Many users of FDM 3D printers use filament dryers to protect hygroscopic materials such as PLA or nylon from moisture. A frequent weak point of these devices is the rigid guidance of the filament feed. The filament often exits at an unfavorable angle to the spool, which can lead to increased friction and potential damage to the material.
A simple but technically sophisticated solution is a swiveling filament feed-through. The principle is based on a ball-and-socket joint structure that allows the filament to exit in an almost straight line. This reduces mechanical resistance and prevents premature wear of the filament and unnecessary stress on the dryer opening.
A modified PC4-M6 pneumatic fitting is used and the PTFE tube is fed through it. As not every commercially available PC4-M6 connection has a sufficient internal diameter, it may be necessary to widen the opening manually using a drill. A step drill with a diameter of 13 mm is suitable for enlarging the hole on the dryer housing.
The design presented allows freedom of movement of up to 10 degrees in all directions. It can be printed using standard 3D printers and adapted to different housing shapes. The print files are freely available and can be used directly without complex post-processing. A prerequisite is sufficient mechanical strength of the selected filament, such as PETG or ABS, as moving parts are designed to withstand stress.
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