Hi all, I had some funny idea on cheap multicolor extrusion upgrade. Is this going to work ? See attached. The idea is: Still one filament-feed motor needed. Multiple filaments for which only one is forced to the pully by a camshaft kind of device Hotend has multiple inputs, but only one output. So.... just switch cam and after some small delay, the extruder switches colors.... How about this ? Thomas https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,121551,121551#msg-121551 Sun, 12 Apr 2026 15:56:16 -0400 Phorum 5.2.23 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,121551,121639#msg-121639 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,121551,121639#msg-121639
Well, in mean time I added a second "exclusive/or" camshaft, which holds all filaments, except the one extruding.
They turn together so always one goes into feed mode, all other will be restrained against push-back.

Be advised, this design only has one hotend. No layer offset per color needed, so less Gcode tweaking required.

So far so good :-)

Thomas]]> Replace Reprappers Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:16:16 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,121551,121620#msg-121620 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,121551,121620#msg-121620
Cam Extruder]]> martinprice2004 Reprappers Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:00:44 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,121551,121562#msg-121562 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,121551,121562#msg-121562 I am still waiting for my first printer to be delivered, so i have no knowledge of the forces that are pushing on the melt.
However, I will give this some thought and refine the idea. Maybe a one-way clamp on each filament, like the clamp that holds the line on a sailboat ??.

Be advised in my idea that the camshaft can be operated by hand in a simple version.
In the ultimate solution, the switch will be done during Gcode, after which the extruder goes to a mini automated platform to extrude until the color is changed, after which it returns to the object to continue..... at least that is the idea too, not hinderded by any knowledge yet :-)

Please keep pointing out weaknesses in the design. This was my first attempt to visualize something likewise.

Thomas]]> Replace Reprappers Wed, 29 Feb 2012 12:02:25 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,121551,121559#msg-121559 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,121551,121559#msg-121559 nophead Reprappers Wed, 29 Feb 2012 11:36:56 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,121551,121553#msg-121553 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,121551,121553#msg-121553 Buback Reprappers Wed, 29 Feb 2012 10:46:47 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,121551,121551#msg-121551 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,121551,121551#msg-121551
I had some funny idea on cheap multicolor extrusion upgrade.
Is this going to work ? See attached.

The idea is:

Still one filament-feed motor needed.
Multiple filaments for which only one is forced to the pully by a camshaft kind of device
Hotend has multiple inputs, but only one output.

So.... just switch cam and after some small delay, the extruder switches colors....

How about this ?

Thomas]]> Replace Reprappers Wed, 29 Feb 2012 10:38:35 -0500