I like the idea of an inkjet printer head. We had an inkjet printer that could print on DVDs that had the pre-applied blank labels. I think it would be great to have something that could auto-align based on imaging and apply ink to where I specify. I could see some amazing applications especially if we could use different styles of ink beyond the normal inkjet printing cartridge.
I would also love to see soldering. That would be another interesting application.
3D printing for me even on a 2" z axis would actually be really nice. We have several projects we’ve been talking about that we could use a simple 3D printer for.
It can help to free up other equipment that needs to do larger prints or for those with very limited space. (Could also be a gateway drug to 3D printing.)
I could also see a simple CNC routing bit for simple projects. Again, the same idea as the 3D printing.
I really want a autopen style device. I love photography and would love to see a head that either had several width types built in or that you could attach several different sized pen heads to so you could get some great line differences. (Maybe even pressure sensitive.)
I was also thinking of an airbrush end. Lots of projects I have in mind could benefit from a machine driven painting mechanism. (I like model building, haven’t done it in a while but I think it would be a blast to be able to feed pieces of models through for custom paint jobs.
Some kind of printer head that could print directly on wood would be fabulous. Especially if it used a kind of ink that was less susceptible to bleeding on wood. So many applications for jewelry, puzzles, and other cool items!
Me too! I guess there are some challenges though, like what kind of polymer or wax to add to the ink so it would sit on top but not absorb, yet still be fine enough to be pushed through a nozzle at decent dpis…
Have you seen the raised-ink printing that the Sunjet machines can pull off? I was pretty impressed when I saw them in person. Too expensive for me, but way cool.
The digital print reminded me of a project I worked on in 1996.
A carpet plant rebuild in (La Grange Georgia). They would print carpet 14" wide and so fast, 120 foot per minute you could not see the print change.
I designed the electrical control systems for the the water purification and dye dispensing and mixing areas (note a thimble full of dye would make a batch of carpet dye) this stuff was weighed in micro grams, they could change the dyes from one print to another in the length of the thickness of a piece of paper. I worked 14 hours a day, 7 days a week, longest stretch without a day off, 3 1/2 and months. Yep it was bad. but was a vacation compared to the Alaska pipeline inspection project in 1995, 16+ hours a day 7 to 8 weeks straight without a day off. Yep it cost me a divorce. HAH
Now, I am retired, waiting on my Glowforge. Did I say I have some free time, well I do. HAH.
