HICTOP Direct Planetary Drive

thingiverse

This assembly holds my planetary extruder in direct drive configuration, featuring standard hot end parts from hictop printers. The bearing holder blocks are eliminated, replaced by linear bearings that snap into printed holders. This assembly is extremely minimalistic and lightweight. A new version of the extruder bracket was created on May 25, 2018, with improved cooling fan retention and full x-axis travel allowance. A ring-shaped fan duct with air blade output was designed to blow less air at the nozzle, enabling higher temperatures at higher fan speeds without requiring support prints. A brim was used to secure the fan duct during printing. On December 15, 2018, a new version of the assembly compatible with planetary extruder versions 7 and 8 was uploaded, offering several benefits: 1. The extruder assembly is now secured more rigidly to the bracket and can slide forward or out for service. 2. Fans are attached to the front of the bracket using sliding dovetails, allowing easy removal for servicing. 3. The cooling fan duct was redesigned as a smaller, wrap-around-free design, which did not provide any advantages but obstructed troubleshooting views. 4. A mounting point was added behind the hot end for a small block-style induction sensor, replacing direct contact bed leveling methods. The induction sensor provides almost equal precision and is much more hassle-free than cleaning the nozzle before probing.