Hi,
I am wanting to make a temperature logger with a thermal printer.
I am hoping to use the printout as documentation for my milk pasteurization. The pasteurization process itself is already fully automated and the equipment approved and certified, but in addition I need some temperature/time documentation.
A thermal printer printout would be a dream like scenario any ideas or comments on how to make this possible?
- Has anyone made anything like this, can it be put together?
- Where can I find help and what would be a realistic budget, if I was to buy something like this from a professional?
Thank you for your time, this is sadly my first project. I am doing a best selling course on UDEMY though, hoping to pick up the basics and get something together.
Anders
Is the thermal printer serial or parallel interface? If RS232 then a MAX232 chip will be needed to drive Arduino TTL serial up to RS232 level.
But thermal print doesn't keep well, smudges easy. If you log to SD card on an adapter as well you should have a record that your PC can read into a spreadsheet. I'd go with both, if one quit the other might still be working.
Thank you.
I was thinking to go with the adafruit thermal printer:
But only because it is the only one, I know about.
Creating a data logger SD solutions seems like a clever starting point, thank you for pointing me in that direction.
andersha:
Thank you.
I was thinking to go with the adafruit thermal printer:
Mini Thermal Receipt Printer : ID 597 : $49.95 : Adafruit Industries, Unique & fun DIY electronics and kits
But only because it is the only one, I know about.
Creating a data logger SD solutions seems like a clever starting point, thank you for pointing me in that direction.
The printer to Arduino connect needs 2 IO pins and ground. On an Uno (or Nano, Micro or Mini) I would use software serial to connect, saving the hardware serial port for USB-PC use. You use a print command and the printer prints. Custom fonts and graphics will take more doing. $50 doesn't get the power supply and paper but $50 ain't as hard to come by as it used to be either.
You can make your own SD adapter from a microSD-to-SD sleeve you get with most microSD cards. I've been warned that cheap SD adapters that use a resistor per line for leveling are probably bad for the card long-term so making your own (cost less in parts than the cheap adapter but doesn't have the nice click-y slot) may be better.
If you go with a 3.3V duino, you can solder wires to the sleeve pads and wire them directly to the duino.
Arduino SD data loggers have been around since the start. The archetypes fit in Altoid tins including battery and log once every 10 mins to hour for a month or more on 2 AA cells. They run 3.3V 8MHz or slower to save power, use less parts and fit in a mints tin.
Your project should include status leds so that before milking you can be sure the SD is okay and system is working. Blinking is best, if the chip stops then so will the blinking ON or OFF.