anet a8 extruder fan repositioning

thingiverse

Here is a repositioned extruder fan that allows for visual access to the hotend and filament. This modification adds an aluminum heatsink, moving the extruder's stock heatsink and fan 23mm farther away and 20mm to the right of the motor, enabling clear inspection of the extruder. The modified design maintains or even enhances the heatsink's functionality by expanding its total surface area. I designed three components: a fan cover, a fan gasket, and the aluminum heatsink itself. You can find two versions of the heatsink file: one that is 20mm deep and another that is 23mm deep. The reason for this variation lies in the fact that I only had access to a 20mm square aluminum tube, which I manually cut and drilled to create the piece. If you have the right tools, including a folder cutter and drill press for 1.5mm aluminum foil, you should build the 23mm version. However, if you don't have these specialized tools, you can use spacers instead. Please refer to the pictures provided for a detailed explanation of this process. If you decide to use spacers, cut a small piece of aluminum that measures 20.10mm and use it in place of the nuts. If you have copper cooling paste available, apply it between each spacer, motor, and heatsink. Mount the fan so that it pulls air away from the heatsink, with the grey label facing left. Picture #1 showcases a handmade aluminum heatsink created from a 20mm square aluminum tube. Picture #2 demonstrates how to install the gasket and fan. The STL file provided includes a cover design with caps for the bottom screws instead of holes. This new design is optional but offers improved functionality. Picture #3 displays the final result, highlighting the benefits of this modification. The print quality has not been compromised; rather, it remains unchanged. This repositioned extruder fan enables better troubleshooting and often resolves filament-related issues without requiring a complete disassembly of the extruder. For more information or to explore other related designs, please visit my collection on Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/aRGiRob/collections/my-anet-a8