Does anyone know a viable method to convert a old plotter into something useful. As far as I know it actually works but Roland don’t have the software available. Easiest would be converting it to vinyl cutter. But I’d rather turn it into either laser or router cnc machine.
i transfer one right now using GBRL and connect the steppers directly to an Arduino.
Simple convert to phlatprinter
I would not attempt to convert it to a CNC machine(mill). The carriage is not likely stiff enough to handle cutting anything of substance. Laser cutting should be doable.
A selfmoving camera mount to shoot timelapse at varying angles.
You can do a pretty easy conversion using Smoothie : http://smoothieware.org/laser-cutter-guide
Some of the older plotters used DC motors & encoder strips to move the carriage - not stepper motors (prob best to find that out first) as you could find yourself with a whole other area - belts & gears are all good for use with steppers though
I also have come across a plotter that I want to convert to a CNC. Maybe 3d printer or a laser cutter.
Yes its steppers but they have 8 wires so not sure how to wire them. Im quite happy to replace the stepper motors and would 3d print brackets to modify it to suit.
A lot of 80’s and 90’s era plotters can use HPGL so you might be able to drive it that way…
When you say “Roland don’t have the software” you know you just need the driver, right? There’s heaps of these parallel port plotters still in action, and with a max pressure of 125gms, can cut most vinyl, easy.
Just look for a “DG series” driver, it’ll work fine.
A lot of sign software will just talk to it.
You may need a Roland-specific parallel cable, but you can hack a stock one, easy.
Google is your friend.
@Michael_Scholtz
8 wire steppers are called universal motors. You can wire them series, parallel, or even unipolar if you really want to. Although why anyone would want to do that is beyond me. Go for parallel.
To light to be CNC,If it uses steppers you can run it from Arduino runing GRBL and you will have a vinyl cutter or a plotter…WCH
@J.P_Saini
You might be able to make a laser engraver with it. Here is someone that did it http://usuaris.tinet.cat/sje/cnc/laser_en.htm
It looks like someone removed the motors?..WCH
@Walter_Hynson
Click on the image and expand it. Doing that I see what appear to be at least 3 motors then.