This time I’m going to modify a filament spool holder system to increase printer reliability and efficiency. This is also a good opportunity to show that metal and plastic components can be combined. At the workplace, we have a Mass Portal Grand Pharaoh XD40 plastic printer and it’s a little bit larger than the Ultimaker 2+. Mass Portal’s build plate area is cylindrical 400 x 400mm when Ultimaker 2+ can only print cubic 223 x 223 x 205mm.
The weight of the standard filament spool is 750g and it’s very annoying to replace the spool in the middle of the job. If you are printing a larger component, which is for example over 1.5 kilos, and printing time is more than 7 days, you have to replace a new spool at least twice. Sometimes it’s difficult during the weekend if the filament is going to run out. Obviously, I’m not going to spend my whole weekend at work just to replace a new spool.
One solution is to use larger spools, but then it brings some other problems. The standard filament holder is just an overhang where the spool is settled. When the spool is heavier than 750g, it causes too much friction between the spool and the overhang. Higher friction is a problem because the motor inside the printer, which is pulling the filament into the printer, is not powerful and the filament could become stuck. To solve this problem, I designed a new spool holder with bearings. Hopefully, the bearings will remove the friction almost completely.
The printer is using this kind of spool holder system:
To solve this problem, I took several dimensions from an old spool holder and from the 3kg spool and adjusted those dimensions for metal bearings. After creating the plan in my mind, it was time to draw it out using ProE. I came up with the solution that is presented in video 1. After designing the parts, I uploaded them to Cura as you can see in picture 2. I prefer printing those new parts using Ultimaker 2+ because it’s more user-friendly.
"
Usually, I print everything during the night except for very short prints. It’s always exciting to go to work and see the results. Printed parts are shown in picture 3. I made a tight-fitting between adapters and bearings, the gap was 0mm. I mounted the bearings inside the adapters by just pressing them into each other.
The new spool holder system works like a dream and the video 2 shows how easily it’s spinning. Picture 4 is presenting the new spool holder which is mounted on the printer side by side with an old system. The printer can use two different filaments at the same time.
It’s amazing what you can do just using 3D printers and design programs, only the sky is the limit. You don’t need any factories to make your parts because you have the factory at home!
-markos86
