January 28, 2020
Description
See it in action over on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EjSXqWUu18
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Active cooling
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A quick summary of how to use this.
0 – Prerequisite 1: you need to have done the extra mosfet on the board first. Please see https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1035348
0 – Prerequisite 2: The rear mounted fans need 3.0 mm more space, so you will need to use this clip-on 3 mm spacer for the Y axis end stop https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4629906
Remember to use flush counter sunk screws on the wooden logo plate of the Z-axis.
0 – Optional Prerequisite 3: because you are losing 3 mm from the rear of the build plate, you can reclaim this from the front if you use a glass bed with these clips https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3484743
1 Get all the parts together – Coffee Stirrers / M4 nuts n bolts / LED / 2x 5015 blower fans.
2 Print the main part without supports (supports are already built in)
3 The back part holding the fans do need supports.
4 Sand and cut the coffee stirrers then insert them into the holes, put the front one in first
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More detail about this cooler
This active cooler was designed for the CTC clone of the original Makerbot Replicator 1 / Flashforge creator.
This active cooler started in out in 2015 and has been updated periodically, but I haven't updated it in a while because it is working as intended and has improved the print quality and usability immensely. Added later- This is hands down the best cooler that exists for this printer. I have been using it for years and nothing compares. Every aspect of this has been designed and thought out to give you the best solution.
This cooler is special because its designed to be printed in PLA and won't melt, sag or droop in the heat! I have been using the same PLA cooler for years.
You can change airflow using slides that slot into the back of the blower to control the airflow to any nozzle or use both to at the same time giving you more power and control.
It has two LED holders that focus light on the part below the nozzle.
This cooler is designed to let you see your print being made. From the front of the printer, you can look and see the nozzle as it extrudes. It's not hidden behind a fan.
This cooler uses two 12v squirrel cage blower fans in series to work off 24v. It gives a strong flow of air.
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Why make yet another cooler?
Cooling plastic just after it's been extruded is essential on FDM printers, and there is a lot of choice for cooling on the Makerbot clones. I tried all the available coolers but found problems with all of them, they all needed more work. I really liked some of the ideas and the different ways they solved the problem, but some didn’t blow out enough air and others started to sag under the heat, some would cause parts to warp because of badly targeted airflow and most of the coolers were designed to sit at the front of the extruder causing an obscured view of the nozzle preventing intervention when things go wrong. I needed something that could cool both nozzles and allow me to fine tune the airflow to each individually. I also needed something that wouldn't obscure the view and something that would never sag even if I was using both extruders, and it would be great if it could have some sort of LED to illuminate the nozzle.
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Development
I experimented with different configurations including (see photos) compressed air and had several ideas. I didn't have access to a FLIR camera, so I used a “Temperature Sensitive Liquid Crystal Sheet” to analyse the conduction, convection, and radiation of the heat to see if I could avoid any hot spots, interestingly I found the bit between the extruder nozzles didn't get very hot even though it is so close. The vents are directed at the area directly underneath the nozzle and has been tuned by using a saucer of water placed on the bed to identify airflow and falloff. For a while the only cooling I had was from blowing the part with my mouth through a drinking straw, it works great for quick prints, but I wouldn't like to do a five-hour print like that. (laugh out loud) This was modelled in SolidWorks then FreeCAD 0.016.
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BOM (bill of materials)
Prerequisite: you need to have done the extra FET on the board first. Please see https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1035348
McDonald's splints: wooden splint coffee stirrers (order a meal and thieve a handful)
Bolts: 2X M4 diameter screw head bolts 12 mm long with 2X nuts
LED’S: 2X LED’s with a resistor to work off 24v or 12volt if used in series
Centrifugal fans: 2X 12v the blower Fans are called “5015 fan”
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Installation instruction
With your printed components in hand, snip off any support structures and sand off any nasty lumps, then make sure everything fits together.
1 The rear fan holder (twin fan holder 3.6) should be placed onto the extruder carriage first, it has hooks that fit into holes on the carriage.
2 fit the LED’s into the main body (AC body 84.16.LPS.R) then bend the wire around and clip it in to the gripper. (I run the LED’s off the fan voltage). Put two nuts into the front clamps.
3 Slide the main body (AC body 84.16.LPS.R) into the rear fan holder (twin fan holder 3.6), hold the body (AC body 84.16.LPS.R) in place while you insert the fork hooks (ARM3) into the carriage and main body (AC body 84.16.LPS.R) then insert the bolt and tighten lightly.
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License:
Creative Commons - Attribution - Non-Commercial
Pixelvalve
