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Topic: Fan duct for Solidoodle 4?

Has anyone made a fan duct for Solidoodle 4?
The extruder has a fan on the side which could be moved down and used for that.
Mounting on front instead would cause the fan duct to collide with the front (door) of the enclosure.

Solidoodle 4

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Re: Fan duct for Solidoodle 4?

might look at this one
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:445253

SD2 - Glass Bed, Fans on PCB and Y motor, Custom enclosure
Slicer - Simplify3D

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Re: Fan duct for Solidoodle 4?

Thanks. but...

I'm still working on this design cause the air flow is not powerfull enough and the duct is to close to the hot end so it starts melting after a long use.

Solidoodle 4

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Re: Fan duct for Solidoodle 4?

Here's the fan duct I designed for E3D and stock SD4 carriage:

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:621383

Here's a good example of the kind of overhang you can accomplish without supports.  No dropped loops - even under the octopus' main body.

http://www.soliforum.com/misc.php?action=pun_attachment&item=7663

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Re: Fan duct for Solidoodle 4?

Nice one.
I'll see what needs to be changed to work with the stock hotend.

Did you notice any difference on the quality of the left side of your print compared to the right? Just asking because Ultimaker seems to be using two from both sides.
How is the printed duct part which is around the nozzle handling the heat? I heard some designs melt after long print because they are too close.

BTW that octopus model print looks great. Except I notice some "crack" at the top. Could be a backlash thing.
Also, what are the lines below the octopus? Seems like a some kind of brim but the plastic lines have gap between each other like a Support does.

Solidoodle 4

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Re: Fan duct for Solidoodle 4?

I have not noticed any left/right phenomena although your are right, the airflow is a bit stronger coming from the left side.  I printed the duct in Nylon since it takes a higher temperature.  It's held up fine so far.  Don't even see any discoloration near the heater and I have many, many hours on it.  It doesn't touch and the constant air flowing through it helps, I think.  I did have to come up with a low profile glass mount to prevent the fan from hitting.  You can see one clamp in the back (clamps from the sides and I replaced my heater bed with something that is wicked flat (http://www.soliforum.com/topic/9004/sd4 … on/page/3/) so I don't need any downward force.

The crack at the very top is a new thing - not a clue.  Didn't get that on my first print of the original model (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:584405).  Am now printing a modified version so I can print the eyes in a different color and add a beak.  Maybe I just hit some grit on the filament or something...  Printing again  - we'll see.  Also still fighting random banding on the Z axis (printing at .19755mm (28steps)).  I suspect that, too, is a filament feed/tension thing.

7 (edited by TickTock 2015-01-31 22:41:49)

Re: Fan duct for Solidoodle 4?

The layers below the octopus is a raft.  This was the first time I tried it.  The bottom of my prints all look glassy and flat and I was hoping putting it on a raft would make the finish look more consistent with the top.  It didn't so I'm going back to printing directly on the glass.

Here's what it looks like on it's back:

http://www.soliforum.com/misc.php?action=pun_attachment&item=7664

No miracles - some drooping is evident but not bad for an almost 90 degree overhang.  You can also see how the bottom looks with the raft removed.  Not glassy flat, but it's hard to distinguish the raft from the bottom layer so it ends up looking messy.

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8 (edited by jagowilson 2015-01-31 23:05:25)

Re: Fan duct for Solidoodle 4?

You can sand the bottom of the prints to remove that glassy look. I keep my bed pretty filthy because it seems to help with adhesion so if I'm giving a print away i usually sand the bottom to remove the coloring from my glass grit.

I usually print 100% infill so I don't have to be crazy cautious about how much I sand but if you are using non solid fill then care is required.

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Re: Fan duct for Solidoodle 4?

What grit?

Interesting comment about the "filthy" bed.  Do you reapply hairspray on top of the old?  I always clean mine first.  Goes to show how this is still very much more an art than a science - I have the opposite experience.  After putting a fresh plate on, I get maybe ten prints before things stop sticking so well and I need to swap out the glass.  I keep four ready to go with the hair spray applied (don't like spraying while in the machine - can't be good for the bearings or lubrication) and once I use the last plate I clean them all with alcohol, and reapply fresh hairspray.

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Re: Fan duct for Solidoodle 4?

For a really fine finish on the bottom I start with 120 and work my way up.

I think there's some science to it. The texture gives the plastic a surface to grip to, but There may be a chemical bond of some sort between the aquanet and plastic as well. I've attached a picture of my bed glass. It is pretty filthy. I have utilized my entire build volume without warping even though I use the stock heater. Spraying aquanet on both sides of the glass and using that for bed adhesion also creates a much more level surface than binder clips.

Definitely don't spray inside the machine!

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Re: Fan duct for Solidoodle 4?

Nice.  So you have cultivated a hairspray/ABS/PLA/Nylon (and whatever else you print) coating.  Kinda like seasoning a cast iron pan!  :-)  Maybe I'll give that a shot with one of my plates.

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Re: Fan duct for Solidoodle 4?

Yep, I call it my lucky plate! big_smile

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Re: Fan duct for Solidoodle 4?

jagowilson wrote:

Spraying aquanet on both sides of the glass and using that for bed adhesion also creates a much more level surface than binder clips.

What if you want to take off the glass plate though?

Solidoodle 4

14 (edited by jagowilson 2015-02-01 19:50:53)

Re: Fan duct for Solidoodle 4?

redbarret wrote:
jagowilson wrote:

Spraying aquanet on both sides of the glass and using that for bed adhesion also creates a much more level surface than binder clips.

What if you want to take off the glass plate though?

You just put the scraper Solidoodle gave you under it and it comes right up. Then just put the glass back and let it sit for a minute or two before starting your next print. I have to renew the bottom hairspray every 10 prints or so or the head will knock the glass around.

I go through a lot of aquanet but it's so cheap I don't mind. It's like $2 at Walmart here.

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Re: Fan duct for Solidoodle 4?

Ah, I thought it would stick too well to be able to take it off easily. Thanks.

Solidoodle 4

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Re: Fan duct for Solidoodle 4?

I had the fan off to adjust my wires and decide to do a proper experiment.  I printed four tentacle segments of the octopus recently featured on Thingiverse at 2X scale.  First without the fan and again after reattaching the fan.  Everything else held constant (same slicer code, filament, temperatures, etc).  The benefit of the extruder fan is clear (top four are with fan on and bottom four and sans fan).

http://www.soliforum.com/misc.php?action=pun_attachment&item=7758

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Re: Fan duct for Solidoodle 4?

jagowilson wrote:

Yep, I call it my lucky plate! big_smile

That is some plate! I really laughed about the cast iron comment, have half a dozen cast iron pans and that was the first thing I thought too!

FuseBox 1.5 CoreXY - e3dv6 - Graphic Smart Display
Solidoodle 2 - e3dv6 - Hobb Goblin - e3d Titan - lawsy carriages - Direct Drive Y Axis - T8 Z axis - OctoPi

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Re: Fan duct for Solidoodle 4?

TickTock wrote:

I had the fan off to adjust my wires and decide to do a proper experiment.  I printed four tentacle segments of the octopus recently featured on Thingiverse at 2X scale.  First without the fan and again after reattaching the fan.  Everything else held constant (same slicer code, filament, temperatures, etc).  The benefit of the extruder fan is clear (top four are with fan on and bottom four and sans fan).

Cool.
Pla/abs?
Infill settings, and support disabled?

Solidoodle 4

19 (edited by TickTock 2015-02-07 13:28:54)

Re: Fan duct for Solidoodle 4?

redbarret wrote:
TickTock wrote:

I had the fan off to adjust my wires and decide to do a proper experiment.  I printed four tentacle segments of the octopus recently featured on Thingiverse at 2X scale.  First without the fan and again after reattaching the fan.  Everything else held constant (same slicer code, filament, temperatures, etc).  The benefit of the extruder fan is clear (top four are with fan on and bottom four and sans fan).

Cool.
Pla/abs?
Infill settings, and support disabled?

  • ABS (eBay seller:eshop2018 - love this filament, I have too many spools from other suppliers I cannot make print well)

  • no support

  • 40% infill

  • 4 perimeters minimum + 4 solid layers top & bottom

  • 0.19755 layer height

  • 150% first layer height for adhesion (I get some lifting at 100% and 200% breaks the glass when I try to remove)

  • 100C bed temp (105C first layer)

  • 205C extruder temp

  • 50mm/s perimeter

  • 60mm/s infill

  • glass bed+hair spray

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Re: Fan duct for Solidoodle 4?

Sounds pretty good.
You can try some test prints on Thingiverse for overhangs if you want to test further how food a fan is for printing. http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:33902

I think what you can do now is to try to increase the speed of youe printer and see if your new fan allows to run faster.

Solidoodle 4

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Re: Fan duct for Solidoodle 4?

The thing that limits my speed is the extruder stepper.  If I go much over 150% feedrate at these settings, I can see the stepper slipping.  I'll try again some day with elevated temperatures.

22 (edited by redbarret 2015-02-08 14:52:15)

Re: Fan duct for Solidoodle 4?

It could be the motor's torque being not enough, but I doubt it. If that's the case, I think there's some mod for using bearings on the spool holder so the spool will rotate easier and another mod for making a vertical spool feeding system, but then I guess you don't have a heated chamber anymore as the top will need to be open.

EDIT: Odd, cant find a Solidoodle spool size "filament spool bearing cap" like this one http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:69520
As for vertical spool holders, there are several
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:39879
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:97734

Solidoodle 4

23 (edited by TickTock 2015-02-08 17:19:08)

Re: Fan duct for Solidoodle 4?

I plan to build a clear, pyramid shaped, lid some day with a small aperture at the top for filament and mounts for the spool to allow overhead feed and still keep the enclosure intact but that is more a sidewall quality thing (I see perturbations on the front wall coinciding with the "pull").  The stepper slippage, however, occurs even when not pulling on the spool.  It is an insufficient torque for the extruder temperature thing.  Since the thermister is not in direct contact with the extrusion, there will be some flow dependent delta_T.  Elevating the temperature should help, I just haven't gotten around to trying it since I have plenty to keep me busy while the printer is doing it's thing.  But you are right (and to get back on topic :-)), adding the fan *should* enable me to increase speed - especially when printing smaller parts with insufficient time for the layers to cool passively.