8. Spool holder Assembly

Relevant for:

MMU3

Last updated 2 months ago

Difficulty

Easy

Steps

Available languages

Step 1 Two Spoolholder types

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In this chapter, we will assemble the spoolholders, but before we proceed, note there are two types of the spoolholder.

Inspect the box your kit came in. If the large portion of the box is occupied by the rectangular black trays, you have the first version, the older vacuum-formed spoolholders.

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1. Classic vacuum-formed spoolholder

If you have this version, continue to the following step Vacuum formed holder parts preparation

⬢2. New injection-molded spoolholder

This version comes in five packages inside a smaller box. If you have this version, skip to Injection molded spoolholder: parts preparation

Step 2 Vacuum formed holder parts preparation

⬢For the following steps, please prepare:

⬢Spoolholder base (1x)

⬢Foam pad (4x)

Step 3 Foam pads installation

⬢Turn the spoolholder base upside down.

⬢Peel off the yellow protective layer off the foam pads.

⬢Attach the four foam pads into the bottom corners of the spoolholder base.

Step 4 Rods, Bearings parts preparation

⬢For the following steps, please prepare:

⬢PTFE holder (1x)

⬢Shaft (2x)

⬢Plug (4x)

⬢Bearing (4x)

Step 5 Rods and bearings assembly

⬢Attach a bearing onto each end of both rods.

⬢Attach the plugs onto the rod ends to fix the bearings on each rod.

Step 6 Finishing up the Spoolholders (vac. form.)

⬢Attach the rods with bearings into the base part so that the bearings engage into the corresponding grooves on the base.

⬢There is a notch on the front part of the spoolholder.

⬢Attach the PTFE holder onto the notched front part of the spoolholder.

⬢Repeat the same steps to build the remaining spool holders until you finish all five.

Step 7 Injection molded spoolholder: parts preparation

If you have the injection-molded spoolholders instead, continue from here.

⬢If you already assembled your rectangular vacuum-formed spoolholders, please, skip to the next chapter.

Step 8 Injection molded holder parts preparation

⬢For the following steps, please prepare:

⬢Spool holder Base (4x)

⬢Spool holder Guide (1x)

⬢Spool holder Wheel (4x)

Wheels shipped after April 2024 are made of POM. We recommend using this version over the earlier models made from ABS.

⬢sheet of Foam Pads (1x)

⬢PTFE holder (1x)

Step 9 Base assembly (part 1)

⬢Take one Base part. Arrange it as seen in the picture.

⬢Insert two wheels into the Base.

⬢Cover the assembly with another Base part on top.

Step 10 Base assembly (part 2)

⬢Push both Base parts together until they fully engage one into the other.

⬢Verify the Base parts hold together properly.

⬢Repeat the same steps for the other side part of the spool holder, until you get two of these.

Step 11 Foam pads installation (part 1)

⬢Take the foam pad sheet. Bend it to separate the individual foam pad strips.

⬢There is a bending line inside the inner opening on the bottom of the spoolholder side part.

⬢Attach an individual foam pad strip onto the middle of the bending line inside the opening, as seen in the picture.

Step 12 Foam pads installation (part 2)

⬢Attach another four foam pad strips onto the marked positions on the bottom of the spool holder side part.

⬢Install another six foam pad strips onto the other side part of the spool holder.

Step 13 PTFE holder assembly

⬢Take the spoolholder Guide part. Hook the end of the PTFE holder onto the Guide

⬢Make sure the longer part of the PTFE holder is located at the narrower side of the Guide part.

⬢Push the PTFE holder down onto the Guide until it fully engages and locks in place.

Step 14 Finishing up the Spoolholders (inj. mol.)

⬢Slide the side parts onto the Guide part.

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Repeat the same steps for the remaining Spool holders, until you assemble all five.

(Don't forget about the foam pads on the bottom!)

Step 15 Joining the Spoolholder Guides

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There are protrusions on each side of the Guide part.

⬢Using these protrusions, the Guide parts can be joined together. To join them together, simply tilt in the Guide parts one into the other until the protrusions click in.

⬢The Guides can be joined together in form of a straight line.

⬢Or, if you flip one of the Guides around, they can be joined in an arc pattern. This is handy to form an arc of spool holders around the Buffer so that each filament path is as straight as possible.