Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Powder and inkjet printing
BlueTurtle
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2017 5:29 am

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by BlueTurtle »

mrino wrote: Wed Dec 09, 2020 12:45 pm Hi all,

I have been trying to print using the XAAR 128 for some time now, but I can't get all the nozzles to print. The data is being sent correctly and electrically everything seems fine. I have flushed the print head several times and the problem persists. I have attached pictures of the setup and the resulting print when all nozzles are activated. I have tried adjusting the ink level relative to the printhead, but there is not much difference regardless of the level. Do you think this is a pressure problem or something else ink related or are some of my nozzles just broken?

Note: The prints are wavy because I'm moving the substrate with my hand.

I would appreciate your help.
Thats ink pressure problem not electrical :)
aengel
Posts: 40
Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2018 2:05 pm

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by aengel »

head
head
head.jpg (310.17 KiB) Viewed 79912 times
aengel
Posts: 40
Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2018 2:05 pm

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by aengel »

I am interested in paying you to optimize the code and the hardware to increase the speed of the system.

Typically roll to roll printers want to print at 40 meters per minute, while some machines print at 250 meters per minute. Payment for your engineering services by Payoneer, Dwolla, Skrill, Venmo, WU etc. are all available.

Besides code and hardware, would anyone want to write an article describing the system, an article to be submitted to the scientific journals for possible publication? This would be a paid gig likely through Upwork or Kolabtree.

I am very impressed by this forum, and am especially grateful to M. and K. for their great contributions to the project.

This project provides scientists and technicians an entry level cost deposition device for proof of concept projects.

Thank you for reading this posting and enabling innovation. A.Engel. Kansas City Missouri USA
BlueTurtle
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2017 5:29 am

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by BlueTurtle »

Hey everyone,
I have Non-Wetting 40 pL version of the printhead, never used for sale. Can ship anywhere after payment. Inbox me for more information. Thank you.
Oliver3D
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Jun 27, 2021 8:40 am

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by Oliver3D »

Hello,
I'd like to design a Xaar 128 control board over the summer and sell a few pieces. I'd love to hear from you, what are you looking for in terms of specs? I only have experience in designing FFF and SLA machines, so this is something new to me. So far, I've came up with the following specs:
  • price lower than 200 USD
  • 32-bit CPU
  • Ethernet interface
  • MicroSD
  • 3x stepper motor drivers
  • 12 V input
  • 1x Xaar 128 head output
  • 4x Endstops input
  • 2x UV lamp power output (with changeable output voltage and current control)
  • 2x thermistor inputs
  • 2x fans output
What do you think? Is there anything else, you'd like to see on the board?
Thanks for feedback.

Best,
Adam
taotan
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2021 9:34 am

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by taotan »

Hi,
Can anyone help to build and supply a prototype controller board with the associated code for XAAR128 for a fee? There will be no complex printing but the nozzles to be fired must be presettable. There will be an external signal to initiate the firing of the preset nozzles continuously and stopping it. The frequency of firing the nozzles can preferably be also presettable from the minimum to the maximum of 4 or 5 KHz.

Best regards,
Tan
Knicklicht
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2022 8:00 pm

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by Knicklicht »

Hey, can someone point me towards the datasheet and pinout of the Xaar 126?

Thanks
Lane
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2022 8:49 pm

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by Lane »

Hello all,

I am currently trying to use the Xaar 128 to build a 3d printer. I have gotten ink to spray out of the printhead but it is inconsistent. Sometimes it just comes out on the left side and other times just on the right. Most of the time it is on the left side. I have had it spray out of nozzles across the entire nozzle plate a single time. I have made my own Arduino code heavily based on preexisting code. When purging it appears that ink is flowing out along the entire nozzle plate so I don't believe one whole side is clogged. The nozzle plate has never been touched. By left and right, I am not meaning the different slaves. I am meaning half of nSS1 and nSS2 work while the other halves do not.

Power: 2 35V power supplies with a common ground with capacitors to lower noise
Data Transmission: Data has been confirmed with an oscilloscope using a logic analyzer and decoding function
Control board: I have tried an Arduino Uno and Mega along with a Raspberry Pi
Ink: water filtered down to 2um (Nanopure)
Last edited by Lane on Fri Apr 08, 2022 9:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Wonko
Posts: 110
Joined: Sat Aug 15, 2015 8:13 pm

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by Wonko »

Xaar 1288 heads can not deal with water in my experience. You need inks that are in the Xaar compatibility list. I assume that the conductivity has something to do with it as Xaar heads are piezo heads, physically squirting out the ink vs. thermo heads that basically boil the ink. I assume that conductivity of water causes the piezo electrodes to short out. Maybe distilled water works.

The other option is of course a possible timing issue in the SPI transfer. Maybe you are sending the data too fast and only half of it arrives at the head?
davidk
Posts: 77
Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2017 6:48 pm

Re: Hacking the Xaar 128 printhead

Post by davidk »

If you put water in it and powered it on, you ruined the head.
I know because I made the same mistake. This head will NEVER run again. But you could have used isopropyle alcohol without destroying it. With IPA, you can clearly see the jetting and refine the software without the fear of clogging if left without capping. IPA won't clog after drying.
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