Multi-Extrusion system for Scalar 3D Printer by 3DModularSystems

Last crawled date: 3 years, 1 month ago

Description
These parts are used to make Scalar 3D printers compatible with DUal extrusion.
Dual extrusion is made using a "Y" like convector.
This system is based on the idea from "distechautomation" who is making the Prometheus Hotend providing a dual extrusion system using 1 single hotend.
The idea was then taken back by Prusa Research and improved to 4 color system using a multiplexer board. The multiplexer board makes it possible to use this system with 4 extruders using a standard Ramps 1.4 board and a single stepper motor driver!
We redesigned the system for a simple 2 extruders system so that it can fit our Scalar 3D printers.
Compatibility
These parts are compatible with 1.75mm filament only for now.
It was tested using E3D Lite hotend.
What you need
2 Pneufit connectors ( http://3dmodularsystems.com/en/mechanical/223-m6-push-to-fit-pneufit-connector-for-4mm-od-ptfe-tubes-compatible-with-175mm-filament.html )
2 PTFE tubes for 1.75mm filament (length depends on where you place your extruders) (http://3dmodularsystems.com/en/mechanical/152-black-ptfe-tube-for-3mm-3d-printer-filament.html)
A few Thermoplastic Screws (M3x8 and M3x16)
a few M6x12 and Tnuts for extruder holders on extrusion profiles.
1 extra extruder and Drive gear.
How it works
The filament will converge into 1 single output.
So your extruder will push 1 filament into the hot end, then during color change the current filament will fully be retracted from the hot end and the second filament will be pushed into the hot end.
You might need to apply more than 100mm of retraction so that the filament is fully extracted from the tubing system into the Y plastic parts.
You will need to insert the tubes from extruder into the "Y3 plastic parts up to the middle of it.
On the exit you need to make sure that the PTFE tube that goes inside the hotend is also entering the exit of the "Y" plastic part. (there is a special groove for it).
Also make sure the PTFE tube coming from the hotend is grooved with some conic tool (a crew driver or something similar) in order to create an entering cone into the PTFE tube.
About the provided holder it should fit on top of the hot end mount from Scalar 3D printers.
Existing Multi color units
Here is a cool one using 5 colors:https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2403517 thanks to sportssedan for sharing !
3D Modular Systems
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