Titan Bowden Gimbal Mount for FT-5r2

thingiverse

BETA STAGE The FT-5 printer is designed for high-speed printing, but its performance is limited by oscillations caused by rapid movement. Reducing the moving mass of the extruder assembly can help minimize these vibrations. One effective solution is to use a remote extruder (Bowden setup), which eliminates the weight of the extruder itself from the moving part. However, the length of the bowden tube introduces latency in the system, affecting accuracy during extrusion and retraction. To balance this trade-off, it's essential to minimize the bowden tube length without compromising its flexibility. The extruder gimbal (extruder flymount) is a game-changer for reducing bowden tube length. By suspending the extruder from the middle of the chassis above the hotend, the gimbal allows the extruder to follow the hotend's movement from the center rather than one side. This design innovation reduces the required bowden tube length by almost 50%. On my FT-5 setup, I've measured that approximately 8.5 inches of bowden tube are necessary, although this may vary with further testing. The gimbal mount employs integrated 636 bearings (utilizing airsoft BBs) to reduce friction and ensure smooth movement. Credit goes to SiberK for designing these bearings, which have been incorporated into the design. A link to the original design is provided: <https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2468780>. To create this bowden tube gimbal, you'll need: * Airsoft BBs * Silicone grease for the bearings * About 42 inches of L-bracket (preferably aluminum) * Hardware (nuts and bolts to attach to bracket, T-nuts to attach bracket to frame) * 1.72mm ID bowden tubing * Titan extruder with Nema 17, 20mm stepper motor * Titan Extruder Cable Saver for Bowden Gimbal Mount <https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3452472> This design is still in development, and I'm open to feedback as I continue to refine it. To assemble the gimbal: 1. Pack the airsoft BBs using only the Gimbal Frame and Extruder Mounts (print two). 2. Attach the Gimbal Mounts on the inside of the long sides of the Gimbal Frame. 3. Pack the bearings with some grease, preferably PTFE or silicone. 4. Attach the Titan Extruder to the two Extruder Mounts. 5. Attach the Gimbal Mount (print two) to the Gimbal Frame by packing the airsoft BBs. 6. Pack the remaining bearings with grease. 7. Attach the Gimbal Mounts to the top frame of your Ft-5, spanning the middle. Some observations: * Try to center the gimbal so it sits level when in neutral position. * I've not finalized the mount for the filament, so its impact is unknown. * Slight modification of the extruder arm may be required to improve clearance. * I might create parts for larger stepper motors if necessary for higher speeds. Changelog: 2.26.19 -- Gimbal Frame updated to 1.1. Printing and testing are underway. 2.25.19 -- Extruder Mount updated to 1.1 to match the Titan setup. Everything works, but the gimbal frame needs adjustment to accommodate the swinging motion of the extruder. I'm updating the design to increase its length towards the front and back of the FT-5 by 17mm (34mm total). This change will be documented once implemented, tested, and uploaded.