Modifiying Creality Ender 3 with Plan B

For any Plan B specific topics
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Manikandan
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Modifiying Creality Ender 3 with Plan B

Post by Manikandan »

Hi
I am planning to modify my Creality Ender 3 with the Plan B firmware. Here is my plan.

1. Use the stock Ender 3 X,Y,Z motors, end stops, heated bed and thermistors.
2. I have a MKS V1.4 controller board with Marlin 2.0 which I plan to flash with the Plan B firmware after making the necessary modifications to the firmware.
3.Instead of using powder and binder, I plan to use an UV curable ink
4. Rather than making the build platform, my plan is to move the Z axis upwards step by step and cure each layer using UV lamp on the Ender 3 bed itself.
5. I have already the ordered the HP C6602a and carrier, printed the Plan B Inkjet control board and few other components

I would like to get opinion of experts in this forum about the feasibility of achieving the above. Thanks in advance.
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dragonator
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Re: Modifiying Creality Ender 3 with Plan B

Post by dragonator »

Hello

Plan B firmware does have all the handling for motion and inkjet combined. That is however everything that matches. Also be aware that even now I am not a great programmer, and in the Plan B time I was an even worse programmer. I cannot guarantee that modifying the firmware will be simple.

1. The hardware seems fine and should work
2. Plan B controller is designed for powder machines and has all the handling for powder hoppers. This takes 3 motors and is completely separate from the other motion. It will need to be modified to only handle simple Z.
3. This is my biggest worry. I do not know if the C6602A, a thermal inkjet, and handle UV curing inks. Purely based on feeling I would say you need a XAAR head, a piezo inkjet. Do by all means test it, I am really curious whether it will work, but no guarantees.
4. Seems reasonable, it is indeed a working principle.

You can always ask for advice, but I do hope you have decent programming skills, since you will need to have to modify a fair few things.
Manikandan
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Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2019 3:14 am

Re: Modifiying Creality Ender 3 with Plan B

Post by Manikandan »

Hi
Thanks for the reply. I understand the main issue is with printing UV inks in thermal cartridges. I went through some literature which suggested that commonly piezo heads are used for UV inks.As a start I am going with the C6602a for testing purposes as its cost effective. In your knowledge are there any piezo heads with the same number of nozzles as the C6602a ? If so, I feel it will be a little convenient to tweak the electronics and the firmware to make the piezo nozzles fire.
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dragonator
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Re: Modifiying Creality Ender 3 with Plan B

Post by dragonator »

I do not know any, since the C6602A is a bit of an odd printhead. The closest thing I know is the XAAR 128, but it already has 128 nozzles, and a serial interface.
Manikandan
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Re: Modifiying Creality Ender 3 with Plan B

Post by Manikandan »

Hi
Trying to proceed with the project, I disassembled my HP Deskjet 2131. Is it possible to find whether it is a thermal or piezo inkjet with the attached image? Also, is it possible to read the voltage output from the pins when I try a sample print? I was not able to find any pin layout or details regarding the 2131 online similar to the C6602 and XAAR inkjets.
Attachments
Color Nozzle.jpg
Color Nozzle.jpg (192.9 KiB) Viewed 24228 times
Black Nozzle.jpg
Black Nozzle.jpg (144.74 KiB) Viewed 24228 times
Pin.jpg
Pin.jpg (310.19 KiB) Viewed 24228 times
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dragonator
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Re: Modifiying Creality Ender 3 with Plan B

Post by dragonator »

There are few companies that make piezo inkjet. Epson and Xaar almost by definition make piezo inkjet, HP and Canon almost by definition make thermal inkjet. Pinouts are always challenging to find, since this is not open technology.
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