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Quad Extrusion

A project log for Theta Printer

A 3D printer with 4 extruders that can move independently and simultaneously

tyler-andersonTyler Anderson 09/29/2014 at 06:285 Comments

I have been working on adding support for 4 extruders to Marlin, using [dob71]'s dual extrusion code as an example. Its on GitHub under the bipolar-quad branch. I've double checked everything and it compiles, but havn't had a chance to test it yet since I've been working on the semifinals video, which is uploading as we speak. Really getting tired of my own voice.

In other news, I was getting terrible adhesion to the print surface. The problem seemed to be the tape I was using. It was shinier and smoother than regular blue masking tape. I ran to home depot and got some Scotch "Classic" painter's tape and things are sticking much better now.

The aluminium platter may have been a bad idea. We chose it because we wanted something light, rigid, and thermally conductive. But in reality it just acts like a giant heat sink, cooling the part rapidly unless you have the heater turned on. Also it doesn't help that the heater is being run at half power (12V from the ATX instead of 24V). It reaches steady state somewhere around 60C, which is good enough for PLA but not great for ABS.

Here are the latest test prints. Its having a lot of trouble with more complicated objects because the arm motors keep skipping steps. Don't know whats up with that.

Discussions

Films4You wrote 12/07/2015 at 10:59 point

Steeper's are not as powerful as electric motors of the same size, (the coils and smaller for steppers)

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Films4You wrote 12/07/2015 at 10:57 point

Still having trouble with the arm motors skipping steps

check volts and amps, check that it is staying cool

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TTN wrote 12/07/2015 at 08:02 point

How is the project going?
Still having trouble with the arm motors skipping steps?

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TTN wrote 12/07/2015 at 08:01 point

You could put a 240 or 110v silicon heater onto the aluminium plate. I know that lots of people do PLA without a heatbed but I find a heatbed for any serious PLA printing a must. The mains powered silicon heaters do cost a bit, but don't require a larger PSU, heat up really fast and solid state relay's can be had for a few dollars from aliexpress. Anyhow just an idea that might help :-)

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