Universal 3D printing filament spool standard 2014

Hello Everyone,

Just a quick note to say thank you to everyone here who has added comments, ideas and discussion for this universal filament spool standard.

I'm pleased to say after a lot of discussions, thought and ideas, a draft standard document has been produced.

It's not intended to be set in stone, and it's a completely open standard based on the good feedback here and with many filament manufacturers around the world.

It has no agenda other than to try and make things better for the users and filament makers.

It's having a review's before release, I will update as soon as it's available. I have also made an overview video, that will go up on Youtube at the same time.

Thanks again for all your efforts, and I hope we can encourage people to ask for more standards and promote interoperability between suppliers and users.

Best Regards,

Richard (RichRap)

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[richrap.blogspot.com]

Hi Rich,

Do you have any idea what spool size is currently the most used?
Changing a spool standard should also be made more easy for the smaller industries, else the big ones just use it to make their monopoly status higher.

You have quiet some responsibility here. :-)

As promised the Universal 3D Printing Filament Spool Standard has now been released.



An update and YouTube video explaining some of the challenges and ideas used in the standard can be found on my Blog here

A Youmagine page containing the standard and any other files as required is active here

And the 3D Printing Association is also supporting the standard, they are interested in feedback from consumers / users and all plastic filament manufacturers.




Let me know what you think - It's an open standard, so it needs people to get involved, take an interest and hopefully implement the concept.

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[richrap.blogspot.com]

Ok it's really nice.

Some improvement in the case we'd like it to be printable:

• lengthen the middle part to get it bed touching.
• round the inside to avoid bridge failure

My point of view

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Reprappro Tricolour Mendel / Alpes-Maritimes [06] (FRANCE) - 06530 PEYMEINADE

how about some holes to fix the filament when removing an half used spool on the edge of the spool (maybe two holes in a distance of 20mm every 90°)?.

Edit: oh and i forgot a "starting" hole for the companies to wind the filament on the spool

Chri

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/01/2014 11:27AM by Chri.

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[chrisu02.wordpress.com] Quadmax Intel Delid Tools

How does the filament actually wind on this spool?

Far as i know a squared core allows nicer winding of the coil then a sloped core. Less air, smoother unwinding.
But i'm speaking from a copperwire background, i never had a plastic filament spool with a sloped core so i'm looking forward to the first physical proto.

I like the stackable design, the size, eco awareness etc.

Hi Richrap,

Do you have a STL File for this Cover and could you send it to me so that i can print one or two Donaldus57@online.de

Thank you

Don

Does any of you know if those spools are being manufactured already? By whom? Is there any way to buy them in small quantities?

The design that was proposed by richrap seems to be of a nice size and reloadable with quick assembly or loading but has little else to recommend for the small scale user or independant filament respooler.

It is certainly suitable for the large producers as it will nest somewhat and is suitable for injection moulding with a much simpler mould than a one piece bobbin requires.

Flaws I see that go against the ideas that were discussed are

• As drawn the wall thickness will make it very heavy and wasteful
• The view (and re-tie) slots and start and end holes are not indicated but are easily added
• The bayonet lock coming undone would result in a lost print
• As mentioned the tapered core will require automated winding to start from the centreline (with the start hole in the joint) and fill the trench first to get a level layer
• The stackability will be lost if the center core is extended to the ends to fit holders clamp the hole to keep the cheeks away from the structure
• A short center core requires a close match core diameter so it does not wobble needlessly
• The pipe center prevents enlarging the hole if required
• There is no insentive to returning the spools (they remain large when dissasembled), reloading is the only savings available and this lo nonger requires a large volume injection moulded design
• As drawn the delicate bayonet fitting does not look like it would be durable in the long run

It may be that there is a DIY and a commercial standard that are both required that share the same outer mounting dimensions. Perhaps only the key dimensions should e specified and the rest left to the implementer.

Cheers

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Kalle
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Lahti, Finland
The only stable form of government is Open Source Government. - Kalle Pihlajasaari 2013

Hello everyone!
My name is Barafu and I produce filament. Not much, just for me and local community.
What I want to comment is:
First, do not forget starting hole and end holes. Starting hole can be one on each side, it is enough. But end holes, on the edge of the spool, should come in pairs, 2-cm apart, so that you can push filament out and in again. Some exotic filaments a very springy and can pull the end out of single hole.
Second, don't forget to smooth he edges a bit. Sharp edges are unpleasant to touch.
Third, I have concerns about the inner diameter being hourglass form. I suppose that filament would build up uneven. But this needs trying to say something for sure. I will attempt to create a couple of spools and see how they behave.

I don't know if it's suggested before but I'd like a full metal spool for nylon. I could put it in the oven for drying without taking the filamen off the spool. It would be great if nylon just came on metal spools.

As for other spools, to me the only important thing is setting a minimum spool diameter. Pla is very brittle, it breaks easily in a bowden tube, especially when left for a few days it just snaps in multiple places. I like the velleman spools, not wide, large diameter which keeps the filament from knotting and coming off the spool by itself. Even abs snaps when wound very tightly and feeding it through a bowden tube.

When the spool is in use it's important that it is constrained near the spool itself, if it runs through a hole before going to the printer it keeps from knotting. I just printed an arm going from the threaded rod where the spool sits on to in front of the spool with holes for the filament. Simple but effective.

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Kind regards
Imqqmi

NFAN CoreXY printer:
[reprap.org]

Latest issue on filament spool, I bought a few spools of REAL Filament, they're good to print with but the problem is on the spool, let alone they have different sizes of diameter for spool holder, every spool of those filament twist as it gets pull in the extruder, even though I made sure there were no twist, after so many meter of it the thing just start to twist and flip the filament over the spool and out on the roller, naturally it just start to wrap itself around the roller.