Flexible Coupling - NinjaFlex/ABS Dual Print

pinshape

Print it in Ninjaflex at a speed of 70mm/s with the Flexion Extruder. This bellows-style flexible coupling features ABS hubs and NinjaFlex bellows, made possible by printing on a Replicator 1 upgraded with the following extruder: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:169086. The biggest challenge in dual extrusion, particularly with flexible materials, lies in managing the material that leaks out of the idle printhead while the other is extruding. To overcome this hurdle, I printed a second part with similar geometry spaced 33mm apart from the nozzle separation. This allowed the NinjaFlex nozzle to slide over a solid surface when it was idle, preventing excessive material from leaking out. A significant breakthrough was achieved in terms of material bonding. The next step is to print larger ABS parts that have previously been difficult to produce. To accomplish this, I will print a NinjaFlex base that bonds well with Kapton and then add the ABS part on top. Additionally, dual materials could work exceptionally well for items such as bumpers and feet. This coupling features interlocking geometry, but in instances where you can switch entirely from one material to another, you won't encounter the "draining" issue. Materials Needed: NinjaFlex (Fire): http://www.fennerdrives.com/3D Makerbot White ABS Printer Specifications: Makerbot Replicator (original version with the MK8 spring loaded extruder upgrade) Extruder Temperature Settings: 215 C for Ninjaflex, 225 C for ABS Platform Options: Room temperature, bare aluminum, glass, or Kapton tape all performed well. Retraction Settings for NinjaFlex (in Skeinforge under Dimension tab): Minimum Travel for Retraction: 1.0mm Retraction Distance: 2.0mm