PTFE Tube / Cable Supportinator for CR-10 Direct Drive

thingiverse

This is a companion piece to my direct drive extruder mount - https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3589452. One major drawback of direct drive systems is that when the spool is attached to the top cross bar of the machine, tension from the extruder pulling on the filament can cause the x-axis carriage to lift the nozzle and disrupt z-height consistency during printing. This can lead to obvious print quality issues. A solution to this problem is running a length of ptfe bowden tube between the extruder and a fixed point on the frame of the machine. Filament tension translates into compression on the ptfe tube, isolating the x carriage from changes in filament tension. The cables and filament need to be routed in front of the upright extrusions to maximize z height within your build volume with the direct drive conversion. This mount addresses both issues. Installation takes just five minutes. As with the direct drive extruder bracket, press v slot roller spacer sleeves into the bracket. I used a small length of ptfe tube to hold parts aligned while inserting the bolt, which pushed the ptfe tube out the back. Install the nut and zip tie cables in place for a quick solution.