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A 350 DOLLARS MACHINE PRINTS BOOKS BLIND KIDS CAN READ — THE SHOP VERSION COSTS 2,500 DOLLARS

A 350 dollars machine that punches raised dots into paper so a blind child can read the page — the shop version costs seven times that.

by BrailleRAP team

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

Open-hardwareAutomation

Built with3D printing

difficulty
●●●●○
time
a weekend-plus
license
CERN-OHL-P-2.0
repo
repo ACTIVE47 stars

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

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COMPAREE VERDICT

BrailleRAP is a tactile embosser built from a laser-cut plywood chassis, 3D printed parts and standard 3D printer components: NEMA steppers, smooth rods, bushings, an MKS GEN control board and a solenoid punch that presses dots into paper. The cheapest commercial embosser costs about 2,500 dollars, which is why most schools in lower-income countries have none — this one comes to roughly 350 dollars in parts, and the plans are open. The French volunteer team behind it published everything: laser-cut and 3D files, a detailed bill of materials, an illustrated building manual and companion software (AccessBrailleRAP, DesktopBrailleRAP) that turns text and SVG graphics into tactile pages. The licence is CERN-OHL-P v2, so you can build it, sell it or modify it without asking anyone. The single hardest part is not the assembly — it is tuning the punch and paper feed so the dots are clear but the paper does not tear. Commercial embossers are ISO certified and come with support; this is a workshop project that requires patience and iteration. If you need a machine tomorrow, buy one. If you want to understand how it works and you have a weekend, build this.

GOOD TO KNOW

  • —Full assembly guide, bill of materials and STL files are in the repository.
  • —Custom software converts SVG maps plus text into embossed pages and is included.
  • —Hardware and documentation under CERN-OHL-P v2, software under GPL-3.0, and OSHWA certified (FR000027): you may build and sell machines, keeping the licence notices.
  • —Documentation at braillerap.readthedocs.io is comprehensive but assumes 3D printer assembly experience.
  • —No pre-made kits — you source every part yourself from standard suppliers.
  • —The 350-dollar figure is a parts estimate; shipping and local availability will vary.

Parts to buy

9 items

From our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.

  • NEMA 17 steppers (17HS4401)Find
  • 8 mm linear rodsFind
  • RJ4JP-01-08 polymer bushingsFind
  • KP08/KFL08 bearingsFind
  • Tau-826b 12V solenoidFind
  • GT2 belts and pulleysFind
  • Two 600x400 mm 5 mm plywood sheets (laser cut)Find
  • 12V 6A supplyFind
  • Paper and fastenersFind

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Can I build this?

PrintMotor supports, axis supports, carriages, solenoid housing, paper guides, rollers and clips. The team prints everything in ABS at 50% infill with 3 outside perimeters; the chassis itself is laser-cut plywood.
BuyNEMA 17 steppers (17HS4401), 8 mm linear rods, RJ4JP-01-08 polymer bushings, KP08/KFL08 bearings, an MKS GEN 1.4 or MKS GEN L 2.1 board with DRV8825 drivers, a tau-826b 12V solenoid, GT2 belts and pulleys, two 600x400 mm 5 mm plywood sheets (laser cut), a 12V 6A supply, plus paper and fasteners.
ToolsAccess to a laser cutter (or a cutting service) for the plywood, a 3D printer, small pliers and cutters, an M3 tap, 8 mm and 3 mm drills, hex keys, 5.5 and 8 mm wrenches, wood glue, painter's tape, a whetstone for shaping the Braille stylus, and a soldering iron and multimeter for the wiring.
SkillsYou must have assembled a 3D printer before, because the mechanics are very similar. You also need to upload the Marlin firmware to the control board and install the embossing software from its installer.
TimeA weekend to assemble, then another afternoon to tune the punch depth and paper feed until dots are crisp.
CostAbout 350 dollars if you buy everything, per the team (the A3-size XL version is about 450). Shipping and local supplier availability will shift the number.
Safety12V DC supply — ordinary electronics care. The solenoid punch moves fast but is behind the frame. No mains voltage, no lasers, no sharp blades.

Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.

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Start here

Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.

  1. 1.Read the full documentation at braillerap.readthedocs.io before ordering parts — the BOM is detailed but assumes you know where to source 3D printer components.
  2. 2.Download the repository: print the ABS parts and get the plywood chassis laser cut while you wait for the hardware to arrive.
  3. 3.Laser-cut the plywood chassis, then assemble the rods, belts, stepper mounts and solenoid carriage following the building manual.
  4. 4.Flash the Marlin firmware to the control board, install AccessBrailleRAP or DesktopBrailleRAP from their ready-made installers, and test with a short text before running a full page.

Resources

Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.

KNOWN ISSUES

  • The 350-dollar figure is a parts estimate from the team — shipping costs and local supplier availability (especially for the solenoid and control board) will shift the total, sometimes significantly.
  • Tuning the punch depth is the single thing most likely to go wrong: too shallow and the dots are flat, too deep and the paper tears. Budget an afternoon for iteration.
  • The companion apps install from ready-made packages on Windows and Debian/Ubuntu; on macOS there is no installer, so you would use the web G-code generator plus a sender such as Pronterface.
  • No pre-made kits exist — you source every part yourself, and substituting a different control board or stepper will require firmware changes.
  • Paper matters: the team uses 160 g paper (thin metal or plastic sheet also works). Thin printer paper will not give durable dots.
  • This is not a certified medical or educational device — if you need ISO compliance or warranty support, buy a commercial embosser.

Can I use a different control board instead of the MKS GEN?

Yes, but you will need to build the Marlin-based firmware for it yourself. The documented options are the MKS GEN 1.4 or MKS GEN-L with two DRV8825 drivers, or the MKS TinyBee (ESP32) with two TMC2209 drivers.

How long does it take to emboss one page?

The project does not publish a per-page time; it depends on how many dots the page has, text or graphics. Test with a short text first.

Does it work with ordinary printer paper?

The team recommends 160 g paper; thin metal or plastic sheet also works. Ordinary 80 g printer paper is much thinner, so the dots will not hold up as well.

Is the software Windows-only?

No. AccessBrailleRAP (text to Braille) and DesktopBrailleRAP (text plus SVG graphics) come as ready installers for Windows and for Debian/Ubuntu Linux. There is no macOS installer; on a Mac you can use the browser-based BrailleRap app to generate G-code and send it with a tool like Pronterface.

Can I sell machines I build from these plans?

Yes. CERN-OHL-P v2 is a permissive open hardware licence: you can build, modify and sell machines, as long as you keep the licence and attribution notices.

Community builds

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Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

The parts are mostly standard 3D printer hardware plus a solenoid and a plywood chassis, but getting dots that are clear without tearing the paper takes tuning. What would you try first to get that right?

CompareeTEAM2mo agoedited

Practical notes from our verification: the repository is active under the braillerap organization and licensed CERN-OHL-P-2.0, a permissive licence. The build manual on Read the Docs is thorough, with an English edition at braillerap-en.readthedocs.io. The chassis is two laser-cut 5 mm plywood sheets combined with printed parts and standard 3D printer motion parts: NEMA 17 steppers, DRV8825 drivers, an MKS GEN control board, a 12 V solenoid for the punch and polymer bushings. If you have built a 3D printer, the mechanics will feel familiar; the time-sink is tuning the punch and paper feed until the dots are crisp and the paper does not tear. Correction (4 October 2026): we re-checked this page line by line against the project's own repository, documentation and videos, and fixed errors in earlier versions.

BrailleRAP team

BrailleRAP was built by a French volunteer team to address the fact that most schools in lower-income countries cannot afford commercial Braille embossers, which start at about 2,500 dollars. The project is OSHWA certified and licensed under CERN-OHL-P v2.

GitHub Web

Star the project on GitHub

DISCLAIMER

  • Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
  • Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
  • Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
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