Open source and 2d printing
I would like to discuss, for many painful, the theme of the good old 2D printing and the current situation on the market. Who is interested in the topic, please under the cat.
I understand that this time is not in trend and I’m not talking about the latest achievements of 3d printers, which are finding new applications and are gradually becoming commonplace, but I wouldn’t like to hush up the problem of an obvious crisis in 2D printing.
The situation in this area is another example of the fact that copyright and the patent system are not up to good news: manufacturers sell printers at minimal prices and expect to maximize their profits by selling consumables. In the case of laser printing it looks very sad. The cost of the original cartridge can easily reach 70% or more of the cost of the printer itself. As for refueling, then the manufacturer is trying to make life as difficult for their consumers as possible by embedding page counters in cartridges, hardwired with chips, and the process of filling at home cannot be called hygienic.
With inkjet printing, the first hand-made CISCs played a huge role. Things reached the point that some manufacturers surrendered and began to produce printers with factory-installed CISS. I myself am (do not consider advertising) the proud owner of Epson L100. Over the past 2 years in my city, I began to notice more often similar printers in shop windows. We have to admit that the printers from the factory CISS got rid of many childhood diseases: after a long idle time, it is enough just to clean the print head and the printer is ready for printing, good enough tightness, in case of air ingress, the nozzles are cleaned. makes you enter the serial numbers from the original ink bottles to reset the counter. All this easily costs special software, but nevertheless the manufacturer does not strive to make life easier for those who plan to use third-party ink. Farther from the manufacturers, it manifests itself in the choice of models where the factory CISC goes: usually these are outdated models with mediocre indicators of speed and print quality, and if with indicators of order, then there is a significantly overpriced price, as well as the almost complete lack of MFPs even price range (if anyone is aware of such options at reasonable prices - please indicate in the comments).
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There are very few interesting projects in this area and they cannot be called competitive. The option that is presented in the photo above is interesting not so much as a printer, but as another device that can be made from arduino mega, scotch tape and a print head from an old printer.
Kickstarter has already implemented several rather complex hard-core projects, so it is quite possible that a commercially targeted Open Hardware printer will appear. Such a project should represent a line of devices with a single ideology, aimed at increased maintainability, easy refueling, open specifications, compactness and parameters that allow competing with modern models of printers. It will take a little to rework the design to simplify printing the maximum possible number of parts on 3d printers of the lower price segment. For laser printers, change the cartridge design to simplify the process of refilling for the untrained person as much as possible. Inkjet printers are easier in this respect: in the end, CISS showed itself well, it is enough to get rid of the binding of ink from specific manufacturers and open the specifications. For the inkjet, it would not be bad to modify the software, so that it would be easier to calibrate to work with the most well-known ink manufacturers.
As one of the most likely obstacles to such a project, I see the threat of a patent lawsuit from the main vendors who are satisfied with the current situation. Further, the possible difficulties in the production of the printheads themselves, however, I think this is surmountable. I look forward to the emergence of such a project, which will make a 2d print really affordable and simple.
PS If you have information about hardware projects of 2d printers, then please unsubscribe in the comments. About errors and inaccuracies please report in a personal.
On the situation with laser and inkjet printing
I understand that this time is not in trend and I’m not talking about the latest achievements of 3d printers, which are finding new applications and are gradually becoming commonplace, but I wouldn’t like to hush up the problem of an obvious crisis in 2D printing.
The situation in this area is another example of the fact that copyright and the patent system are not up to good news: manufacturers sell printers at minimal prices and expect to maximize their profits by selling consumables. In the case of laser printing it looks very sad. The cost of the original cartridge can easily reach 70% or more of the cost of the printer itself. As for refueling, then the manufacturer is trying to make life as difficult for their consumers as possible by embedding page counters in cartridges, hardwired with chips, and the process of filling at home cannot be called hygienic.
With inkjet printing, the first hand-made CISCs played a huge role. Things reached the point that some manufacturers surrendered and began to produce printers with factory-installed CISS. I myself am (do not consider advertising) the proud owner of Epson L100. Over the past 2 years in my city, I began to notice more often similar printers in shop windows. We have to admit that the printers from the factory CISS got rid of many childhood diseases: after a long idle time, it is enough just to clean the print head and the printer is ready for printing, good enough tightness, in case of air ingress, the nozzles are cleaned. makes you enter the serial numbers from the original ink bottles to reset the counter. All this easily costs special software, but nevertheless the manufacturer does not strive to make life easier for those who plan to use third-party ink. Farther from the manufacturers, it manifests itself in the choice of models where the factory CISC goes: usually these are outdated models with mediocre indicators of speed and print quality, and if with indicators of order, then there is a significantly overpriced price, as well as the almost complete lack of MFPs even price range (if anyone is aware of such options at reasonable prices - please indicate in the comments).
')
What can offer Open Source
There are very few interesting projects in this area and they cannot be called competitive. The option that is presented in the photo above is interesting not so much as a printer, but as another device that can be made from arduino mega, scotch tape and a print head from an old printer.
Kickstarter has already implemented several rather complex hard-core projects, so it is quite possible that a commercially targeted Open Hardware printer will appear. Such a project should represent a line of devices with a single ideology, aimed at increased maintainability, easy refueling, open specifications, compactness and parameters that allow competing with modern models of printers. It will take a little to rework the design to simplify printing the maximum possible number of parts on 3d printers of the lower price segment. For laser printers, change the cartridge design to simplify the process of refilling for the untrained person as much as possible. Inkjet printers are easier in this respect: in the end, CISS showed itself well, it is enough to get rid of the binding of ink from specific manufacturers and open the specifications. For the inkjet, it would not be bad to modify the software, so that it would be easier to calibrate to work with the most well-known ink manufacturers.
As one of the most likely obstacles to such a project, I see the threat of a patent lawsuit from the main vendors who are satisfied with the current situation. Further, the possible difficulties in the production of the printheads themselves, however, I think this is surmountable. I look forward to the emergence of such a project, which will make a 2d print really affordable and simple.
PS If you have information about hardware projects of 2d printers, then please unsubscribe in the comments. About errors and inaccuracies please report in a personal.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/201622/
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