We have a designed a laser inkless printer (LIP) which is a proof-of-concept design to create an alternative form of printing on paper, while combating the use of ink and toner cartridges. The LIP device we created includes an x-y mechanical system, two stepper motors, a motor driver PCB, Elegoo Mega 2560 Rev 3 board, programmable power supply, laser diode, and an optical system, which all work together to simulate a printer’s functionality. The LIP can process text and print out information by marking paper in the appropriate spots, conceivable for understanding.

 

Arduino IDE was used for the programming of the device. In the pursuit of our goal, we integrated a bunch of other devices and PCBs to get our device to work. These devices include but isn’t limited to our programmable supply, optical isolator and motor driver board.

 

By using a laser diode in combination with a lens system to mark the paper, the LIP can achieve similar results to how a traditional printer is able imprint text onto a page. Users can send the desired information to be printed to the LIP device, which then translates the information into instructions to move to the motor and the laser has instructions on where and for how long to mark the paper.

 

This kind of technology would require a large budget and an abundant amount of research and development to match the results of traditional printers. The functions and capabilities of the LIP has been adjusted to meet our group’s time and financial constraints. It incorporates a combination of software, electrical components, optical and photonic elements to replicate the functions of a printer