Anet A6 : Feeder improvement for flexible filament

thingiverse

This is a crucial upgrade for the Anet A6 feeder, making it effortless to print with flexible filament. Flexible filaments tend to bend and get stuck in the feeding toothed wheel, so they need precise guidance to the hot end without any openings where it could escape. To prevent this issue, I designed these parts that I have been using for months with various filaments, flexible or not: no more feeding problems! To ensure there are no holes on the feeding path, the "Filament Guide.stl" part requires manual adjustment. The path should be drilled with a 0.2mm drill bit for smooth filament flow. The mobile throated wheel hole needs to be adjusted (using a Dremel) so that the throated wheel (mounted on the "Pusher.stl" part) just touches the toothed wheel (attached to the motor), providing strong and reliable feeding. To adjust the settings, assemble both wheels on the part. Test the strength by inserting a PLA or ABS filament in the path hole; it should grip well without cutting. Once adjusted and set, you won't need to worry about this issue for many hours of printing (I have one of these parts that still works after hundreds of hours of printing). Note: The "Filament Tensor.stl" part is not required for the feeder to function. Its purpose is to pull the filament from the spool (the pulling force is generated while this part bends), preventing excessive bending or stretching of flexible filaments. Edit 05/19/2017: I added a note regarding comments from Calisto, who experienced issues with this design. His extruder motor failed due to overheating, possibly caused by a design flaw, poor filament quality, or other factors. I have been using the same part printed in PLA since 2015 without any problems (hundreds of hours of printing). I would appreciate more feedback from others to determine if this was an isolated issue. The goal of this design is to enhance your printer, not cause damage. Please be aware of this potential problem! Printer Settings Printer: Anet A6 Rafts: No Supports: Yes Resolution: 0.1 or 0.2 Infill: 80% Notes: I recommend infill 100% for the "Pusher.stl" part. Post-Printing See summary!