Close
0%
0%

Direct digital negative UV printer - MkIII

The third iteration of direct digital UV printer / exposure unit for alternative print making

Similar projects worth following
Using a monochrome 4k TFT LCD panel as a digital negative for making UV exposures for alternative print making (cyanotype / kalitype / platinum etc.). Core of the project is NVIDIA Jetson nano, as it has an DisplayPort / eDP capability up to 4k resolution and a couple of MIPI DSI lines for driving a controller touch screen.

So this project is the latest iteration of my program to create a direct digital negative UV exposure unit / printer for alternative print making.

Available technology has evolved in the last couple of years, to where monochrome, high resolution LCD panels are now available for purchase.

There are now a number of low cost solutions for driving them. I've picked the NVIDIA Jetson nano, for its low cost, 4k DisplayPort capability, and MIPI DSI pins. Which will allow the use of a touch screen for the user interface.

I was put on to the availability of the monochrome LCDs when I stumbled on this project [Ref. Munth - Digital Picture to Analog Darkroom print] I especially like the time domain exposure / dynamic negative to maximise the exposure depth for use with Print Out Picture (POP) type chemistry. Where you have a non-linear exposure relationship, to maximise the dynamic range achievable.

With the jetson nano digital camera interface capability, there also seems to be scope to integrate some calibration capability into the software. To allow specific chemistry behaviour to be dialed in, to achive desired tonal linearity.


If anyone with C++ / graphical interface / jetson nano experiance is interested in getting involved let me know. As this is one area I have limited exposure, I generally stick to MCUs and hardware, interface work always seems to be a chore.

Schematic_DP_to_eDP_r0_1.pdf

Kicad project for DisplayPort (male PCB connector) to eDP LCD panel connector

Adobe Portable Document Format - 39.83 kB - 08/20/2020 at 02:04

Preview
Download

kicad_DP_to_eDP_adaptor_board.zip

Kicad project for DisplayPort (male PCB connector) to eDP LCD panel connector

x-zip-compressed - 27.88 kB - 08/20/2020 at 02:04

Download

  • 1 × NVIDIA Jetson nano
  • 1 × Duobond - DBT133TIU40E3 13in screen monochrome 13in LCD screen

  • Tidy up

    David Brown09/23/2020 at 22:34 0 comments

    I've added white LED light to to my existing UV box, so there is now a good back light to work with. And mounted the nano, power supply and touch screen to the enclosure (quite rough, but get things out of the way and more useable).

    I need to find some time and head space to find a start on programming a application in Qt. Not something i'm looking forward to, as background has been command line or more recently MCU embedded.

    More of a top view;

    And the front view;

  • Testing with 5V 4A supply

    David Brown09/06/2020 at 20:39 0 comments

    Hooked up a higher power 5V supply to the jetson and tested the eDP LCD, good image and the jetson seems stable with the increased current.

    hooked up 12V supply for back lights with 5V regulators to power the jetson

    Using torch as testing back light, have ordered some white LED strip to add to the light box to switch between UV and white backlight.

  • Connecting LCD to DisplayPort

    David Brown09/05/2020 at 21:23 0 comments

    Recieved the DisplayPort to eDP adaptor boards from OSH park. Kicad files for this are attached above.

    I briefly got an image on the LCD, but I was running off USB power and I think that i'm at the limit of what the jetson nano can manage. As the whole board shuts down when the LCD starts up. I need to sort out a 5V 4A source to power the board.

    The plan is to modify my existing UV exposure box to house the LCD, power and jetson board. With a 5in HDMI touch screen for interface and control. I'll add white LEDs to the box to allow setup and composition checking of the image, which for exposure will then switch to the time distributed negative image.

  • Ordered PCB board for DP to eDP conversion

    David Brown08/26/2020 at 22:12 0 comments

    Made up a simple board to plug into the Jetson Nano DisplayPort socket, on order with OSH Park.
    I struggled to find a source for PCB mount DP plugs, so ended up ordering a DP->HDMI adaptor and extracting the connector.

    For the 40pin eDP socket i asked the LCD supplier to add a couple of connectors and cables to the order, so just waiting for the PCB to arrive. As the LCD has no backlight it only needs 3.3V and the Jetson has plenty of current to drive the panel from the DP connection.

    The Kicad project for the board is attached in the file section.

  • A start

    David Brown08/15/2020 at 15:10 0 comments

    Currently sourcing the monochrome 4K LCD panel from duobond. and have recieved the Jetson nano dev board. Looking to source a DSI touch screen LCD that will work with the x2 lanes available on the nano.

    To do list;

    1. make up male DP to eDP / panel connector PCB

    2. start on roughing out a nano carrier board

    3. make a start on identifying what is needed to send graphics to screen on the jetson nano

    4. source DSI touch screen -> use 5in HDMI capacitive touch screen for development

    5. start to rough out enclosure for the exposure unit

View all 5 project logs

Enjoy this project?

Share

Discussions

Hemant Savla wrote 09/08/2021 at 07:05 point

It is almost a year since any update has been posted for this project. Are you still working on it? If not then what went wrong? Your concept seems to be an easy method to make PCB. I will be interested in contributing your effort.

  Are you sure? yes | no

Similar Projects

Does this project spark your interest?

Become a member to follow this project and never miss any updates