Printer from a CD reader

This is an easy printer made from parts of a cd reader.
It prints using a regular marker of any color.
Maybe it doesn't have a great resolution but this is a project that I really wanted to do.

Step 1: Materials

The most important is the cd reader, also a dvd reader will work.
Try to find one with a bipolar motor for the laser, mine used a regular dc motor and I changed it later for a stepper motor.
Also you will need another stepper motor with a rubber wheel and a wooden base.
Electronic stuff is detailed in other step.

Comments

[subhradeep3000]

Can u give me a link to the full circuit diagram i don't know where to connect the switches and the marker motor.

[kevinmaru28]

can u plz upload a video showing connections of your printer to PC

[kevinmaru28]

If I want to write some other text so i need to change code

[lyakunina]

Awesome project!! Just one question.
"The three switches in the image are to used in the final project". What for?

[brunoip]

While debbugging that switches were for moving the paper or the pen or something like that. Now in the last program they are meaningless. Sorry for the late reply

[kevinmaru28]

(removed by author or community request)

[brunoip]

The java program generates de basic code for the pic, then you have to assembly this code and upload it into the pic

[aigotinsane]

looks like we just got a new definition to printers anyways its awesome and im amazed

[kivster]

Can I buy one

[brunoip]

you can make one

[Blake1995]

could you tell me the names of all the components and connections you used please. And also how did you connect it to the computer.

[brunoip]

You connect it to the computer when you load the program into the pic

[Blake1995]

I just remembered that but now I feel stupid :( lol

[Blake1995]

could you tell me were you got the chip marked 1293. Thanks in advanced.

[bananacocodrilo]

It is L293.
It's a very common integrated used for get highs currents (up to 900mA), since a microcontroller usually has about 20 mA as maximum current output.

[Blake1995]

thanks for the help

[brunoip]

I think 900 mA is the maximun current that you can handle with that ic.

[babu1423]

can you tell me all the name of the part's because i just started making robot's so i don't know what the symbols mean?

[freethetech]

If you don't know what the symbols in the schematics mean, you need to learn basic circuitry first, buddy.

[ms10]

cool i liked .great project i would like to make one

[babu1423]

what do you do after you download the pic sumlator ide

[tsusanto]

Good

[babu1423]

can we use java script

[babu1423]

which motor did you use ? this one .

[babu1423]

which motor did you use ?this one.

[babu1423]

how big is the rectangle cut out?

[R.A.T.M]

bender omg

[Hugu]

Great project! congrats!!

Look, I and my team, we were interested in producing your circuit board and put in ower webshop with a link redirected to this instructable, because your project is a good project for others to make too!

Our webloja is this: www.g7electronica.net and if you send us the schematic by email ([e-mail]) and if you authorize us make pcb of your circuit, we were very grateful!

By the way, if you want pcb's semi-professional, but with good quality and affordable for your circuits, you can also contact us! ;)

[Kiteman]

It just occurred to me - if you used the thermal paper from some till machines, you could use the laser from the drive to plot your images instead of the pen, and you could call it a laser printer!

[aessam1]

only i can say
YoU aRe CrEaTiVe

[mymixed]

Great job getting in the microcontroller contest!

[antoman11]

Megaman, TwoFace, The Batman, Yoda, Clone Trooper, Bender, AWESOME

[Aaamazzara]

This project looked so easy but i really dont know how to build this circuit board :(
I want to build this so badly

[gzaloprgm]

Really nice and simple... I wonder what limits the resolution and speed of it? Amount of gear tooths?

[zack247]

seems to be the amount of steps in the stepper motors used, unless it was the coding that places the pen spots as more 8-bit pictures than something more precise.

[gzaloprgm]

I don't think so... Aren't CD motors precise enough to read each "track" of the disc (< 1 mm)?

The PIC has only 3.5 KB of code memory, so I'm thinking that might be the limit.

Would be nice to add more colors, maybe using some primitive way of "cartridge" with a small (and fast) valve

[zack247]

or perhaps a rotating spindle with R,Y,B colored markers..

too bad theres no way (that i know of) to expand the memory size on the pic so you could do larger prints that are more precise.

[gzaloprgm]

Yes there are lots of ways: EEPROMs (like 24LC256), SD cards (preferrable, needs 3.3v interface), connecting to a PC (needs MAX232 or USB-TTL converter), or even tape recorders / audio (connecting an mp3 player headphones output to a uC and crudely analyse the frequency)

A cheap 32KiB EEPROM should give 512x512 monochrome pixels...

I am trying this as soon as I buy the motor controllers...

[emihackr97]

Voted for it, AWESOME!

[alfredhenriksen]

I loved it. So easy, "fast" and well written. I loved that "PCB", really nice. I could even learn a little spanish. Thank you for sharing. :)

The steppermotors in a CD-burner is a dying race, I recommend a CD-reader before 2001-2003, these usually have a least one steppermotor, while the newer one always have two DCmotors with encoders.

> Maybe it doesn't have a great resolution but this is a project that I really wanted to do.

Please don't write that, it is TOO cool to be excused. Write this instead: Have fun with YOUR low cost dotmatrix printer, and post pictures. :)

Low cost and low resolutions paper printers are very seldom so this is a unique pearl! I am bored by these nice 3D printeres and CNCmachine, give us more DIY dot-matrix printers!!!! :)