3D Bioprinter

Hello! I am new to these forums, feel free to let me know if I break any rules by mistake. I am prototyping a specialized 3-D printer based on the Ramps 1.4 Marlin set up. I want my prototype to be able to print structures in a 6-well plate, so it will need to have some custom G-code instructions...for example, descend into well one, print the model, rise out of well one, move to well 2, descend and print the model again, etc. Typical slicing software will include instructions that will knock the 6-well plate off the table, and I don't know of any way in Marlin, Octoprint, etc. to repeat sequential prints in tightly defined spaces with specialized start code in this way.

What is my best route here? My first inclination is to write a program for a raspberry pi that could send G-code commands to Marlin directly over the USB port. This would have the advantages of allowing me to add a touch screen with useful graphics and drop down menus for selecting which wells to print in, and which pattern to print...but the disadvantage of being a somewhat challenging endeavor.

Is there any way to get the functionality I need by working directly with the arduino+Ramps/Marlin set-up? Should I cut the Pi out of the equation, or keep it? Any input at all would be very helpful here, this project is intimidating as I am a novice in both programming and 3-D printing. Thank you for reading my mountain of text!

 

That might work, thank you very much for your input! So the idea is:
1) To use a slicer that allows me to designate different areas of the build plate as different zones
2) To very precisely describe 6 zones (one for each precise location of the well in the 6-well plate)
3) Write custom start G-code that will become the default for each print, describing how the extruder head should descend vertically to start printing rather than approaching from the side
4) Tell the program to print sequentially, meaning instead of doing, layer 1 of all 6 models, then layer 2, etc, it will fully complete model 1 before rising out of the well, moving to model two, descending (custom start G-code), and starting the next print?

It's definitely not as user friendly as a full GUI on a Raspberry pi, but it would be a helluva lot easier to code, which is exactly what I asked for. Thank you again for suggesting an interesting and potentially viable solution!