Radial print cooling fans

I recently finished a CoreXY printer, and wanted to mount some 50mm radial fans for print cooling. I came up with a bright idea for mounting them vertically alongside the hot-end - but found that they didn't quite fit!

However, I did find that they would fit really well on my Prusa i3, so I've put together this Thingiverse presentation with the hope that it will help other Prusa owners (it may also work for other types of printers).

Note that I have shown 2 styles of bracket - one straight and one bent - choose whichever works for you (I used the straight type). If neither works exactly as you would like then most parameters can be easily changed in the SCAD files. The nozzle width can also be adjusted by changing parameters in its SCAD file.

Incidentally - I did come up with a solution for my CoreXY, which can be found here: https://www.printables.com/model/494261

Update: 12/02/2016

I found that these 2 fans are too efficient for the poor hot-end, to the point where they would chill the nozzle when running at anywhere over 50%. Because of this I designed an air duct that pointed down by about 45 degrees; the fans still cool the extruded plastic but most of the air misses the hot-end nozzle block, which stays at the set temperature.

Print Settings

Printer:

Prusa i3

Rafts: 

No

Supports:

No

Resolution: 

0.2 or 0.3

Infill:

100%

Notes:

The brackets were printed with PLA, and the nozzles in ABS (as they are so close to the hot-end).

Post-Printing 

Fix the chosen bracket to the underside of the hot-end mount, using the M4 bolt (you will probably need to fit one that is longer than the original).

Push each fan's top screw mount into its bracket and fix with more M4 screws and nuts.

Push the nozzles into the fans (you might need a drop of glue) and aim them at the bed just in front of the hot-end nozzle. Tighten the fixing screws, and you're done!

Category: 3D Printer Parts