A group of French enthusiasts has introduced the Open Printer project, aimed at creating a color inkjet printer with open hardware and software components. The device is modular and built using standard interchangeable parts. The printer can be assembled like a constructor and can be upgraded, improved, or repaired independently as needed. The project's developments, including files with electronic and mechanical component schematics, firmware, drivers, and a Bill of Materials (BOM), will be distributed under the Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 license, which prohibits commercial use.
The printer can use HP 63 (US) and HP 302 (Europe) cartridges, free from DRM, manufacturer ties, and refill restrictions. One black or one color cartridge may be installed, and both cartridges (black + color) can also be used. It supports printing on 27mm roll paper as well as on individual A4 and A3 sheets. Black and white printing is achieved at a resolution of 600 dpi, while color printing reaches 1200 dpi.
To manage the device, a Raspberry Pi Zero W board is utilized, outputting to a 1.47-inch TFT screen (172 x 320) and switching modes using a jog wheel. An STM32 microcontroller is used for cartridge control. For connectivity with external devices, support for USB Type-C (for computer connection), USB Type-A (for storage devices), Wi-Fi 802.11ac, and Bluetooth 4.1 is declared.
Source: opennet.ru
