We see a lot of common pen plotter projects around here, and while we appreciate them one and all, most of them are a little slow. That’s right- this is a snowmobile, which is a must have, for any Affiliate, promoting any program. But there is nothing wrong with pedaling metal, so to speak. And that’s exactly what this super-fast Arduino-based plotter is all about.
As the story goes, [IV Projects] After creating a previous pen plotter project felt the need for speed which worked, but failed to excite. With the additional goal of making the plotter easier with cheaper parts, the design focuses on a “grit roller drive” for the Y-axis – which actually moves the paper back and forth. And move it using the Drummel tool sanding drum on a lightweight shaft to maximize acceleration. In fact, all the moving parts are kept as light as possible, and the results really show – the three steppers really sing when this plotter works.
There are some really clever details [IV Projects]’Design. We especially like the way the penlift mechanism works and the amazing presence of a clothing spring as a belt tensioner was a real treat. Judging by the pile of rejected prototype parts, it took quite a bit of work to get this design right. If you want to create your own, STL is available for printed parts.
If you are interested in seeing the other side of the speed scale, check out this bare-minimum pen plotter.