Smart Effector including toolboard-capabilities?

justus2342

I really like the concept of the Duet 3 Toolboard. But since I mainly use delta-printers, it is of limited use for me.

I would really like to see a new revision of the smart effector, which includes the capabilities from a Duet 3 Toolboard. It would be really awesome, to be able to reduce the number of wires going to the effector.

Currently I need 6 + 6 + 1 Wire (2x temp, 4x zprobe + 4x fan (2x2), 2x heater + fan tacho signal). With toolboard-effector it would be 2 + 4 Wires (2x Power + 4x CAN), whereby I would consider the CAN-wires actually as single cable. However, it would reduce the number of wires by at least 50%.

Are there any plans for a smart effector like this?

If not, please consider this as a suggestion for future hardware development.

dc42

What extruder drive would you use it with?

justus2342

@dc42 I am not entirely sure what exactly you mean by "extruder drive". I will assume, you want to know where I would like to mount the extruder motor – and thus raising the question if it makes sense to have a stepper driver on the smart effector.

In my opinion it would be nice, but is not necessary in all cases. It would not help with a remote extruder, mounted on one of the delta towers and it would also be of limited help with a "remote-direct"-extruder like the zesty nible.

On my delta-printers I use flying extruders. In this case it really is useful, because the wires to drive the stepper motor can go the (probably much shorter) way from the effector to the motor and do not need to go all the way from the mainboard to the effector.

Basically yes. I would appreciate a stepper driver on the effector.

oliof

@dc42 it could be used with the Galileo/Orbiter or Flex3Drive extruder drives which can be driven by a NEMA8 stepper and weigh in at 100g or less, including the stepper. Nimble v1 also can be driven with a NEMA8 (v2 cannot due to the changed gear ratio IIRC).

dc42

It wouldn't make sense to use a tool board with a remote direct drive extruder (Flex3drive or Nimble) because you would need long wires going back to the extruder motor. It would make most sense to integrate the tool board with the effector if the extruder drive is small and light enough to mount on the effector.

We have some work under way to reduce the amount of space taken up by the strain gauge of the effector, which would pave the way for adding extra electronics.

oliof

The nema8s are mounted straight into the extruders, no flex shafts involved, in the configurations I mentioned.

Example flex3drive with nema8: https://flex3drive.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/G5-Nema8-1-4-1.jpg

Example Orbiter with LDO nema8:
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/H5c7149c2d4384014a948f7c65822f4d1j/Orbiter-extruder-full-kit-mit-geh-rteten-1-75mm-getriebe-SLS-PA12-gedruckt-teile-LDO-36STH17.jpg_q50.jpg

dc42

Thanks, those extruders look promising.

A Former User

I like the look of the orbiter, i might have to get one to test on my delta

dc42

I have ordered an Orbiter extruder so that I can look into the feasibility of this idea.

Veti

@dc42 said in Smart Effector including toolboard-capabilities?:

I have ordered an Orbiter extruder so that I can look into the feasibility of this idea.

awesome.

oliof

@dc42 if you ordered the blurolls version: Mine did come with off-spec holes for the axles since the original models are made for FDM tolerances but it's been made with SLS Nylon; re-printing the idler arm was sufficient to make everything fit.

A Former User

@oliof said in Smart Effector including toolboard-capabilities?:

@dc42 if you ordered the blurolls version: Mine did come with off-spec holes for the axles since the original models are made for FDM tolerances but it's been made with SLS Nylon; re-printing the idler arm was sufficient to make everything fit.

What are you considering to be the idler arm? A picture would help.

I bought one from "sealander" (although they do say it is by blurolls) so we will see what happens in three months time, after it has been half way around the world on the slow boat from China

oliof

@CaLviNx Sealand and blurolls are one and the same. And you're right, there is no idler arm, on the thingiverse listing it's the Latch.

A Former User

@oliof said in Smart Effector including toolboard-capabilities?:

@CaLviNx Sealand and blurolls are one and the same. And you're right, there is no idler arm, on the thingiverse listing it's the Latch.

Thank you for the update, that was why I asked.
I have an adapter drawn up to allow fitment to the smart effector, I might try to see if I can sneak in a standard sized tool board (LC-1) in there too.

Dougal1957

@oliof said in Smart Effector including toolboard-capabilities?:

@dc42 if you ordered the blurolls version: Mine did come with off-spec holes for the axles since the original models are made for FDM tolerances but it's been made with SLS Nylon; re-printing the idler arm was sufficient to make everything fit.

In what way where the holes off Spec (small or large)?

oliof

@Dougal1957 the holes are too large (4.25mm diameter rather than 4mm). I printed a replacement latch in ASA and the axles just press fit nicely.

Dougal1957

@oliof all 3 of mine came spot on both the 3mm hinge pin and 4mm idler shafts fit just fine so maybe they have tweaked there files to suit. All three did have packing issues mind the first came without the drive gears and the last 2 came without the feast couplings but Blurolls have sorted that issue out and I now have 3 fitted to the Jubilee ToolChanger

A Former User

Mine came in this past week with the shaft too small (2.9mm) and the holes on the arm too big (3.1mm)

oliof

@Dougal1957 good to hear they at least read my feedback (-:

dc42

Mine came at last. The 4mm idler axle wouldn't fit into the latch at first, I had to ream out the hole at one end of the latch a little and then use a hammer to tap it into the other end. I have one long M3 screw and nut left over - no idea what those are for.