HP Hewlett-Packard 7046A X-Y Recorder 2-Pen High Speed 0.5mV-10V/in

HP Hewlett-Packard 7046A X-Y Recorder 2-Pen High Speed 0.5mV-10V/in

The HP Hewlett-Packard 7046A is a high-speed, 2-pen X-Y recorder designed for precision analog data plotting in laboratory and research environments. It accepts front and rear inputs with a floating, guarded configuration, and provides a continuous vernier between input ranges for fine sensitivity adjustment. A polarity reversal switch on the front panel adds flexibility for plotting signals of either polarity.

Specifications & What's Included

• Manufacturer: Hewlett-Packard (HP)
• Model: 7046A
• Type: 2-Pen, High-Speed X-Y Chart Recorder
• Input: Front and rear; floating, guarded
• Input Ranges (English): 0.5 mV/in to 10 V/in
• Input Ranges (Metric): 0.25 mV/cm to 5 V/cm
• Vernier: Continuous between ranges
• Input Resistance: 1 Megohm, constant across all ranges
• Polarity: Reversal switch on front panel
• Time Base (optional): 6 speeds — 0.25 to 50 sec/cm (0.5 to 100 sec/in), switchable to X axis
• Writing Area: 25 × 38 cm (10 × 15 in)
• Power: 115/230V ±10%, 48–440 Hz, 200VA max (IEC inlet, rear)
• Rear connector: 25-pin D-sub interface
• Form factor: Benchtop
• Includes: Unit and power cable

Applications

X-Y recorders like the HP 7046A were essential instruments in research and engineering labs from the 1970s through the 1990s, used to plot the relationship between two analog signals directly onto paper — for example, voltage vs. current curves, frequency response sweeps, or sensor output vs. a stimulus variable. The 7046A's floating, guarded inputs and wide sensitivity range (from the sub-millivolt level up to 10 V/in) made it well suited to demanding measurement tasks, including electrochemical analysis, transducer characterization, materials testing, and aerospace research data acquisition. Two independent pen channels allow simultaneous plotting of two signals on the same chart, which is useful for comparing responses or recording X-Y-Y data. While digital data acquisition systems have largely replaced analog X-Y recorders in new installations, the HP 7046A remains sought after for legacy lab setups, educational use, and applications where a direct paper-trace output is preferred or required.