Prusa Improvements & Mods

[last updated: 2021-12-10]
3d printing home page
(link to:) Prusa rPi mods
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• On this page - mods done or contemplated:
  • Filament guide
  • E3D Silicone socks
  • Spool holder
  • Prusa Multi-Material-Upgrade
  • Wireless printing and firmware updating
  • Camera
  • Using gCode to control un-used Arduino I/O
  • Enclosure

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• To prevent filament unraveling on the spool:
  Filament Guide - (link to:) Thingiverse-1240326
  Substantially helped, but did not protect from unraveling on a very full spool.


Thingiverse-1240326

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• E3D Silicone Socks:
  Worked GREAT to keep the heat block clean.
  However, they tear easily.


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• Spool Holder - from Thingiverse 2479238
  
  

  still in process of building...

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• Prusa MMU - Multi-Material Upgrade:

• (link to:) Prusa assembly instructions
• using MMU for PVA water-soluble supports (link to:) Prusa tutorial
• (link to:) forum notes
• Purchased, in-hand, not assembled or tested.

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• Wireless printing and Firmware updating:
• Most common way to do this is with a rPi with wireless, and Octoprint software.

• Links:
  • Problems with piZ W: (link to:) Prusa forum
  • (link to:) Octoprint
  • Best Mk3 upgrades: (link to:) all3dp.com
    With just a few printed pieces and header pins, you can plug a Pi into the back of your printer’s motherboard and get running with OctoPrint or Prusa’s own PrusaPrint software. This will enable powerful printing control over a wireless internet connection.
  • rPi & OctoPrint: (link to:) Prusa
  • Raspberry Pi Camera Module V2: using OctoPi to run OctoPrint on a Raspberry Pi. If you want to set up OctoPrint, (link to:) see our guide
• Alternative Firmware - Klipper: This is alternative firmware that can control a 3dp that has multiple MCU's. Looks very interesting, but have not researched...

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• Camera:
  • A camera module on the printer allows viewing print progress by low-angle, close-up focusing on the nozzle during extrusion onto the bed.
  • The most common way this is implemented is with an rPi board, either with an rPi or some other brand camera, and often with Octoprint software as above.
  • (go to:) Prusa camera mod

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• Using gCode to control un-used Arduino I/O:
• (link to:) forum
• (link to:) miniRambo/Arduino-Mega
• (link to:) high performance printing
• (link to:) un-used I/O
• I think there may only be like 1 spare I/O, so what makes sense would be an expander board controlled by a 1-bit serial data line.

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• Enclosure:
  • enclosures are good things:
    keep dust and drafts out
    keep heat in
    highly recommended for printing ABS
  • I started with web searching for enclosures
    [pix]
  • I have printed a bunch of frame pieces,
    designed after traditional aluminum frame pieces.
    I was semi-limited to 150mm height, about 6".
    I've also printed end-to-end and corner connectors
  • I'm using PETG, but in the end,
    for the time and reduced strength,
    I might go to aluminum if I started again.

  • The problem at the moment (2021-12) is that the models I made are in Sketchup, and I'm now using FreeCAD,
    and you can't reasonably translate between them.

  • However, meanwhile this is what I've got:
    [pix]

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eof