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Relatedly, I remember reading that it's unrealistic to build an open-source 2D printer because of how much research and very specific manufacturing that require

Relatedly, I remember reading that it's unrealistic to build an open-source 2D printer because of how much research and very specific manufacturing that requires. But, what if someone designs an open-source replacement motherboard for some popular commercially available printer model? How much of the "secret sauce" is in the firmware, if any? How easy would that be to replicate independently?

MSFT_Edging 2y ago
I don't know this for sure(conjecture based on other knowledge), but due to security functions mandated in printers(dot fingerprinting, preventing currency recreation, etc), I would assume other components besides ink cartridges are cryptographically paired. I'd love for this to not be the case though. If this isn't the case, then it would still be a large effort to both design the control software that controls the intricate mechanical parts, as well as providing drivers. I think it would be totally doable for a single printer or a family of like printers in the scope of an opensource project with enough motivated contributors, but 2D printers are some of the least sexy pieces of technology out there so the allure would be missing. I for one love 2D printers. Anything that brings the digital world into our plane, so maybe I should look into this.....
- yencabulator 2y ago
  Last I looked, you can fully avoid the security stuff by being monochrome instead of color, so that's an easy way out. There's also no public mention of the logic being mandatory to implement -- literally, find me a law that requires it -- so you can probably start doing business without it just fine, and in fact the mechanism is patented so you can't just implement it on your own! At some point, some anti-forging governmental department or business lobby will contact you, and that likely won't happen until after you've already succeeded. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EURion_constellation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EURion_constellation
jmptable 2y ago
I think it's unrealistic to build a cost-competitive open-source 2D printer. But it's relatively easy to just build your own printer. The parts that have the most R&D tied up in them (and so are unlikely to be replicated from scratch easily) are the inkjet heads and the ink's composition. If you can get those off the shelf then you can easily DIY everything else. There is a large existing industrial market for inkjet heads and ink. Many industrial inkjet heads are very easy to drive and have freely available data sheets. But they cost >$500 to a few $1k each and you probably want 4 for CMYK. I just built a custom printer in a few weeks for an art project with some of these (specifically, one called the Xaar128) driven by an RP2040. The experience definitely gave me a sense of awe and resigned respect for my humble desktop printer.
- grishka 2y ago
  That's why I'm talking about a replacement motherboard for an existing consumer-grade printer (though not necessarily an inkjet one, I don't get it why people keep buying inkjet printers when they don't intend to print photos). Custom PCBs are very easy and cheap to get manufactured. All the maliciousness of these printers is in the firmware, and replacing the motherboard with an open-source one feels like the easiest way to get rid of that. The other possibility would be to write a custom firmware for the stock motherboard, but I'd imagine that printers these days would have some form of secure boot.

MSFT_Edging 2y ago

I don't know this for sure(conjecture based on other knowledge), but due to security functions mandated in printers(dot fingerprinting, preventing currency recreation, etc), I would assume other components besides ink cartridges are cryptographically paired. I'd love for this to not be the case though. If this isn't the case, then it would still be a large effort to both design the control software that controls the intricate mechanical parts, as well as providing drivers. I think it would be totally doable for a single printer or a family of like printers in the scope of an opensource project with enough motivated contributors, but 2D printers are some of the least sexy pieces of technology out there so the allure would be missing. I for one love 2D printers. Anything that brings the digital world into our plane, so maybe I should look into this.....

yencabulator 2y ago
Last I looked, you can fully avoid the security stuff by being monochrome instead of color, so that's an easy way out. There's also no public mention of the logic being mandatory to implement -- literally, find me a law that requires it -- so you can probably start doing business without it just fine, and in fact the mechanism is patented so you can't just implement it on your own! At some point, some anti-forging governmental department or business lobby will contact you, and that likely won't happen until after you've already succeeded. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EURion_constellation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EURion_constellation

jmptable 2y ago

I think it's unrealistic to build a cost-competitive open-source 2D printer. But it's relatively easy to just build your own printer. The parts that have the most R&D tied up in them (and so are unlikely to be replicated from scratch easily) are the inkjet heads and the ink's composition. If you can get those off the shelf then you can easily DIY everything else. There is a large existing industrial market for inkjet heads and ink. Many industrial inkjet heads are very easy to drive and have freely available data sheets. But they cost >$500 to a few $1k each and you probably want 4 for CMYK. I just built a custom printer in a few weeks for an art project with some of these (specifically, one called the Xaar128) driven by an RP2040. The experience definitely gave me a sense of awe and resigned respect for my humble desktop printer.

grishka 2y ago
That's why I'm talking about a replacement motherboard for an existing consumer-grade printer (though not necessarily an inkjet one, I don't get it why people keep buying inkjet printers when they don't intend to print photos). Custom PCBs are very easy and cheap to get manufactured. All the maliciousness of these printers is in the firmware, and replacing the motherboard with an open-source one feels like the easiest way to get rid of that. The other possibility would be to write a custom firmware for the stock motherboard, but I'd imagine that printers these days would have some form of secure boot.