located in Anaheim, California.

Sanders Associates, Inc., purchased Calcomp in 1980.[6] In 1986, Sanders Associates was purchased by the Lockheed Corporation, and merged into Lockheed's Information Systems Group.[7] Lockheed kept CalComp as a brand name.

Shutdown
CalComp Graphic Solutions headquarters in Cypress, California.

Calcomp Technology shut down its operations in 1999,[8] and transferred different product lines to various other companies, some of whom continue to use the "Calcomp" or other "Cal-" trademarks:[9]

  • Technical Services and spare parts: CalGraph Technology Services, Inc.
  • TechJet 5500 Large Format Inkjet Plotter / Printer Information: CalComp Graphics.[10]
  • 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 plotters (both drum and flat-bed), digitizers, thermal transfer color printers,[11] thermal plotters[12] (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 (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.[13]

Houston Instruments

Houston Instruments was another manufacturer of pen plotters. They used the DMPL plotting control language. They competed with Hewlett Packard plotters such as the HP 7470. They were purchased by Summagraphics.[14]

  • DMP-29
  • DMP-40, DMP-41, DMP-42
  • DMP-50, DMP-51, DMP-51MP, DMP-52, DMP-52MP, DMP-55, DMP-56
  • DMP-60,[15] 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.[16]

References
  1. "$300-Million Sait (SIC!) Filed By Calcomp on I.B.M." The New York Times. October 4, 1973. California Computer Products, Inc. filed suit yesterday ... Calcomp is a manufacturer of per pheral (SIC!) equipment.
  2. John Canaday (August 30, 1970). "Art". The New York Times.
  3. William N. Wallace (December 20, 1974). "Analyst Picks Redskins, Vikings, Dolphins, Steelers". The New York Times. and the CalComp computer
  4. "Computer Rates Raiders Tepid Choice". The New York Times. December 24, 1975. into the CalComp computer
  5. Sito, Tom (2013). Moving Innovation: A History of Computer Animation. MIT Press. p. 287. ISBN 9780262019095.
  6. "CalComp: Acquisition by Sanders". Computerworld. May 21, 1979. p. 71.
  7. "Lockheed to Mesh CalComp Unit Into System". The Los Angeles Times. October 3, 1986. Lockheed acquired CalComp's parent, Nashua, N.H.-based Sanders Associates, in July for $1.2 billion.
  8. Jonathan Gaw (December 30, 1998). "CalComp to Close After Lockheed's 'No' to More Credit". The Los Angeles Times. hopes to sell off major parts of its business and have an orderly shutdown over the next six months.
  9. "Calcomp company and contact information". computerhope.com. Retrieved 2015-01-06.
  10. "CalComp Graphics". calcompgraphics.com. Archived from the original on 2014-12-17. Retrieved 2015-01-06.
  11. Calcomp (1991). Colormaster Plus: Models 6603PS and 6613PS User's Guide. CalComp. Retrieved 2015-01-06.
  12. "InfoWorld". InfoWorld: The Newspaper for the Microcomputing Community. InfoWorld Media Group, Inc.: 111 1987-06-01. ISSN 0199-6649. Retrieved 2015-01-06.
  13. "Spectragraphics has sold SMS Electronics and Total Electronics to New Kinpo Group's Cal-Comp Electronics". Lincoln International. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
  14. Drivers for Summagraphics tablets Archived 2011-11-21 at the Wayback Machine
  15. "Houston Instruments DMP-60 Plotter - YouTube Demo video". youtube.com. Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved 2015-01-06.
  16. "CalComp Sells Computer Division". The Los Angeles Times. June 7, 1987.
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