Re: 3D printer progress

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "dandumit" <dandumit@...> wrote:

>
> Hi Graham,
>
> I cannot imagine very well how will look like maybe a picture would
> help better.
>
> I must tell you that I'm decided too to build one I have ordered an
> Epson D68. As far as I seen it seems to use stepper motors and for
> those it's easier to detect how much had moved (excepting strange
> micro stepping driving solutions). I will start to post images as soon
> as I start to disassembly it.
>
> If I can help you with some electronics and microcontroller
> programming I would be glad to help.
>
> Regards,
> Daniel
>

I think I have abandoned my idea, instead I will not connect the feed
motor mechanically to the gantry but will use the encoder signal to
synchronize a stepper motor. The synchronization will begin when the
encoder frequency rise above a threshold indicating paper feed.
Vertical resolution will be reduced but it will not matter when
printing on flour/plaster. Also a larger motor can be used so the
gantry can easily carry a counter roller if I decide to use one.

I'm going to use the parallax propeller for control, the protoboards
are cheap and capable and the programming will be trivial (with 8
processors).

Three problems with the epson, one it does have a really odd stepper
drive, the second it has a paper sensor in the print head (possibly
you can kid it by painting a white area on the work table or by
programming it away as the PCB printing guy did). Thirdly the nozzles
being built in will mean a new printer if you ever block them. You
can possibly work around all of these.

Graham