D-bot hot-end Cable Chain

thingiverse

The weight of the wiring running from my D-Bot derived printer to the hot-end was substantial enough that none of the standard methods for supporting them (3mm filament, PTFE tubing, etc) could keep them stable enough without sagging and occasionally obstructing the X gantry. A rigid cable chain proved to be a more effective solution, but the existing ones used with the D-bot were too small for the number of wires required by my dual-extruder hot-end with a BLTouch, and they demanded that all the wires be threaded through the chain at installation time, making a massive job if they never needed to be replaced. This design is wider, offering more than twice as much space within the chain, and features a clip-based system that keeps the outer side of the chain completely open until the clips are attached. The clips fit snugly and securely hold even a substantial bundle of wires. The hot-end clip replaces the PTFE support and screws into the original bolt holes. The fixed end is designed to be mounted on the rear of the printer, where my wires were running. Installation is relatively simple. Just replace the PTFE support on the hot-end with the hot-end clip, screw the other end into the rear 4020 rail, and link together enough individual links to match the length of the wires. I'm using twenty-nine for a 300x300 bed. Run the wires in a bundle within the chain, and secure them in place with the front clip. Make sure to pay attention to the direction you clip it - there are teeth that hook around the inside of the link to keep it from sliding out. Note that the rear end has the link attachment reversed; this is normal.