How to Install the E3Dv6 on the Rapide Lite

[bolsoncerrado]

There seems to be some interest on how to fit the E3Dv6 on the Rapide Lite...

Given the only user that reported to having succeeded to do so disappeared once he managed to do it and is not answering our questions, I ordered one.

I'm still trying to understand though how is the filament being pushed into the hotend.

My main will is to reduce weight on the X axis as the stepper motor gives too much stress to the bars and such... the E3D seems light enough but I'm still missing how to feed the filament into it.

Based on E3D site, I can see there's a "Bowden" and a "Direct" version of their v6 hotends... I always thought our Rapides had "Direct" type extruders while many "Prusa" users where still using "Bowden" systems... but once again, I can't spot how or where they place the motor if we order a "Direct" E3Dv6 version of it...

Any clues/experiences with these??


Cheers.

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EDIT: FINALLY!!

User CREDO@Thingiverse made an adapter!!

Rapide Lite 200 E3D-V6 Bowden extruder retrofit

by Credo, published Aug 18, 2015

Description

So, I was quite unhappy with the extruder that came with the Rapide. Particularly the cooling - on both the workpiece, and the heatsink (which itself was quite poor).


I decided to retrofit what is quite possibly the best hot end on the market today for a little more reliability and increased ease of part repair/replacement.


In my instance, I printed the entire setup in PETG as I didn't have ABS, and don't care much for the smell as PETG has the same heat toerances with zero odour.


The weight savings is quite substantial even without the extruder motor, the new configuration is almost over 1/3 less in weight. I've added a SeeMeCNC EZ Struder as my cold-end extruder, however there are many other bowden style extruders you can use in its place. Everything works like a charm - way better than the original print settings, I can now increase my print speed much higher, and still get better results than before.


The main bracket that holds the Hot End was originally designed by another user - Credit is due there as the original design was made by Tech2C http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:547706 Because I really liked his design, I copied it from scratch to fit the hole pattern in my configuration.

[BobenhamHotspur]

If you have a direct drive version of the v6 you will need to find a way to mount it roughly in the same place where the current heat sink sits so that the filament comes out of the drive wheels and into the top of the v6.

[Joao]

I was also thinking about converting the direct extruder to a 'indirect' extruder.
Not only because of the weight on the X axis, but also because the printing speed can increase a lot because the head will be 20% lighter and the is much lower inertia for the mechanical movements.


This image is from: http://start3dprinting.com/2013/07/w...wden-extruder/

Having the motors sitting on top of the frame seem to be an easy solution.

[bolsoncerrado]

Yes, similar Prusa designs to our Rapide design sit them on top of the Z rods too... Joao you had a similar adaptor for the filament wheel, may be you can adapt it for a NEMA holder haha

[Scotta]

Note - If you move to a bowden type cold end then you will not be able to extrude the flexible filaments.

[Bah]

Get me my 350 and one of the very first things I'll do is design a reliable quick-swap bracket to allow the use of various extruders... I want my printer #growls#

But yeah, the answer to your question is that the hot-end is only half of an extruder. The E3Dv6 was designed specially to be mounted on either direct-drive or Bowden feed. See this blog post for more details direct from the horse's mouth.

[bolsoncerrado]

A quick swap bracket would make Rapide printer perfect, as long as the rest of wires and bearings would be improved as well hehe

[Gort]

Hi dudes, none of you tried this adaptor?

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:973864

[bolsoncerrado]

WOW!!! This is simply awesome! Not only a dream come true but a way to unload weight from the X axis and probably a way to reach higher speeds!!!!

Thanks!!!

[Gort]

I wanna try this too, I've contacted the guy on Thingiverse, to obtain more info about wiring ect. But i'll be able to print flexible filament after that mod?