multi spool filament feeder

thingiverse

Everybody's asking the same question, so I'll post it here: There is no software support for this project yet. I made it work without issues in Klipper using "manual_stepper" and the "Filament Sensor Module" with a lot of crappy macros. I won't publish any of that. The day I have a working extra module (now called MMFF, Massive Multi Filament Feeder), I'll publish it somehow. If you want to do it for yourself and publish it before me, I'd be truly glad. I'm not a jealous guy. Be free, share, be happy, get a beer, kiss your loved ones. Cheers. Edit 5: Mechanically sound and working as needed now. Check out the 3D model and download link here: https://a360.co/2YLVg8F. No code yet. Watch the whole thing video with 11 ports here: https://youtu.be/wbvxdubvjyE, or check out the cute cablechain video here: https://youtu.be/iejimCkbdhY. Be aware that there may be dragons. Check on the little springs on every lever; they're needed to use this contraption at any angle. It was really a pain in the ass to build and destroyed my fingers, literally with multiple bleeding holes. Edit 4: The never-ending upgrading process is here: https://a360.co/2ROlq2O. Edit 3: Latest and hopefully final version: https://a360.co/2OlJcW5. Software time... Edit 2: New version incoming... View in 3D: (Damn you, Thingiverse, no iframes?) https://a360.co/2IH8S9O. Edit 1: Inverted gears version; the direct extruder does almost no extra work. So, you need to print large stuff and can't access large filament spools? Say no more. Work in progress; I don't have the time or spare filament to test-print this stuff yet. Donations welcome! On the electronics part of the thing, the idea is to use 2 extra extruders on your 6 drivers board and some embedded endstop on the carriage. Cheap, no extra electronic stuff. Close to no supports needed while printing the parts. Another idea is to make it stackable; you can add as many extra filament spools as you want if you have large enough 5mm shafts/screws. Yeah, it looks like the new Prusa multi-material but it's just a common problem with a common solution. It may work as a bowden extruder but I don't plan to use it like that. The working idea is that when the carriage moves, it enables the extruder to feed the material on that port. First port may be a utility port; to eject leftover material or not. When you sense you don't have more filament left, move the carriage to the first port and retract with your main extruder. Then pick what's left of the filament on the PTFE tube with the hobbed bolt on the base who need to be running backwards and eject all the filament... let's say you sense the filament running out again on the carriage, then retract a bit more so you're sure there is nothing left. Now you can proceed to load a new filament that needs to be in some other input port. You can print and add as many ports as you like or desire. It may work as a Prusa multi-material retarded brother who lives in the ceiling but I still don't know exactly how. I think you'll need to use a filament input port with a steel flexible wire to purge the extruder, and an ejection port if you plan to use PTFE tubes from the spool holders to feed filament to this thing. It's a work in progress... You can view and download the model on https://a360.co/2IbFnyX. Inverted gears version: https://a360.co/2JqCafO