I've designed some interesting prototypes with conductive paint (bare paint). I'd like to see if I can make them more space efficient via some sort of printed design. However, I would like to keep using ink on paper, ie, actual PCBs are out of the question for this project.
Are there any off the shelf cost effective ways of printing a conductive pattern to paper?
Bonus love if you know if printing is possible with a transparent solution like: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indium_tin_oxide
Boy, this seems like an HP7475-style plotter hacked to take a pen with conductive ink would be the way to go. These were plotters that moved pens in x and z, while y was handled by a paper-mover. I don't know if there's anything like it out there today. They were pricey in the late '80s.
Poking around a bit, I can find a ref to them being used for PCB
One option for plotting would be to use the Makeblock XY plotter, designed to be used with a pen of your choice. http://store.makeblock.com/xy-plotter-robot-kit Although their customer support is ltd...and the setup buggy from what we have experienced.
But there are many instructables for building XY plotters DIY style. E.g. http://www.instructables.com/id/CNC-Arduino-GRBL-Easydriver-Shield/
Or adding attachments to CNC machines....
Or hacking inkjets http://www.instructables.com/id/Print-Conductive-Circuits-With-An-Inkjet-Printer/
Screenprinting, if you're not doing tiny runs - there are loads of instructables to get you started. Other than that, you might want to try a conductive (usually silver ink) pen. If you're dead set on printing rather than hand-drawing, some kind of stenciling is probably your only option. It might be possible to modify an inkjet or laser cartridge to use conductive ink or toner, but it would be difficult.
