Nicks Universal Paste Extruder Derivative

thingiverse

An update on January 31st reveals ongoing interest in this topic. However, the design needs improvement; thus, alternatives are suggested. One option is the precise direct displacement extruder found at this link: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2552669. Another choice is a pneumatic extruder that functions differently. A recent update on using the design reveals some strategies. The steps/mm can be calculated similarly to regular filament by adjusting the diameter of the filament to be the ID of the syringe. Sending "M302" allows for cold extrusion, and the correct "M92 EXXXX" value calibrates the extruder. This can be added to start g-code in slic3r. Calculations for steps/mm are as follows: (steps/rev * microsteps / gear-reduction * belt-pulley-teeth) / mm-per-tooth. Measured results show that ~1600 steps/mm give 1mm of travel, and a filament diameter of ~14.5mm yields good results. Feedback is welcomed. The design aims to address issues with the latest universal paste extruder, primarily the lack of easy mounting on an i3 printer. The original files are provided along with modified openscad files and resulting files. Changes made include adding i3 mount holes to the body, fixing the roller bearing offset in the idler, modifying the motor gear base's size, increasing the ID for the double gear, altering the third gear design, and adjusting the belt pulley design. These modifications aim to improve assembly ease and overall functionality.