<p>To use DC-motors instead of stepper motors, you would need to have some sort of encoder that tells the controlling machine where the printhead has moved. </p>

<p>On the <a href="https://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=404680.0" rel="nofollow noreferrer">arduino Forums</a> they have discussed the problems and difficulties. The main problem is, that currently, there is little firmware for Arduino or similar chips that can do this. Another big problem is, that such a machine might need a different type of G-code, unless well done.</p>

<p>That is not to say that there is no firmware that does control DC motors via an encoder. Printers do so since ages. But to reverse engineer printer firmware is really really hard. It took a pair of hackers the better part of a half year to dissect the printer &amp; Fax firmware for one printer, and they had mainly looked to dissect the fax protocol and had not looked at all at the motor control<sup><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLCE8spVX9Q" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Defcon talk about it</a></sup>.</p>

<p>Luckily, as the <a href="https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,659992" rel="nofollow noreferrer">RepRap</a> tells though, somebody did hack together a DC motor control: Miguel Sanchez has a <a href="https://github.com/misan/dcservo" rel="nofollow noreferrer">GitHub</a> about it. You DO need proper encoders though.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-30T14:47:12.083Z
2018-11-30T14:55:23.580Z
2018-11-30T14:55:23.580Z
Trish
<p>Because I do not own a 3d printer I am searching a way to build an affordable 3d printer. But paying a 200Euros for one seems too much for me.</p>

<p>So in my search for affordable 3d printer I thought to build one out of legos (for example <a href="https://www.instructables.com/id/LEGO-3d-Printer/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this</a> one) that I can find in <a href="https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&amp;_trksid=m570.l1313&amp;_nkw=Bulk%20Lego%20&amp;_sacat=0&amp;LH_TitleDesc=0&amp;_osacat=0&amp;_odkw=Lego" rel="nofollow noreferrer">bulk</a> at reasonable price.</p>

<p>As for rods I can use out of old printers and skim them down to 8mm at a machine shop (at worst case). </p>

<p>But as for motors DC ones are easier to find/scavage that stepper ones but:</p>

<ul>
<li>Is it possible to build a 3d printer that uses DC motors instead of stepper ones and what kind of firmware is needed?</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-30T14:41:04.463Z
Good,  Fast,  Cheap :  pick any two.  <-- well-known engineering mantra.
Carl Witthoft
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-30T21:24:01.737Z
I have taken the liberty to remove the parts we can't help with and that not answerable here. LEGO would be Brick stack exchange, asking for suggestions where to buy DC motors and other parts is not stack-able at all.
Trish
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-12-10T11:04:59.463Z
You'll end up way above what you'd pay for something like a Tronxy X1 or Ender 2 with your approach.
towe
<diy-3d-printer><printer-building><e-waste>
Building a cheap 3d printer with DC Motors?
Dimitrios Desyllas
# Building a cheap 3d printer with DC Motors?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-11-30)

Because I do not own a 3d printer I am searching a way to build an affordable 3d printer. But paying a 200Euros for one seems too much for me.

So in my search for affordable 3d printer I thought to build one out of legos (for example [this](https://www.instructables.com/id/LEGO-3d-Printer/) one) that I can find in [bulk](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=Bulk%20Lego%20&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_osacat=0&_odkw=Lego) at reasonable price.

As for rods I can use out of old printers and skim them down to 8mm at a machine shop (at worst case).

But as for motors DC ones are easier to find/scavage that stepper ones but:

* Is it possible to build a 3d printer that uses DC motors instead of stepper ones and what kind of firmware is needed?

**Tags:** diy-3d-printer, printer-building, e-waste

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Good,  Fast,  Cheap :  pick any two.  <-- well-known engineering mantra.  
> **username_2**: I have taken the liberty to remove the parts we can't help with and that not answerable here. LEGO would be Brick stack exchange, asking for suggestions where to buy DC motors and other parts is not stack-able at all.  
> **username_3**: You'll end up way above what you'd pay for something like a Tronxy X1 or Ender 2 with your approach.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-11-30. Score: 4

To use DC-motors instead of stepper motors, you would need to have some sort of encoder that tells the controlling machine where the printhead has moved.

On the [arduino Forums](https://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=404680.0) they have discussed the problems and difficulties. The main problem is, that currently, there is little firmware for Arduino or similar chips that can do this. Another big problem is, that such a machine might need a different type of G-code, unless well done.

That is not to say that there is no firmware that does control DC motors via an encoder. Printers do so since ages. But to reverse engineer printer firmware is really really hard. It took a pair of hackers the better part of a half year to dissect the printer & Fax firmware for one printer, and they had mainly looked to dissect the fax protocol and had not looked at all at the motor control[Defcon talk about it](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLCE8spVX9Q).

Luckily, as the [RepRap](https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,659992) tells though, somebody did hack together a DC motor control: Miguel Sanchez has a [GitHub](https://github.com/misan/dcservo) about it. You DO need proper encoders though.


---

