Device that Eliminates Tangled Spool problems in FDM 3D printing

thingiverse

To see how the device was designed and how it performs, check out the video below: https://youtu.be/zR4O9gsgLx4 <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zR4O9gsgLx4" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe> After experiencing a couple of mishaps while printing large parts and discovering that there were areas missing material, I started to investigate the issues with my 3D printer and found that the filament was getting tangled inside the spool and not moving freely. In fact, it was getting worse during the print since the Extruder Feeder Motor was pulling it more tightly until the filament was jammed. This is a device I created for the Ender 3 (but can be used with any printer) that releases the tension of the filament around the spool, preventing it from getting stuck by slowly and steadily withdrawing it before it becomes entangled. It releases the filament from the spool and lets it loose so that the extruder motor doesn't have to work as hard. When the filament gets stuck, the Extruder Feeder Motor starts to "jump" and your prints will miss material in certain areas. This device prevents that from happening. Now you can let your printer run overnight without worrying. Feel free to download and print the parts if you think they might help your printer. PS: You'll lose about 4cm of total height on printing space, but in my case it doesn't bother me since I'm never going to use the maximum capacity of my printer, which is 25cm. I hope you enjoy it and find it useful. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Any tips will be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much for your support. Take good care.