I am planning to build a 3D ink jet printer, main thing in this project is developing control system for this project..and also planning to use aurdino mega controller for this..my question is how to read a CAD file or image file from this controller and to control 3 stepper motors and ink jet cartridge..please help me..here attaching 2D inkjet priner done by the Team(Patrick Hannan, Jared Knutzen, Nicholas C Lewis, Joy Markham)
Hi, Umm..What's 3D about this???
If you can point to examples or links we can have more of an idea of what you're trying to do....
Going to print on 3D objects?
Sounds very similar to a CNC machining system but with a print head instead of a cutter. I suppose you would be best looking for existing CNC solutions and adapt from there.
The MakerBot is a 3 D printer based on the Arduino 2580.
By the way, have I understood you correctly, that you're planning to print on the surface of 3D objects? I would think you would need more than 3 degrees of freedom to do that, since the print head would need to oriented correctly as well as positioned correctly.
I presume you've already looked at the RepRap design, which afair is built around Arduinos?
yeah...im planning to print 3D objects from CAD model...and also looking for suitable ink for the piezoelectric print head..first i wanna know what are the standard motors used by different company's to make printers...my primary objective is to build a control system to control all those..where can i get standard instruments in India..
Perhaps there is a maker of printers in India that you could make a relationship with, like intern or consultant? Then you would know exactly what they use and be able to get parts at cost if not free?
thanq u...
For the ink, I imagine you would use whatever ink that print head was designed to use when it was in the original printer. If printer manufacturers are to be believed, inkjet ink has to be carefully designed to work properly and trying other types of ink might be problematic.
As far as I can see, your biggest problems are going to be registration, and calculating the tool path to get a normal position at the correct distance. The mechanical side is just stepper motors and pulleys and sliders and no different from any other CNC system with the corresponding number of degrees of freedom. Very difficult to get working properly, I imagine, but it's a known problem.
I knew a place that printed on cans and bottles (yes, a cannery) by turning the object under the print head as it printed. That was back about 20 years ago and the results were functional but not precise. Very often when machining parts the tool head moves at most on one axis while the part is moved on the others.
Add: the smart thing would be to print on the piece -as- it is being made.
One detail that cannot be overlooked, the object must be able to absorb the ink. Inkjet transparency film has a geletain coating on the printable side to capture and hold the inks.