I think it’s time for an open source 2d printer project, we have open source 3d printers and the technology is much more complex than 2d. Time to put HP to sleep
For example, a very important patent for any inkjet is the one where heads self clean, basically maintenance. Without that, an inkjet printer would be a pain to have.
I think it is a combination of the required precision, liquid ink vs solid filament and the difficulty of handing paper vs simply moving a print bed on a 3d printer.
I’d argue that this is not an issue from a technical perspective, which would halt open hardware endeavours.
The precision is mainly a problem regarding the used motors / actuation system, which in turn is “just” a money issue, but the hardware is there. Paper handling is pretty easy.
I don’t know how complicated it would be to create ink or laser cartridges, but given that there are a lot of 3rd party vendors who offer refill services, I suppose it is manageable.
My guess for the reason why there is no open hardware 2D printer yet is, because nobody has seriously started such a project yet.
There was simply no need, we already have great 2D printers. Like Brother, which doesn’t have DRM, doesn’t need internet, and doesn’t complain about anything ever.
For 3D printing to work, you basically just need some standard motors to move a thing that gets hot around. Yes it needs to be pretty precise, but it’s only printing at a single point that moves. Classic 2D printing not only prints across the whole sheet at once, it is also sometimes expected to do it in color (which does take multiple passes usually). As for the technological aspects of conventional printers, I really don’t consider myself an expert, there are great videos online. However by my understanding, a laser is often used to trace the exact contents of the page so that the depositing material is picked up and placed. That sort of light manipulation is already more complicated than everything most 3D printers do.
Basically, you could build a new 3D printer in your garage using off the shelf parts and some knowhow, but good luck even repairing a 2D printer with a serious problem in its printing mechanism, though this difficulty is certainly not made better by companies such as HP
As it stands now printhead technology for quality prints needs microscopic precision and materials like precisely perforated foils that are just not easy to make outside of a specialized fabrication shop, and even then it won’t scale.
I think it’s time for an open source 2d printer project, we have open source 3d printers and the technology is much more complex than 2d. Time to put HP to sleep
Patents are prohibiting anyone from developing something like that.
When do the patents expire? Seems like 2D printers are relatively old technology by this point.
For example, a very important patent for any inkjet is the one where heads self clean, basically maintenance. Without that, an inkjet printer would be a pain to have.
fax machines are the predecessor to 2d printers i guess
x doubt
I would argue that 2D printing is a lot more complicated than 3D, and it’s not even close
That’s surprising and interesting – how come?
I think it is a combination of the required precision, liquid ink vs solid filament and the difficulty of handing paper vs simply moving a print bed on a 3d printer.
I’d argue that this is not an issue from a technical perspective, which would halt open hardware endeavours.
The precision is mainly a problem regarding the used motors / actuation system, which in turn is “just” a money issue, but the hardware is there. Paper handling is pretty easy.
I don’t know how complicated it would be to create ink or laser cartridges, but given that there are a lot of 3rd party vendors who offer refill services, I suppose it is manageable.
My guess for the reason why there is no open hardware 2D printer yet is, because nobody has seriously started such a project yet.
There was simply no need, we already have great 2D printers. Like Brother, which doesn’t have DRM, doesn’t need internet, and doesn’t complain about anything ever.
For 3D printing to work, you basically just need some standard motors to move a thing that gets hot around. Yes it needs to be pretty precise, but it’s only printing at a single point that moves. Classic 2D printing not only prints across the whole sheet at once, it is also sometimes expected to do it in color (which does take multiple passes usually). As for the technological aspects of conventional printers, I really don’t consider myself an expert, there are great videos online. However by my understanding, a laser is often used to trace the exact contents of the page so that the depositing material is picked up and placed. That sort of light manipulation is already more complicated than everything most 3D printers do.
Basically, you could build a new 3D printer in your garage using off the shelf parts and some knowhow, but good luck even repairing a 2D printer with a serious problem in its printing mechanism, though this difficulty is certainly not made better by companies such as HP
I see this said every time this comes up.
Are there any efforts starting or even attempting this? Or even taking an existing printer and replacing it’s main board?
As it stands now printhead technology for quality prints needs microscopic precision and materials like precisely perforated foils that are just not easy to make outside of a specialized fabrication shop, and even then it won’t scale.