Dot matrix printer to vinyl cutting

[bagherdn]

hi to every one
i'v finished my second diy vinyl cutter with a dead dot matrix printer.
any body interested can share info with me

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[bagherdn]

no reply
so
here is more info and pics
i made this with on old epson dot matrix printer.
in commercial cutters the pressure of blade determine depth of cut, but here i used a future of this printers for this purpose
in these printers u can set them for print multi layer paper (with stencil) by adjusting distance between printer head and lower roller, and what i have done is using this for adjusting depth of cut and if works nice

[trickey]

well done bagherdn thinking outside the circle
trickey

[danibilabibah]

no reply
so
here is more info and pics
i made this with on old epson dot matrix printer.
in commercial cutters the pressure of blade determine depth of cut, but here i used a future of this printers for this purpose
in these printers u can set them for print multi layer paper (with stencil) by adjusting distance between printer head and lower roller, and what i have done is using this for adjusting depth of cut and if works nice

great work, i want to know more detail about this, how about the blade? and how the blade move up and down?

thank's,

[bagherdn]

down move is easily made by a solenoid and up move by a spring( these are done in mach3 as z axes control ) and blade holde is just ablade two miniator bearing and a steel tube as case with a adjusting screw,
i'll upload more pics and info as soon as possible

[danibilabibah]

what solenoid do you use, DIY? can you show me the pict and detail information? i realy intrested to know what you have done. and in last picture there still using heatsink as in dot matrix needle head.

sory for my bad english, hope you understand what i mean
thanks

[bagherdn]

sory for my late answers, bec i'm very busy with my big project
and here info:
- about solenoid, it's came from an old dead copier machine some thing like below pic and about heatsink, because it become hot when working so i used the same al heatsink in the printer and cut through it for size of solenoid and fasten it with some screws, i drilled bottom of it for the head of cutter blade.
- and for blade holder: i made like below pic(excuse me, but i draw it with corel bec i ' m busy )
- u can see very good and nice info at: CNC, Sherline, Steppers, Servos, RC, Helicotpers, (don't forger here )

i'm glad that one of my projects interested u, keep contact i'll be happy

[bigmousepusher]

I'm very interested to. Right now I'm tied up with a different project that I work over time on. I keep checking this post to get my mind working. On a dot matrix printer the head moves back and forth then the carriage turns. Are you sure a dot matrix works or are you using a pen plotter. I might contect you in the future for more info. Thank you much.

[bagherdn]

Are you sure a dot matrix works ?
yes of course, i'm making money with this machine (by making signs for shops)
i'll upload a video of it's work soon
and interestedi with ur project

[zeed]

Excellent project,but we need DETAILS

[bigmousepusher]

how do you activate the solenoid? Do you lift it up from cut to cut? The way I understand those vinyl cutter knives is that their point is a little bit off center and when you move in a circle the trailing end of the knive always lags behind to do the cutting around corners. So if you use a dot matrix printer the print head moves back and forth and wherever it needs ink the head starts banging against the ribbon. So my question is how do you utilize the cutting action when you are just going back and forth with the print head?

[bagherdn]

thanks of replys so reply:
1- how do you activate the solenoid? Do you lift it up from cut to cut?
i found a trick for do it, in working with mach3 software, you should know when using step motors (pulse&dir driver), and when an axis is moving the pulse output for that is a square wave , but DIR OUTPUT IS JUST 0 OR 1 (HIGHT OR LOW) so think.........
when u want the balde lift down u need a high output for activating the solenoid, and when the blade doesn't cut it's position is high(by spring) or the solenoid is off, in the other hand the output of mach for solenoid must be zero.
so can u guess what i've done? easy i just used direction output of Z axes for controlling solenoid as z axis (pulse pin not used) so when cutting z dir is high and soleniod activated so the blade will be down.
here is just some cares:
1- setting z dir output : if in acting it is reverse so set "dirlow" is pin settings
2- u should set an enough low speed for z axis because the blade should be through vinyl before other axes(x and y ) goes run.
3-spring on top of solenoid is needed( because for pulling up the blade)
4- don't use dir output directly it'll harm ur parallel port controller or at least not works. i used a simple circuite with tip122 to amplify the out put pin with a seperat 24volts transformer as power supply for z

[danibilabibah]

thanks of replys so reply:
1- how do you activate the solenoid? Do you lift it up from cut to cut?
i found a trick for do it, in working with mach3 software, you should know when using step motors (pulse&dir driver), and when an axis is moving the pulse output for that is a square wave , but DIR OUTPUT IS JUST 0 OR 1 (HIGHT OR LOW) so think.........
when u want the balde lift down u need a high output for activating the solenoid, and when the blade doesn't cut it's position is high(by spring) or the solenoid is off, in the other hand the output of mach for solenoid must be zero.
so can u guess what i've done? easy i just used direction output of Z axes for controlling solenoid as z axis (pulse pin not used) so when cutting z dir is high and soleniod activated so the blade will be down.
here is just some cares:
1- setting z dir output : if in acting it is reverse so set "dirlow" is pin settings
2- u should set an enough low speed for z axis because the blade should be through vinyl before other axes(x and y ) goes run.
3-spring on top of solenoid is needed( because for pulling up the blade)
4- don't use dir output directly it'll harm ur parallel port controller or at least not works. i used a simple circuite with tip122 to amplify the out put pin with a seperat 24volts transformer as power supply for z

do you change the stepper driver for XY stepper? or keep the original?

[bagherdn]

here is a video of this machine:
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O8l2jHtblQ"]YouTube - Dot matrix printer to vinyl cutting.wmv[/nomedia]

[danibilabibah]

here is a video of this machine:

looks great even i cannot see the driver of the XY stepper,.. do you buy the stepper driver?
thanks

[bagherdn]

i havn't changed driver, bec it's made by myself
it is a 3axis controller based on l297 and darlington tip122
i made it some years ago for a small cnc router, and here i just used X and Y outputs for cutter and an attachment (simple tip122 amplifier circuite) for running solenoid as Z

[aalekh]

nice work dear,
i am also intrested in making this vinyl cutter, i ve one 180column dotmatrix printer and other thins with me . can u pls just guide to arry out the job
thanks in adv

[aalekh]

hi to every one
i'v finished my second diy vinyl cutter with a dead dot matrix printer.
any body interested can share info with me

Well done dear.. i am also planing to make one , has every thing ready one simple qurey..how the rotary blade is controlled ? How the other two motors are controlled ? Whts the sw u r using to control the mc? Pls reply