Hictop D3 Hero Extruder Upgrade

thingiverse

All essential components required to upgrade a Hictop D3 Hero and related printers to utilize an Aluminum BMG clone with Volcano clone hot end are available. This upgrade re-uses the stock stepper, heater, thermistor, and extruder PCB. The mount features a built-in flexure driven by a M3x16 screw for calibrating the nozzle height. Supplied part models fit the P1 side of the printer. To accommodate the P2 side, print these parts mirrored or utilize the included mirror configuration file for PrusaSlicer to print both sides simultaneously. The extruder necessitates a 24v 3010 fan, while part cooling can be achieved using either the stock 4010 blowers or an optional 24v 5015 blower for superior performance. Significant weight reduction can be attained by replacing the stock steppers with shorter alternatives. The following parts are used: 1x right and 1x left Aluminum BMG clones (available on Amazon) 2x Clone Volcano kits (available on Amazon) 1x Silicone sock pack (available on Amazon) 1x Ti heat break pair (available on Amazon) 1x 3010 24v fan 5-pack (available on Amazon) 2x 11mm of Teflon Bowden tube Miscellaneous M3 and M4 screws and nuts. After installation, only two adjustments are required. First, adjust the E-step constant in the printer to 430 for optimal performance. Note that this function is prone to errors and necessitates a complete printer restart after each adjustment. Second, add a -10mm Y-offset to the printer origin in the slicer. The y-axis has sufficient over-travel to accommodate the extruder offset introduced by this mount. Fan duct E3 serves the stock 4010 part cooling blowers and employs the stock fan screws. Fan duct E4 is designed for an optional 5015 blower, utilizing zip-ties and a single M3x20 screw for attachment. The package also includes updated purge buckets and nozzle seal parts to better integrate with the new extruder offset. Finally, it incorporates a flexure fan mount to mitigate excessive noise from the controller cooling fan.