While I love the curiosity and creativity that has recently emerged around digital pen plotting, many people may not realize this was the workhorse technology for producing technical drawings for several decades in the late 20th century.[0]
Large format pen plotters with up to 8 separate pens were available for different line weights. Color was mostly avoided because the reproduction process of the time was still centered around diazotype[1], or monochromatic ammonium blue printing.
[0]https://piratefsh.github.io/2019/01/07/computer-art-history-...
[1]https://drawingmatter.org/a-blueprint-is-blue/
About 15 years ago I used to have a Silhouette cutter printer. You could get a cutting blade and it would cut shapes out of paper and card. I remember putting a pen in there and using it to write with it on paper. It was cool.
I've also used 3d printer to straight up print on top of a greeting card (the print was 1 layer).
The print might not fare that well though the post system, though, so maybe it wouldn't be suitable for postcards. But it can be a nice touch.
Great idea!!
I've had a post card based business idea for ages. Can anyone recommend a printer that prints quality postcards? I'm looking for something in the sub $2,000 range. I pulled that number out of thin air so I have no idea of that's a too much or too little.
So does this mean if you give it a swivel knife it can also be a vinyl cutter?
CNC is CNC, if you can put an attachment on it, it'll probably work. If you replace the hotend with a router and make the extrusion wires turn the router on and off, you have a CNC router. If you use a swivel knife, you have a vinyl cutter
Only in theory. A 3D printer doesn't need to sustain lateral forces - a router does. It might not be built for this.
Yes, actually Bambulab (I know currently controversial) has just released a new printer (A2L) that actually has the cutter and pen functionality. You just clip it onto the printer head and it works.
(This is not meant as an advert for them, not affiliated in any way. It's addons that other manufacturers will also add to their printers)
What has bambu been upto? Lol I got their printer, hadnt used it for months and printed something this weekend but haven't followed the news on them.
open source license violations/takedowns of legitimate open source forks, and other anti consumer practices. casual users likely unaffected, unless you're philosophically offended (rightfully, imo)
The Z-axis homing problem could be solved by adding a "pause" command (gcode M0, I reckon) at the very start.
The printer calibrates, pauses, you attach the pen, press continue, and it'll do the plot without zeroing the Z-axis again.