Hey
I've been busy last year designing, building and testing the frame for Hangprinter. There are still issues to be solved, but eventually the frame will be ready for publishing. Up until that, I'd like to make a proposal for a new effector design. The concept builds on
the tool changer idea of e3d. Although the tool changer isn't published yet, I wanted to think ahead how one could be fitted on the Hangprinter.
First the tool changer sled needs to be attached to the effector.
Second you need to consider how it grabs the tool.
Third we need a automatic storage & cleaning station for the tool heads.
Obviously, this is only the hardware part.
Here's a render of the assembly
As you can see, the front beam is missing. That's on purpose, since the triangle can't be a closed one. We need to route somehow the cables and bowden tubes (or whatever material feed) to a parking position. This will affect stability of the effector, but I'm hoping that the smaller center beams and the carrier plate will compensate it. It isn't tested yet though.
I also designed a compact extruder unit based on the Titan Aero and the Vulcano.
There's also a Precision Piezo Orion sensor which will enable Z-height probing with the nozzle.
And the part cooling is done by two radial fans, which will generate a vortex inside the fan duct (or at least I hope so). I've had many issues with braking fan ducts when they hit the print, so I decided to make the vulnerable parts out of metal sheets. Also for the sake making the duct as low as possible. Metal makes it also possible to bring the outlet as near as possible to the nozzle. This isn't tested yet either, so I can't say if its working the way I want it to.
One thing that need still some attention is the cable management on/within the extruder unit. I'd like to terminate all cables from hotend, thermistor etc. on a single PCB and route them through one single connector to the controller. The connector should be connecting only by contact, that means without any mechanical fixture. I'm having the tool changer in mind here as well. Please give me a hint, if you know of such connectors.