Filament buffer for multi-material FDM 3D printers
Special Note: I have uploaded the Stern-Wheeler to printables. This github will remain and I will keep it updated. Please consider downloading from printables however, as I do enjoy earning free prusament. :-) The mini and mega sizes will not be available here and will only be available on printables.
Thank you to everyone who gave feedback and helped with development!
https://www.printables.com/model/472316-stern-wheeler
Change log: 5/22/2023
- Centered bearings in the wheel. The wheel should be (slightly) more stable
- Added a pic of a loaded 6 lane stern-wheeler to PICs folder
- Added parts for a 9 lane version to printables. This has not been tested by me. Keep in mind that more lanes means more friction.
5/10/2023
- Lengthened axel to interface with a pocket added to the cover, and enlarged the spacer to fit around the axel. This improves wheel alignment during assembly, and makes the wheel installation more robust. See section view added to pics below. (I had a situation where the filament spool got jammed causing the extruder to pull the filament hard enough to misalign the wheel. This change is meant to prevent this.)
- Remodeled the wheel-mount so that it overlaps the joint between lane #1 and the wheel. This will prevent the thin wall of lane 1 from deflecting and making a gap where filament can escape.
- Added embossed "F" and "B" to the front and back of the wheel to aid during installation.
- Reversed wheel print orientation - it now prints on it's front face instead of the back face. This prevents possible wheel misalignment caused by drooping filament in the bearing pocket bridges.
To update an existing stern-wheeler with these improvements, print and install the following parts:
- wheel-mount
- axel
- spacer
- cover
5/6/2023
- Published these files at printables.com
- Added mini and mega sizes to printables
- Removed assembly instructions and replaced with an exploded view (a picture is worth 1000 words)
5/4/2023
- Removed ridges from wheel and added scallops. Greatly reduces wheel friction.
- Added a notch to the wheel for the print seam. Make sure your slicer takes advantage! Reduces wheel friction.
- Loosened fit of pins slightly to prevent lane cracking during assembly.
- Reduced thru hole diameter for 5mm fasteners on axel. Positions wheel more accurately during assembly.
- Rolled back increased clearance between lanes and wheel from 4/7 update. Not needed with new wheel design.
4/7/2023
- Oriented stl's for printing
- Lengthened pins and added matching recesses to clamps, mount, and wheel mount. Should help with wheel alignment during assembly.
- Increased clearance between lanes and wheel by 0.1mm
- Added hex feature to axle that recesses into the wheel mount. Should make assembly easier.
- Removed material from bottom of wheel to make wheel alignment easier
- Made filament path "ambidextrous" so either side can be the inlet or outlet
- Added BOM
- Added written printing and assembly instructions to this readme
BOM
- 2x 608 Bearings
- 12x M3 heatset inserts
- 12x M3x8 or M3x10 cap screws
- 2x M5x16 button head screws
- about 700g of filament (for a 6 lane standard size buffer in ABS)
Printing instructions:
- Designed to be printed with ABS. If you mix materials make sure that they have equal amount of shrinkage or your wheel might not fit!
- 2 perimeters, 15% infill for wheel
- 4 perimeters, 40% infill for everything else
Assembly instructions:
- See exploded view. ;-)
