Lulzbot Taz 6 Flexion Extruder System

thingiverse

Flexion Extruders are a robust solution for printing flexible 3D filament. Inspired by Ninjaflex, these extruders have earned their reputation through building on prior generations of Lulzbot printers. While Lulzbot offers a flexible materials extruder, some users have complained about its ability to handle flexible filament in a robust manner. This project was undertaken to combine the best features from both technologies into an easy-to-use printing head. The design offered here has several advantages: it mounts into the Taz 6 without any modifications and uses the same mechanical mounting system as standard Lulzbot heads, with one 3mm screw plus a 16-pin connector. The head will have all the cooling of a stock Lulzbot V2+ current head. It will weigh about 80g less than a stock V2+ Lulzbot head and has its center of gravity closer to the X-axis rails for improved rigidity when printing. The Taz 6 limit switches and automatic bed leveling will work identically as a Lulzbot head with no firmware changes. The only change required is entering e-steps into Cura or the firmware of the Taz if other slicers do not offer this capability. This project assumes that no prior extruder head is used as a surrogate for parts, and therefore the necessary parts to be purchased and printed are listed in the BOM pdf. It is assumed that most screws and wire are available locally. It also assumes that the necessary procedures and wiring diagram for a standard V2 Taz 6 Hexagon hot end be referenced for wiring the plug and matching pin positions. This document is located here: https://ohai.lulzbot.com/project/taz-6-extruder-assembly/taz-6/. The following tools are necessary: * Soldering iron and electrical solder (recommended) for pins and heat set inserts * Set of ball-end metric Allen keys, including 1.5, 2, and 2.5 * Wire strippers and/or razor blade * Wire connector crimp * Drill with capability of 11.5mm drill bit Print Settings: * Printer Brand: LulzBot * Printer: TAZ 6 * Rafts: No * Supports: Yes * Resolution: 0.5mm Stock Lulzbot Nozzle * Infill: 50% mount, 100% other parts. Notes: The left and right ducts should be oriented so the back of the duct is on the bottom and rotated to minimize support structure when printing. This will put the support-scarred side out of view of the front of the printer. I used Village Plastics ABS and the "High Detail" settings in Cura when printing all parts. I changed the temperature to 245C and Bed Temp to 100C, using a brim to ensure minimal lift. Post-Printing: Heat set inserts are used (17) M3 Heat set inserts and (2) M2 Inserts provide a professional and robust assembly method. These are relatively inexpensive and obtained quickly from McMaster Carr using the part numbers in the BOM. They are inserted using a pointy tip on a soldering iron quite easily into the holes observed in the parts after 3D printing. In this design, every hole and round pocket in the parts requires a heat set insert EXCEPT 2 holes in each duct where it attaches to the Extruder mount and one hole in the duct Stabilizer.