An open source repairable printer.
(www.crowdsupply.com)
UnfinishedProjects
Open SourceI stumbled across this link in the comment of another post, and thought it was super promising!
Someone mentioned something about in the US, this would be illegal due to DRM laws - not sure about the specifics of this, but regardless an open source printer seems like something we've needed for ages, as printers are something that always seem like way more of a headache then they need to be. It seems like such a simple technology that has existed for quite some time, but they are always such a pain to deal with. (Maybe it's just my bad luck with printers?)
Why oh why did they place the power barrel connector on the side like that?
Looking at one of the images, probably so you can wall-mount the printer
Yes you can:
"... its flexible design can adapt to your workspace, working when installed on a wall or placed on a desktop."
I like the little pizza cutter that slices each page. I hope it's easy to sharpen.
Why not use USB-C for power?
USB C is awesome for the electrics but mechanically mid range
>inkjet
LED printers have been around for fucking ever, and the average person doesn't need the graphic fidelity that only an overpriced pigment soup, which goes bad in a month, can supply.
Oh, and literally every part of a toner-based printer is easier to replace/repair... so why would a printer designed around repairability and upgradability use ink???
Edit' And I almost forgot: toner is cheaper per page than ink! Whyyy???????
Thanks to the proliferation of portable devices, a lot of people no longer need a printer for "regular" printing at all in 2026, and some of the more interesting printing substrates either don't accept toner well or won't survive the heat of a laser printer's toner setting stage.
Also, while the technology is theoretically simpler, it may be harder for an individual to source or make the physical components like rotating drums and high-res LED arrays.
because it makes it way more easy to build such a "open source" printer, the print head with all its mems chips structures is already on the ink cardrige, meaning hardware wise this thing is just a 2 stepper motors, one for x and y axis.
laser/led printers would be in fact the superior printer, but it would also be way more complex hardware wise.
This. Based on my (elementary) understanding of laser printers, you have to have a laser zap a transfer belt to charge it so that it will elecromagnetically attract the toner, then precisely lay down a fine layer of toner onto the belt, then lay the microplastics + iron filings from the belt onto the page, repeat this four times, then roll the page through a tiny oven to bake on the thin, shiny layer of plastic. It's very complicated, and have you seen the price of new fuser units or transfer belts?
They're taking an HP printer head and customizing only the motors and controls. This is a lot easier but also a lot more reliant on HP
I mean, toner is also made out of microplastic and iron filings.
toner is cheaper per page than ink! Whyyy???
I think a toner re-fill is a little harder to get/make/do.
What does the average adult even need a printer for these days?
I can't remember the last time I, an adult, had to print anything. There was always a digital alternative.
Edit: Kids aside. Yes I know they do that's why I have one but they said average adult
If printers didn't suck I may consider using them by choice. Does also depend on cost per page, which I suppose varies by what you print.
I think it might largely depends on your 1. Career/job/ or even hobby requirements 2. Where you live (government agencies requiring paper documents, signatures, etc)
- I like a printed copy of recipes (I put them in page liners so they’re reusable and cleanable). Books on the counter suck.
- kids have projects to do.
- not everyone does e signatures so you have to print it sign it then scan it.
There’s more. I’m just bored.
"Coming soon" for months now, I'll believe it when I see it.
You don't use "soon" in geologic time?
In dog
years
It's actually a measure of distance.
Could have a single picture of it that isn't a render, to start
Those are photographs…
#Your printer includes tracking codes on every page you print
Including the serial number and where the printer was sold. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Printer_tracking_dots
It wont work worse as any other printer
It’s not like the bar is anywhere but on the floor though
HP Inkjet cartridges though
I've been seeing this thing for months and there's been no updates. Is there any word on release date/price, I really how this isn't vaporware.
Printhead compatibility: HP 63 (US), HP 302 (Europe)
Sounds like it comes with a refillable cartridge, but you can also use off the shelf HP cartridges.
And since there's no DRM, 3rd party cartridges will work too.
If government causes you headaches with their laws, its worth sacrificing your life in order to correct that for yourself and other people
If using open source means being a criminal, then fuck thise people and fuck life they xan takr it away
CC BY-NC-SA
Does it mean you won't be able to buy spare part from other company and just from them?
Gotta start somewhere
I don't think DRM is a thing for this in the US, since it's using all original software and parts. I could be wrong, but that's how I read this.
https://uslawexplained.com/digital_rights_management_drm
I think it's about printers being required by law to (covertly) watermark copies as such, and make it somewhat traceable. This is supposedly to prevent duplication of protected works (books?) but also to prevent someone just using it to print money (badly, probably).
To my knowledge all major brands incorporate something like this.
I think it’s about printers being required by law
I didn't see anything about being required by law. Yes, all major brands probably do this, but for different reasons than required by law. Also, what about the lesser brands, are they required by law or can they skirt the law somehow? This printer is not a major brand. Again, not a lawyer, but I don't see how this is a problem. Also, it's going to be coming from France.
required by law to (covertly) watermark copies
What a ridiculous rule that is -- and you know someone dramatically shouted "won't someone think of the children" somewhere in its passing.
Yes probably justified with arguments to prevent people from sharing child abuse pictures.
Yeah, "not legal in the US due to DRM laws" makes zero fucking sense in this context
Bring back the Scrolls!
AWESOME!!!
The images and videos scared me a bit, thinking this only supports rolls, but seemingly it does also work with A4.
It looks like it is a roll as an input, but the printer has an integrated cutter.
Edit: looks like I was wrong
Found on another page: https://www.opentools.studio/
It clearly says...
Supported paper formats
North American letter, tabloid, and 11-inch wide paper roll European A4, A3, and 297 mm-wide paper roll
I guess then A4 is supported as an input.
Yeah, that's what I read.
Looks like I was wrong. There is animation showing that it cuts A4 out of the roll and no pictures without roll.
But I found one with A4 loaded here: https://www.opentools.studio/
Nice :D Thanks for linking the image.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BT100
usbc power would be cool, i mean a phone charger, powerbank or powering it from a pc would be nice
These things - maybe I'm biased as I only use toner-based printing with fusers and other dark magic pieces to heat up - gobble lots of power. They could fry a power bank if it could provide the burst required.
