Inkjet printer direct to PCB (printer hack/conversion)?

[HankMcSpank]

Just wondering if anyone here has done one on here?

I have an old HP printer lying around which uses pigment ink...I'm tempted to have a dabble. (basically have a lead screw which pulls the media mounted on a flatbed underneath the print head as it does its thing)

In my naive reckoning, I think it'd only need a paper feed 'servo' to stepper converter (a counter) to get the bed feed rate going at the correct rate.

[mark_s]

Hank,
Have a look at this project.

http://techref.massmind.org/techref/pcb/etch/c84-st.htm

I found one these printers in a second hand store $10, but have not
had time to give it try. There are also some videos on youtube.

Motherlode of info

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30951

Mark

[HankMcSpank]

Hank,
Have a look at this project.

http://techref.massmind.org/techref/pcb/etch/c84-st.htm

I found one these printers in a second hand store $10, but have not
had time to give it try. There are also some videos on youtube.

Motherlode of info

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30951

Mark

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the links....I've gots me a 'epson' donor (I coaxed my work into scrapping it - it's sat collecting dust in the storeroom for ages - they also had some unopened Durabright ink cartridges in the stationary cupbaord :-) ).

A perfectly functionable Epson C66, about to be mullered...




Sidecheeks ripped off (literally), after which the case shroud popped off easily enough...




Not sure how much time I'll get to proceed (other things are sumping my time), but just wanted to case the job & get a general vibe for the task at hand

[Ioannis]

Please do post your results.

It is something that bothers lot of people...

Ioannis

[HankMcSpank]

Please do post your results.

It is something that bothers lot of people...

Ioannis

I will do...but I'm one of those guys that needs the project to "talk to me" - no I don't mean I'm going insane, but now I've stripped it down, there appears to be several options & there's no clear winner at the moment...so rather than rush into it, over the coming days/weeks eventually one option will percolate to the top.

Quick option - have this printer print onto pcbs only (that would just mean raising the print head a little - easy)

Less quick option - convert this to a flat bed printer, where I can feed all manner of stuff below the print head. This would need a significantly different approach (much more clearance need below)...the roller 'feed' would need to be binned - a leadscrew would likely need t be the way etc etc.

the initial probem facing many conversions is that there's an optical 'paper detect' sensor - the printer feeds the paper in, but then backs it out a little until the leading edge of the paper is detected - it the proceeds to print .....now that's a great idea when printing on paper, but for pcbs...all the to'ing & fro'ing is not welcome.

so at this early stage, I can feel a pic being brought into the equation to spoof the optical sensor! (something that surprisingly nobody seems to have done - they mainly go low tech with a mechanical approach to spoofing the optical sensor)

[Ioannis]

Don't worry about the time this will take. I'll be subcribed to this thread for ever (sort of speak...)

Now about the sensor, why that bothers you?

If it works, leave it. I suppose it contributes to the initial position of the paper/pcb, right?

Ioannis