I always had “bad” prints of a file immediately after a perfectly good one, and I could never explain them until recently. It turns out that if you watch the printer for long periods of time, you can sometimes spot the filament being “yanked” out of the filament spool.
I’ve now moved the spool from above the printer to the side of it and I’ve added an extra extruder (one that is usually used for a bowden setup). This 2nd extruder now “yanks” the filament out of the spool and feeds it to the actual extruder on the X gantry, which no longer has to pull from the spool.
This seems to have solved all of my missing layer issues (and more) and I’m curios if anyone uses a similar setup. I’m curious because in my quest for building a custom 3d printer, I’ve never once came upon this type of setup with one hotend and two extruders connected on the same drive.
As for the filament spools I’ve used, well, I’ve tried all sorts of popular brands, all of them seem to benefit from such a setup.
In the picture you can see the filament going from the spool (seen behind the printer), through an PTFE tube up to the first extruder (a red one), and then down to the X gantry.
You basically have two feeder which are working together to overcome friction in the bowden tube.
I’m afraid no, I don’t think this is very common. But I have absolutely no Idea if it’ll be neccessary.
My personal guess (!) is probably not and your root problem lays somwehre else, but idk your setup.
Extruder motor currents checked? PTFE Bowden tubes (not some aquarium tubes or whatever is laying around)?
Extruder tension?
Extruder Gear full with filament grind?
Just things randomly coming into mind.
But if its reliable and proves to be working continously - why not go with this solution.
