Automated Heated Build Platform

thingiverse

Turn the thingomatic with a HBP into an automated printing machine as if it had an ABP for no extra cost Instructions Update - I have added a video of how the process works. While I did the video with an object that had already been removed from the platform as long as the object is a decent height I have had no problems removing objects from the platform this way. This project will allow anyone without an ABP to automate their prints to some extend. After your print is finished your axis will move to push the object onto a slide and out of the way making it possible to print multiple things in a row without needing an ABP. I designed this because I had the ABP and the belt warped so bad there was no way to get anything of decent quality and size to print. I downgraded back to the HBP but was annoyed by how I couldn't print from a remote location without going back to the printer between every print. Take an 8.5 x 11 piece of paper and bend the edges up at 90 degree angle, I chose 1/5 of the paper for each side. After that is done you have to wrap kapton tape around both sides of the paper, preferably at a 45 degree angle to add stability of the slide. Once you have covered both sides making sure to keep your sides at a good 90 degrees you have to reinforce either either with a couple extra layers of tape. After reinforced cut 2 small x's that line up with the HBP bolts and cut out two slits for the carriage clearance. Undo the two corner nuts on your HBP and then screw the slide onto the bolt between the board and the nuts. The slide automates your prints because once you are done a print the object can be pushed off the printing surface by the z axis landing the object on the slide. As the y axis moves forwards the slide gets a steeper angle which lets objects be collected in a box at the end of the slide. To make this truly automated you need to also edit your end.gcode file to add these lines after the command to start cooling down the extruder and platform ( start automated push off) G4 P300000 (wait for 5min) M17 (turn on stepstrudders) G91 (set relative positioning) G1 X0 Y0 Z-10 (move z axis down 10 mm) G1 X0 Y-120 Z0 (move y axis back 120 mm) G1 X0 Y120 Z0 (move y axis forward 120mm) M18 (turn off stepstrudders) ( end automation ) This slide is surprisingly strong and even after being sometimes squished by the Z axis and by the X axis sliding all the way to the side it holds up perfectly well. The kapton tape also is very slippery with the abs prints we have done allowing for easy removal of prints. A Rehash of all the needed materials and steps -Thermal Tape -Paper -Bend paper -Tape paper -Reinforce slide -Install slide -Edit end gcode -Automated printing!