Hictop D3 Hero Extruder Upgrade

Last crawled date: 4 years, 3 months ago

All the parts needed to upgrade a Hictop D3 Hero and relatives to use an Aluminum BMG clone with Volcano clone hot end. Re-uses the stock stepper, heater, thermistor, and extruder pcb. The Mount has a built in flexure driven by a M3x16 screw for calibrating the nozzle height.
Supplied part models fit the P1 side of the printer. Print the parts mirrored to fit the P2 side. (or use the included mirror config file for PrusaSlicer to print the P1 and P2 parts at the same time)
Extruder needs a 24v 3010 fan and the part cooling either uses the stock 4010 blowers, or for much better cooling a 24v 5015 blower. I used the stock steppers, but significant weight can be saved by switching to short steppers. I used the parts below.
1x right and 1x left Aluminum BMG clones https://www.amazon.com/3D-3DMKE-01-Compatible-Extrusion-Switchable/dp/B07PPP9NFL/
2x Clone Volcano kits https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D6DY417/
1x Silocon sock pack https://www.amazon.com/E3D-Volcano-Silicone-Sock-VOLCANO-SOCK-3PACK/dp/B078RWQ1T2/
1x Ti heat break pair https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BZMB6QM/
1x 3010 24v fan 5-pack https://www.amazon.com/WINSINN-Bearing-30x30x10mm-Cooling-Extruder/dp/B07DB59XP8/
2x 11mm of Teflon Bowden tube.
misc M3 and M4 screws and nuts.
Once installed, you only need to do two more things. First adjust the E-step constant in the printer, 430 works well for me. Fyi, this function is VERY buggy and requires the printer to be fully re-started every time the E-steps are changed. Second, add a -10mm Y-offset to the printer origin in the slicer. The y-axis has plenty of over-travel to deal with the extruder offset added by this mount.
Fan duct E3 is for the stock 4010 part cooling blowers and uses the stock fan screws. Fan duct E4 is for an optional 5015 blower and uses zip-ties and one M3x20 screw to attach the fan. Includes updated versions of my purge buckets and nozzle seal parts to better work with the new extruder offset. Finally it includes a flexure fan mount in case your controller cooling fan makes a ton of noise like mine used to.