
E2 - Direct drive Bondtech BMG + E3D v6 on Folgertech 2020 or other Prusa i3 Clone
thingiverse
I've made numerous enhancements to my Folgertech 2020 i3 over the past three years, including converting to a Bowden setup and back, testing multiple clone hotends and configurations. Eventually, I had to replace the stock extruder due to excessive wear from extensive printing. Initially, I tried a cheap but poorly designed extruder from Aliexpress, which didn't perform well. I then opted for a BMG clone, which is undoubtedly the best extruder I've used so far. I first paired it with a genuine E3D v6 hotend in a bowden setup, but encountered jamming issues due to large retracts needed to make retract work effectively in the bowden setup. To address this problem, I decided to switch back to a direct drive setup for better control over the filament and reduced retraction distance. However, mounting the motor, extruder, and hotend according to the original Folgertech design resulted in an unbalanced setup with excessive weight far from the x-axis rods, causing vibrations. To correct this issue, I designed a new x-carriage and relocated the heavy motor to the back of the x-axis, acting as a counterweight to the extruder, hotend, and other features on the front of the printer. This modification also brought the hotend closer to the x-axis, adding much-needed stiffness. The motor had to be positioned high up with a short piece of bowden tube connecting the hotend and extruder. I added additional holes 30mm apart in the x-carriage for mounting the hotend and future upgrades. Finally, I installed a print cooling fan and duct in front of the hotend. The result is an exceptionally balanced and rigid x-carriage. The hotend no longer flexes up and down as it did in the original design. The new carriage plate fits snugly into printer design, where two chromed rods are placed 45mm apart. To regain full coverage of the bed, I had to move the entire XZ structure forward to match the relocation of the hotend backward, which is easily achievable with the 2020 construction of this printer. However, conversion may be more challenging on other printers.
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