D-PATCH

taconite

Started working on the Tool-Changer itself

taconite

Hey guys,

worked a little bit more on the printer.
I got the first automatic tool change (even if it needs a little more tuning), but it's a first step in the "proof of concept" direction (which I already did with the first prototyp).

https://youtu.be/OE60ZKuhTJ0

fšk

@taconite that's a cool design. Where did you get the tapered metal parts?

taconite

@fšk thank you
I designed the tool so, that it utalizes standard stock material. The tapered part was done by a friend of mine on a standard lathe.

taconite

Tool Change Scripts

taconite

Tool Changing of two tools can be seen here:
https://youtu.be/nLvNUum48fg

upcoming is the first multi-material print

JoergS5

@taconite that's a nice tool changer!

HebigT

@taconite Hey any thoughts about preventing heat-creep after a (hot) tool is placed back on the carousel?

taconite

@JoergS5 Thank you
@jpomo10 of course ;). There are multiple options:

set the stand-by temperature so low, that a equilibrium is reached
(+ no additional fans, - long heat up time)
one fan for each tool in parking position
(+ sufficient cooling, - lot of fans with lots of noise)
one bigger fan with a fan-duct to direct the air to the heat sinks of the tools in parking position

For now I have no fans at all. So after the first prints I had not a lot of heat creep and no problems with jams. But I guess I will move on with option 3

BTW: I posted another video of the first dual color print on youtube

Veti

this looks like a sci fi attack hovercraft

HebigT

@taconite Thanks for the reply!

Is the tool-changer "carriage" set up as an additional axis? How does it increment along with the Z-axis?

taconite

@jpomo10
Yep it is set up as U axis. I wrote a custom post-processing script for cura

taconite

Hey guys,

I keep posting small videos - some are not really special but I still want to share them with you: https://youtu.be/6-CR_1vN3cE

In this small video I print with my go-to 100mm/s-profile

And I just uploaded a video of the change of 4 tools
https://youtu.be/aJt_HRal5rY

HebigT

@taconite Thanks for the links!

Also, check out the posts about a TC Delta on this page: https://twitter.com/deltamaker

taconite

@jpomo10 Nice to see that others are thinking about options aswell.

To be honest these were my first attempts aswell. The first concept was magnets and the second one permanent-electromagnets after that, but after a lot of testing I decided not to use magnets.

taconite

Hello guys,

I went a new way for the cooling of the tools without some parts of the sci fi attack hovercraft.
I added a fan to each tool instead. The data shows that the cooling is sufficient.

taconite

Hey guys,

so at the moment the printer is 99% finished. Just some minor modifications need to be done.

If there is interest in the community I will put the files on thingiverse and a BOM and some instructions on github - just let me know.

o_lampe

@taconite said in D-PATCH:

If there is interest in the community I will put the files on thingiverse and a BOM

I'm sure there is a big interest, but the custom CNC parts are cooling down my curiosity.
Why not open a (kickstarter) campaign and sell the required parts?

taconite

@o_lampe
Valid point but the good thing is the only custom CNC part necessary are the conical rings for the tools and those will not break the bank.

The sheet metal parts are not needed for the system to work. Everything else can be 3d printed or not a problem to source.

Currently I am working on an improved V3 which need more metal parts to be custom made, but this version should be a good option for the typical maker

o_lampe

@taconite said in D-PATCH:

The pieces of the bayonet that lock the tool are angled so a downward force is created by the rotation of the bayonet. It is locking onto 3 zylindrical pins that are placed 120° apart from each other so that the locking is uniformly

This part is the most interesting detail to me.
I'm currently planning to make a tool changer for my CoreXY with a Titan extruder. I want to change the heatsink only and until now I'm on a magnetic twist & snap road. Your design looks much easier to implement, but a CoreXY can't lower the effector to release the heatsink.
Anyway, I'll mention you in my Biography if I steal this idea from you