Mount/ enclosure design challenge
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Thanks all for the work.
ssrp - nice and minimalist, might struggle with slightly flexible filaments though. Will be interesting to see. I like the flange bearing for the idler - makes it harder for the filament to slip out. How do you adjust the idler tension?
pogo1234 - I see now, I take it there are pneumatic style bowden couplers on both sides?
edwardo - two great ideas in this, a groove mount adaptor for a titan and the PTFE almost completely enclosing the filament. Something like this will probably be really important for flexible filaments. I have not done enough experimenting with flexibles and the filament monitor yet but really flexible stuff is difficult so this is probably part of the solution (another part being a very smooth running filament reel mount so the filament does not stretch at all.)
I have time set aside tomorrow to assemble and test the last of the beta boards. I am then going to contact as many people as I have spare boards to work out how we are going to get you one.
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pogo1234 - I see now, I take it there are pneumatic style bowden couplers on both sides?
Yes, I use the grove mount style from here ( https://www.filastruder.com/collections/e3d-spare-parts-and-accessories/products/bowden-couplings-all-types?variant=21286000324)
It seems they are pretty easy to get and I have had great success with them. I will add them to the hardware list. Thanks for the feedback. -
I had some issues today with some movement only using two of the mounting holes on the Smart Effector, I only used 2 due to the clip on the 6 way connector being on the inside. I will at some point reverse the connector to allow better use of that mount hole, it needs to use all 3.
Optimizing for flexible filaments shouldn't be too difficult, the the ptfe tube was originally further through the bottom of the mount and cut angled to get closer to the hobbed bolt and bearing.
Tensioning is done by a small torsion spring visible just below flanged bearing. The hobbed bolt and bearing have so little friction i didn't deem that much pressure on the filament to be required, although appreciate it must not slip! -
Sorry, I am a bit late to the game, been way too busy designing adapters.
Here is my version: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2587313It is a simple stacked design. Originally the stacks were identical, but the bowden tube need made it a little more tricky and now there are 2 separate stacks or bearing housings.
The top most stack has smaller bolt holes so that thread can be tapped in it, to remove the need for nuts on that side.The two ends for the bowden tube are the same, so it is reversible making sure the user can always see the LEDs.
The box that holds the PCB is easy to modify, so that any mounting system can be used. For now I have a simple clip that clips it to the drive cable of the Nimble.
Doug has printed the version without the bowden tubes and it looks pretty.
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/106223050856341504/369060200939782144/20171015_105042.jpg -
I have a different design, but that needs to be SLS printed, it cannot be printed using FDM.
It only uses 2 bearings and the magnet screw with hob, nothing else.
But I will need to add bowden points to that.
The big advantage of this design is that the filament can be slipped in, no need to thread it through the housing. In other words, it can be slipped into place after the filament has been loaded.If you are still interested, despite the fact that it is SLS printed, let me know.
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Hi Lykle,
That's a great idea, I knew there was a neater way to do it, mine has been working but it makes getting to the breach a PITA. I will print one now and try it.
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Just one thing, the Duet3D version retains the bearing of magnet shaft, in your version it does not. I found this with my version also, and solved it by applying a drop of adhesive to the outer of the bearing to stop it sliding out slightly which brings the magnet away from the PCB and causes it to stop working, maybe worth placing a small flange over the front of bearing block 1 like this:
Of course, it might be that the bearing will be an interference fit and this won't be necessary.
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I had a devil of a time getting the bearings in. I doubt if they would walk out by themselves
But, always good to add some safety measures -
Cool, I printed it and assembled it yesterday, you're right please ignore my addition above, it doesn't give quite enough room for the magnet shaft to sit above the sensor chip.
It's much easier to get to the breach and change filament etc.. than with my version.
I ran calibration but was getting rather vague results as the unit visibly moves up and down when retracting/un-retracting as its only held by the clip onto the drive cable. I might add a second clip to prevent this unit from rotating like this.
Also how best to attach the Bowden tube at the Nimble end? Is there a mod for a Bowden tube to fit to the nimble? So far I've just been pinching the lower end of the tube behind the breach,
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Yeah, there is no real solution for the bowden tube to the Nimble, yet.
This was more the general design for use in any situation.
For the Nimble I have a different design, that needs to be SLS printed, but clicks in properly.
How the PTFE tube sits between the two units, I dunno yet. Still working on that, as it was a new requirement for me. I should have realised of course, but hey. -
Lykle
Don't know if this might be a better way of mounting or not Can't draw it but in words rather than clip to the drive tube could it have a pocket that would sit over the tube clamp on the nimble and then secure using the single screw that also holds down the tube clamp maybe with a slotted part so that the screw can just be loosened to allow the mount to pivot out of the way?
Just a thought
Doug
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One thing I can say is that I am not getting any sort of consistent calibration of the filament sensor with this setup, there is just too much movement of the unit relative to the extruder. Its worth investigating Doug's idea, as whilst my design was more fiddly and made loading/unloading filament way more difficult, the function of the filament sensor was very stable, as the unit was rigidly held in place.
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Yep, revision coming up.
And added. For now I have simply added a clip that clamps onto the bolt of the Nimble. It should be tight enough to hold the sensor in place.
I wanted to do a bracket that would fit under the screw, but that makes mounting it next to impossible and would make it very difficult to print.
But I have thought of another way to do it and will try that out as well. I intend to not put the bracket on the PCB Box but on the first stack. That way it can be assembled in place.If this works, I will have to change the shape of the Nimble and of the breech block itself to allow more space for the bowden between the sensor and the Nimble. It will make a re-design necessary, but hey, it is what I do.
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Hi All
Thanks to everyone who has contributed a design, I count 7 people who have responsed to this thread and uploaded a design. Sorry I have been so slow in getting the beta boards out to you. Please can you email info@duet3d.com with your address and a link to your thingiverse/other design so I can get a beta filament monitor kit on the way to you.
Cheers
Tony
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A little update, I have moved my design to a V2. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2551302
I have also included a modified version of Lykle's Nimble mount for smart effector which incorporates a nut trap, to hold the large nut keeping the heatsink in place. This prevents it loosening/turning, and means you can work on your heater block without worrying the nut will come loose (as you can't get a tool in there to hold it and tighten it). No need for Bowden tube between the Nimble and the filament monitor, even with 1.75mm filament the mount is stiff enough to calibrate to +/-9%.
I have also taken the opportunity to place a 3rd screw from the base of the filament monitor mount, which sits just below the drive cable down to the Nimble mount. This addresses the issue with the drive cable only being held on one side, but it only works if the connection between the drive cable base (which has a small notch on it to retain it) and my filament monitor bracket is tight.
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Received my filament monitor today thanks!
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Received mine too thank you!!
I changed my printer from bowden to direct during last week
I think bowden setup will be easier , you have plenty of space where to mount the sensor and previous mount fit perfectly. In direct mode I am worried about lack of space between sensor - extruder and hotend collect . Specifically in my setup with titan , could be hard to push the lever for manually insert the filament.
I am thinking to test a "fly "mount of the sensor.
hotend- PTFE tube- pneumatic connector - filament sensor- pneumatic connector - PTFE tube- filament reel
with the sensor not secured to the printer body, maintenance will be easy .
do you think could work? -
goold to hear you have received yours
If you look at the pictures on the wiki you will see i have mounted mine just above the titan, there is enough room to use the filament load leaver.
If you do go for a flying setup you need to ensure that the filament cannot push the sensor back up at all on retract or else you will get an issue with retractions not registering properly.
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I am still setting up the printer. I hope I'll be able to do some tests during the next week end.
My worries with a filament sensor connected near the titan is that the ptfe tube connecting the 2 part ( titan and sensor) would be too rigid to make the lever works correctly. Do you experience such problems with your setup?This is a photo of what I would like to test.
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I made a setup for the direct corexy D-bot printer here https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2624832
I am afraid that the load lever will be very hard to operate with the the tube so near. I need to test it .
