Why nobody has made an open source ink jet printer design like reprap, I will never understand. The printer industry seems primed for disruption with all their bullshit and their half century old technology.

[–] TheFriendlyArtificer@beehaw.org 10 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

The accuracy required for the ink droplets just isn't there for prosumers.

I can (and have!) built multiple extruders for a variety of 3D printers. Some of my own design.

Sadly, the tolerances for an inkjet are at least an order of magnitude greater.

I have zero doubt that a few clever hardware hackers could design an open source inkjet printer. But A: They'd get sued back to the mesolithic by every printer company with a patent. And B: the process would likely involve micro machining your own hardware.

I've just said, "fuck it" to the entire industry. I'm in my early 40s and I'm reasonably sure that my Brother laser will outlive me. And possibly the heat death of the universe.

[–] paholg@lemm.ee 5 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Patents expire after, what, 20 years? I'd be happy with an open source printer based on 20 year old technology.

[–] ouRKaoS@lemmy.today 8 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I'd take a tractor fed dot-matrix printer over my current one just so I could play with the paper thingies on the edges.

[–] wewbull@feddit.uk 1 points 10 months ago

You'll pay an arm and a leg for tractor feed paper though.

[–] Coreidan@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago

Right? Why buy a paper printer for less than $100 when you can spend $2000 on a 3D printer + materials and time spent learning and fucking up! Wish I thought of that!

[–] I_Miss_Daniel@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago

Time to invent dd-lpt

[–] RQG@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago

My guess. They couldn't get the printer to work. My 3D printer has a lower problem count than my ink jet regular printed at this point.

[–] satans_crackpipe@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago

Ya, the abacus industry is also ripe for disruption. Legacy industries would love your pro insight.

[–] butter@midwest.social 1 points 10 months ago

Probably because they wouldn't be as profitable.

HP could sell like a tenth the printers and still make more money

[–] mvirts@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago

Hmmm we don't need to build a new printer, just new firmware. More like ddwrt or tomato