Hi! I'd like any thoughts on this. I like the idea of re-purposing technology. Too much electronics are sent to the waste site, with perfectly usable parts. So my idea was to recycle in this case used Epson Photo Stylus printer, motors, gears, pulleys, power etc. An environmentally friendly approach. Obviously there are tons of inkjet, laser, fax and copiers out there with parts that can have a second life as a 3D printer. This may need to begin as a smaller printer because of the motors. Here is a blog I started with pictures of the tare down. http://enviroprint3d.blogspot.com/2011/09/rebirth-of-obsolete-inkjet-printers.html Any thoughts, or links to similar projects would be appreciated. Max https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,97849#msg-97849 Sun, 08 Mar 2026 13:39:13 -0400 Phorum 5.2.23 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,471159#msg-471159 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,471159#msg-471159 VIDEO

The same attiny2313 translator with an old Panini Vision X mainboard (this main has two L6219SD stepper motro driver...Panini Vision X has also two Nema 17 motors, belts and much more): VIDEO

Download the .hex and diagram, burn your attiny2313 and follow the wire schematic]]> zandunga General New Machines Topics Sun, 15 Feb 2015 21:22:59 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,255212#msg-255212 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,255212#msg-255212
I'll try to update the package with a USA-Letter PDF file for making PCBs via the toner transfer method.]]> Yvan256 General New Machines Topics Tue, 15 Oct 2013 11:31:05 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,247666#msg-247666 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,247666#msg-247666 -------------------------------------------------------
> Yes, please post a link to the sketch here so
> others in the future can benefit.

It's not Arduino code, it's plain C code for Atmel microcontrollers. I sent it to you via email, where you able to do anything with it?]]> Yvan256 General New Machines Topics Sun, 22 Sep 2013 14:34:55 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,230249#msg-230249 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,230249#msg-230249
Good luck everybody.

Also, check out when they offer FREE ELECTRONICS RECYCLING in your area. You may be able to pick up some good old printers/scanners.



--------------------------------------

I ordered from ebay: Arduino Nano v3.0 - ATMEGA328 w/USB Cable + Jumper Set for $11.99 shipped from the US.

[cgi.ebay.com]

The cheaper ones did not have USB so I figured it would be harder getting it programmed.

Will the translator sketch you mentioned work on this?

Next, it has been a while, if anyone has successfully done this, maybe you can provide some wiring diagrams. What pin to what pin. Its exciting because this may be the missing piece to get this working.

Thanks!]]> disneytoy General New Machines Topics Fri, 26 Jul 2013 21:26:21 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,229331#msg-229331 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,229331#msg-229331 -------------------------------------------------------
> If anyone is interested I already have code that I
> made to get an ATtiny24 to convert dir/step
> signals into 4 outputs for the stepper drivers.
>
> It's nothing fancy as far as the code goes but it
> does the job for what I need and is very simple to
> understand.


I would love to see that code. Can you attach it here?]]> conscripted General New Machines Topics Tue, 23 Jul 2013 15:39:59 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,215942#msg-215942 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,215942#msg-215942
It's nothing fancy as far as the code goes but it does the job for what I need and is very simple to understand.]]> Yvan256 General New Machines Topics Thu, 06 Jun 2013 12:22:25 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,204977#msg-204977 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,204977#msg-204977 This is a fantastic Project!
I have quite a few older scanners and older printers that I have torn down.
I have saved all the motors, rods, gears, wiring, electronics, power supplies and most of the plastic and metal casings.

I have been studying intently the listings here and am almost ready to begin to build my own rep rap style printer.
I have over alot of stepper motors and knew there was a way to make these work for a 3d printer.

I will be watching this thread intently and where applicable I will contribute my own experiences so other can benefit from it.

Thank you all.

BTW my for emergency project was to take one of the Mitsumi stepper motors in its raw form. Plugged two led into it directly, attach a window crank I had laying around. and use it for an emergency light when our power went out unexpectedly.]]> Techno35 General New Machines Topics Fri, 03 May 2013 00:54:29 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,202124#msg-202124 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,202124#msg-202124
I think that Petrus had the right idea, using cheap ATMegas to translate for the chips. With that in mind I think I'm going to try using some "New Pro Mini atmega328 5V"'s as translators and use the same schematic as Petrus.

They are on eBay for $4.44 shipped!

[www.ebay.com]]]> thebob General New Machines Topics Tue, 23 Apr 2013 07:09:33 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,200589#msg-200589 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,200589#msg-200589 i as a few people on this thread, i am
> curious about the set of a2917seb's three of them
> unlike the unit with two pictured above.. as far
> as i've found so far this c202main board controlls
> the pre driver signals logically.. currently i'm
> trying to figure out how to add maybe a 2n222, a
> 4070n, and a 4027n or equivelant of this combo
> (resistors omitted) to control the step/direction
> inputs before the a2197.. i have seen this combo
> run a L293D, tho i fear i may have to disassemble
> the pcb and start over.. isolating this portion of
> the circuit looks a little more complicated than
> the 2 driver circuit although the chips are
> arrainged in a very simular fashion.. have any of
> you had any luck with the a2917? and do you think
> this idea will work?

This page is interesting ...
[www.bristolwatch.com]
because a 7404 is used to free up 3 digital pins.7, I think it could be made to work because Ignoring the PWM current part of the a2917, it is only an H-Bridge.

The other idea would be to use a 74HC595 8-stage serial shift register. The Ladyada Motor shield uses these. Nice overview here...

[docs.google.com]

Here is a page detailing piggybacking 2 of these shields to drive 4 motors. So a pair of 74HC595's and the guts of 2 printers should give 4 Axis.Read his whole blog because there also code and a way to send Inscape images serially and a graphical user interface.

[blog.workingsi.com]

If anyone works this out, please document it. It could be a cheap way to build a repstrap. Also check out the Wolfstrap!

[reprap.org]]]> thebob General New Machines Topics Wed, 17 Apr 2013 09:29:00 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,195671#msg-195671 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,195671#msg-195671 chris33 General New Machines Topics Thu, 28 Mar 2013 12:32:32 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,177722#msg-177722 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,177722#msg-177722 SRD420 General New Machines Topics Sat, 19 Jan 2013 00:00:01 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,177721#msg-177721 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,177721#msg-177721 SRD420 General New Machines Topics Fri, 18 Jan 2013 23:56:52 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,177199#msg-177199 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,177199#msg-177199 VDX General New Machines Topics Thu, 17 Jan 2013 02:04:04 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,177168#msg-177168 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,177168#msg-177168 REPRAP SQUAD General New Machines Topics Wed, 16 Jan 2013 21:53:48 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,172257#msg-172257 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,172257#msg-172257
Andrew]]> wamaker General New Machines Topics Wed, 19 Dec 2012 18:51:31 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,172155#msg-172155 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,172155#msg-172155
Some of the not so old 3.25"-had-drives had steppers with a round flat housing and super precise bearings ... then the voice-coil actuators started to replace the steppers 8-)]]> VDX General New Machines Topics Wed, 19 Dec 2012 03:19:21 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,172125#msg-172125 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,172125#msg-172125 I will be collecting some samples of these to pull apart. I will post some pictures.

Andrew]]> wamaker General New Machines Topics Tue, 18 Dec 2012 19:38:26 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,170955#msg-170955 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,170955#msg-170955
If the motors have 4, 6 or 8 wires (not counting the wires to an eventual tachometer), then they should be bipolar types (or configurable to), so you can use a common stepper driver like the Pololu.

With 5 wires this should be unipolar types, with two they wouldn't be steppers but DC-motors, used as servos ...]]> VDX General New Machines Topics Wed, 12 Dec 2012 03:41:21 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,170953#msg-170953 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,170953#msg-170953
Well an update. I'm not an electronics expert, but I can follow directions. I have the parts I need from 2 Epson Photo 13" printers and I just dismantled a Apple Laser writer pro 600. Boy is that heavy.

I got stuck on the driver side. I have an Arduino. Understand how it communicates to a stepper. The Arduino doesn't speak the same as the stepper drivers from the printer.

The beauty of doing this correctly, is we already have power, wiring, stepper controller and end sensors wired and ready to go. We just need to know where on the printer motherboard to tap in.
.
Yes, you can pull off the parts and start from scratch. But if you do this right, all the hard part has been done by Epson.

When I get some time and maybe some electronics advice, I want to figure how to have the Arduino send the signals to the chips on the Epson.

In the Laser printer are components that could be used as a hot head. There are some high temperature parts to melt the toner.

I think I may like to build it as a Delta 3D printer. I've seen some cool designs.

I will update when I have progress.

Also, please post pictures or tell me what you find in your printers, scanners etc.

A great source are those free electronic recycling days. I bet you can find a ton of old printers to scavenge.

The point of this was that we throw away all these printers that have electrical, electronics and motors that are 100% fine. A couple printers built 10 years ago, can become 90% of a 3D printer.

That is an amazing idea.]]> disneytoy General New Machines Topics Wed, 12 Dec 2012 03:25:45 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,169584#msg-169584 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,169584#msg-169584
In a really old type-wheel-printer I've found a linear drive for the (real heavy) head with a milled comb-bar across the printer and a group of small solenoids in the head, representing a linear stepper-like driving mechanism ;)]]> VDX General New Machines Topics Tue, 04 Dec 2012 03:01:30 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,169541#msg-169541 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,169541#msg-169541
Just found this thread and I am fascinated with the concept of recycling printer/scanner parts for reprap/cnc.

The only question I have at this stage is how old should the printer/scanners be to be of any use? Or just collect them, pull them apart and see what is usefull????

wamaker]]> wamaker General New Machines Topics Mon, 03 Dec 2012 20:21:39 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,148915#msg-148915 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,148915#msg-148915
mbf]]> Margery General New Machines Topics Sat, 18 Aug 2012 03:39:41 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,130355#msg-130355 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,130355#msg-130355
I have two more printers in my department right now, I'm going to post about the as soon I have them dismantled.]]> arguser General New Machines Topics Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:18:49 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,129691#msg-129691 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,129691#msg-129691 [attachment 7496 A2917_1.jpg]
[attachment 7497 A2917_2.jpg]]]> Petrus General New Machines Topics Sat, 21 Apr 2012 20:20:18 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,127326#msg-127326 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,127326#msg-127326 Since the end stops are managed by the gen7, you don't need R1,R2, R3 and R4, just tie fdc_min and fdc_max lines (PC3 and PC4) to GND.

Yep, you need to cut the board in order to disconnect the driver from the circuit that is connected on the pins that the translator use.]]> Petrus General New Machines Topics Wed, 04 Apr 2012 12:44:15 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,127015#msg-127015 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,127015#msg-127015 i.imgur.com] purple stuff is new red is still unknown

gen7 and translator correctly connected?
any other pins that have to be connected to the gen7?
does the board need any cutting? [i.imgur.com]

After this check I will start building this :)

TY for helping Petrus!!!]]> mad-e General New Machines Topics Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:55:05 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,126644#msg-126644 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,126644#msg-126644 Gen7 GND, Translator GND and A2917 GND must be wired together.
The Translator +5V needs to be wired to A2917's VCC (pin 40)

I02, I01 : OK
LEDs : OK]]> Petrus General New Machines Topics Fri, 30 Mar 2012 12:28:35 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,126453#msg-126453 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,126453#msg-126453 i.imgur.com]

the red wires are the ones im not sure what to do with.
Also, where do I connect the opto end stops: microcontroler or Gen7 board?
Do I have to cut the PCB with the steppers? or just wire te microcontroler directly to the driver chip?

Thank you for helping me with this Petrus!]]> mad-e General New Machines Topics Thu, 29 Mar 2012 07:07:34 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,126367#msg-126367 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,126367#msg-126367 doc.chipfind.ru]
The signals needed seems to be the same than the drivers I use, so wire them like on my schematic.]]> Petrus General New Machines Topics Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:16:46 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,126142#msg-126142 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?152,97849,126142#msg-126142 i.imgur.com]

here you can see the two A2917SEB chips, but I still dont know how to wire it up.]]> mad-e General New Machines Topics Tue, 27 Mar 2012 11:46:19 -0400