Arduino-based inkjet printer slowly but surely gets the job done

As a prototype for a continuously printing art project, Norbert (AKA “HomoFaciens”) has built an inkjet printer that uses an Arduino and the mechanics of a discarded 3D printer to slowly generate black and white images. 

The hacked together assembly mounts the Uno, associated electronics, and an HP 6602 cartridge onto a piece of hardboard, which is attached to the X-axis assembly of the former 3D printer. 

Print height is set by manual manipulation of the Z-axis. The Arduino can then move the printer in the X/Y direction via the two steppers, and print by passing current to the cartridge’s nozzles in short bursts. 

“The electronics consist of a computer power supply that provides 12V DC, a boost-up converter that raises this voltage to 18V, an Arduino UNO that generates the control pulses and two ULN2803 chips that convert the 5V of the GPIOs to 18V level.”

As seen in the video below, the contraption appears to work well after some experimentation.