Inkjets anyone?

[NC Cams]

Try this;

Go to a DOS PC and find GRAPHICS.PRO and GRAPICS.COM files. They are usually in the DOS directory.

Using these drivers, you can write a screen print program that is easily enacted in DOS by a CNTRL (whatever) command. OUr cam design softwere supplier did it when we pointed it out to him.

I would think that a sharp individual might be able to get an HP printer to do the like with this free driver/interfacing system.

[criswilson10]

I don't know if this thread is still alive, but I can probably help you out a little bit since I have built something close to what you are describing. What I built was a 3 axis printer out of an HP inkjet printer, an HP scanner, and a servo. The parts from the printer handled the x motion and the ink output, the parts from the scanner handled the y motion, and the servo moved the printhead vertically about 1.5 inches for the z motion. If lots of vertical motion is needed then a z table could be used or built.
I wrote my own software to open an AutoCad HPGL print file, and then process that information into stuff that my own controller board can work with - essentially output this dot, using this nozzle, at this x,y,z position.
The information is sent over the parallel port to the controller board. The controller board uses several MicroChip PIC16F877s to control the movement of the print head (1 for x, 1 for y, and 1 for z), the sensors, and nozzle output. The only other thing that is really necessary is the power supply for the printer that outputs +/- 5, 12, and 30 V.
As for the physical building of the printer, I used a piece of 3 foot by 3 steel sheet for the base. Used 1 foot tall, 1 inch diameter steel rod for the towers, connected the bars and drive motors from the scanner between the y-axis towers, machined a piece of 1/4 inch aluminum plate to hold the the print head, bars, and motors from the printer, to the bars from the scanner. Finally, I machined a new cartridge holder so that it could slide vertically about 2 inches, put a rack gear on the back of it, modified an RC servo to rotate continuously, and put a worm gear on the servo to mate with the rack.
That's all there is to it.

NOTE 1: I used HP stuff because I had it in a surplus pile. HP thermal inkjets should not be used to dispense flammable liquids. I would use an Epson piezo print head if I needed to dispense anything that wasn't water based.

NOTE 2: I used MicroChip PIC controllers because I personally prefer them. A Stamp, AVR, SX, Intel, etc. could be used instead.

And thanks for mentioning my HP 550 bioprinter - that's how I found your post.

[tungstenfish]

This 3-axis printer sounds fascinating. I've been thinking about building something similar. If you don't mind my asking, what kinds of surfaces do you print on? I am interested in printing onto small plastic sculptures with irregular surfaces that have recesses and grooves, so the inkjet nozzles would be separated from the work surface by 1/2 inch or more in places. Do you have experience printing onto surfaces like that?

Jonathan Miller
Washington DC.

Originally Posted by criswilson10 I don't know if this thread is still alive, but I can probably help you out a little bit since I have built something close to what you are describing. What I built was a 3 axis printer out of an HP inkjet printer, an HP scanner, and a servo. The parts from the printer handled the x motion and the ink output, the parts from the scanner handled the y motion, and the servo moved the printhead vertically about 1.5 inches for the z motion. If lots of vertical motion is needed then a z table could be used or built. I wrote my own software to open an AutoCad HPGL print file, and then process that information into stuff that my own controller board can work with - essentially output this dot, using this nozzle, at this x,y,z position. The information is sent over the parallel port to the controller board. The controller board uses several MicroChip PIC16F877s to control the movement of the print head (1 for x, 1 for y, and 1 for z), the sensors, and nozzle output. The only other thing that is really necessary is the power supply for the printer that outputs +/- 5, 12, and 30 V. As for the physical building of the printer, I used a piece of 3 foot by 3 steel sheet for the base. Used 1 foot tall, 1 inch diameter steel rod for the towers, connected the bars and drive motors from the scanner between the y-axis towers, machined a piece of 1/4 inch aluminum plate to hold the the print head, bars, and motors from the printer, to the bars from the scanner. Finally, I machined a new cartridge holder so that it could slide vertically about 2 inches, put a rack gear on the back of it, modified an RC servo to rotate continuously, and put a worm gear on the servo to mate with the rack. That's all there is to it. NOTE 1: I used HP stuff because I had it in a surplus pile. HP thermal inkjets should not be used to dispense flammable liquids. I would use an Epson piezo print head if I needed to dispense anything that wasn't water based. NOTE 2: I used MicroChip PIC controllers because I personally prefer them. A Stamp, AVR, SX, Intel, etc. could be used instead. And thanks for mentioning my HP 550 bioprinter - that's how I found your post.

[RoboticsMD]

Is anyone pursuing this anymore?

I am very interested.