Alternative Print Cooling Ideas / Techniques

I am presently printing sans-print cooling fans on my Rostock Mini. Never re-attached the angled platform fan after upgrading to an E3D v6...angle issues and such with the mount.

Was considering mounting 2-3 120mm computer cooling fans (3-pin) to the base of the towers on the printer, providing a rough cross-breeze for part cooling when needed. Originally considered 80mm fans, but I found some 120mm fans with leds...stupid I know.

Would this work or should I consider going back to a non-shrouded fan design like the printer originally came with? Planning to primarily print PETG going forward, eventually with a heated bed for warping, but will probably find PLA beneficial on occasion.

Thanks for the input.

It will work but it's possibly going to give you some bed adhesion issues depending on material. PETG will probably be fine as long as you lay it down without squashing it. ABS is likely going to come loose from the build plate with this amount of air flowing around, you might get away with it if you have a very powerful bed heater. PLA is what really needs a fan and I don't print with it nearly enough to be sure but maybe if you don't turn your fans on until layer 3 or 4 you might be okay.

Nothing like a bit of trial and error to waste hours of your life...

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/30/2016 02:31PM by DjDemonD.

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Simon Khoury

Co-founder of [www.precisionpiezo.co.uk] Accurate, repeatable, versatile Z-Probes
Published:Inventions

From my experience it wouldnt work because the cross breeze would take away all the heat from the heat block and also from the bed, not even talking about the efficiency of 3x 120mm fans to a 50mm centrifugal one. Also cooling intricate structures that are not exposed to the outside of you model will not get any fresh air immediately.

I think the more precisely you can direct air at the filament you are laying down and nothing else, the better your cooling solution is.

I'm using this [www.thingiverse.com]
It's light, small and cools the hot end as well as the original v6 shroud. If you fit two powerful 30mm fans for part cooling the the only downside is they're noisy.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/01/2016 02:45AM by DjDemonD.

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Simon Khoury

Co-founder of [www.precisionpiezo.co.uk] Accurate, repeatable, versatile Z-Probes
Published:Inventions

I used to use a small computer fan aimed across the build plate. It worked, and was better than nothing, but it's not as good as a nice precise fan aimed around the nozzle.

If for some reason you can't sort out a layer fan attached to the nozzle then your solution will work... sort of. I wouldn't call it the best solution, by a long shot.

btw if you're looking to make a new layer fan, then you want what's called a 'blower fan' or 'centrifugal fan'. The normal axial fans aren't able to provide much pressure.

Something like this would be perfect: [talkeasy.en.hisupplier.com]

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/01/2016 03:41AM by nebbian.

check out the berdAir. It uses a pump to shift air down a tube into a metal ring right below the hotend, Its the best 25$ i've spent on my printer,

[www.themakerhive.com]

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/01/2016 11:50PM by Qdeathstar.

I tried making my own version of this with a fishtank air pump and some copper tubing with holes drilled in it. Didn't work for me but my copy of it was clearly not a very close one.

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Simon Khoury

Co-founder of [www.precisionpiezo.co.uk] Accurate, repeatable, versatile Z-Probes
Published:Inventions

Thanks for all of the suggestions. Definitely going to re-think my cooling needs and I appreciate the links to the Slimline on Thingiverse and berdAir. Was not aware of either of those options.