Ultimaker mounts up to 4 extruder 'cassettes'

thingiverse

The original Ultimaker comes with a single extrusion head attached to the X and Y axes, making dual extrusion printing modifications challenging and time-consuming. To simplify multihead printing hardware development, we split the extruder head design into two independent parts: the 'frame' part, fixed to the X and Y axes, and up to four 'cassette' attachments. The cassettes are flexible, holding PLA extruders or other equipment like syringes and fans. They can also be adjusted in height. The initial frame prototype is a cross-shaped plywood reinforced with M3 screws for stability. It's only 1 cm wider than the stock extruder head on each side (69x69 mm) and features vertical slots to connect cassette units. The current cassette prototypes measure 27 x 31 x 60 mm and can be customized as needed. They attach to the frame using 12mm M3 screws at the desired height. We've successfully completed dual extrusion prints with two cassettes, each holding a PLA hot extrusion nozzle. Future developments include a 'fan' cassette for air delivery and gel printing exploration. This project was developed at Protospace Utrecht with assistance from Douwe van der Veen. For assembly, use a lasercutter to cut the provided .pdf or .svg file patterns from 6mm and 4mm plywood. Replace the stock extruder head, install bearings in the cross-shaped frame, and reattach the axes to Ultimaker. Secure with M3 screws, mount the extrusion tube, and no aluminum plate is needed as the cassettes provide sufficient stability.