AlwaysFun

Brian Dean

Filament Spool Hub Weight and Desiccant Container for AMS Dry Box&nbsp;UPDATE 2023-12-09: Version 2.1&nbsp;<ol><li>Updated the model body vertical columns to be wider and stronger.</li><li>Increase model body wall thickness.</li><li>Use Profile: “Version 2.1: Strengthened, 1 & 4 Spools, ASA, PETG, & PLA”</li></ol>&nbsp;&nbsp;UPDATE 2023-12-05: Version 2&nbsp;<ol><li>Updated to increase the mesh and grill area wall thicknesses for increased strength.</li><li>Combine the 1-hub plate and 4-hub plate into a single 3MF profile. Just select the plate you want to print.</li></ol>&nbsp;&nbsp;UPDATE 2023-12-03:<ul><li>Update the two “designer” printing profiles to use settings compatible with the stock Bambu Labs Filament profiles for:<ul><li>PLA Tough</li><li>PETG</li><li>PETG-CF</li><li>ASA (for higher temperature resistance)</li></ul></li><li>Include Profile that contains 4 Spool Hubs on a single build plate for convenience</li></ul>--------------------&nbsp;The Filament Spool Hub Weight and Desiccant Container for AMS Dry Box serves two functions:&nbsp;<ol><li>Adds weight to the filament spool so that when used with the Bambu Labs AMS, there is extra weight and friction between the roller contact and the filament spool edges, resulting in less slipping. Additionally, the spool is less likely to lift out of the spool slot when the filament gets low. I have provided the empty spool weights below for Bambu Labs PETG Basic, PETG-CF, ASA, and PLA Tough.</li><li>Provides additional desiccant within the AMS dry box to absorb moisture from the air and helps to keep your filament dryer than without it. The Filament Spool Hub Weight / Dry Box holds about 74 grams of desiccant beads when filled to just below the threads.</li><li>So both together add approximately 128 grams of mass to the filament spool, or about 4.5 oz of weight (near the Earth’s surface).</li></ol>&nbsp;Instructions:&nbsp;<ul><li>Installing the hub weight / desiccant container:<ul><li>Print using appropriate filament (See NOTE 2)</li><li>Fill hub body with desiccant beads to just below the level of the threads</li><li>Insert hub body into filament spool, being careful not to spill desiccant beads</li><li>Screw on the top to finger-tight.</li><li>Place in Bambu Labs AMS unit in desired slot</li><li>Enjoy dryer conditions and dryer filament while filament remains in the sealed AMS</li></ul></li><li>Removing the hub weight / desiccant container:<ul><li>Hold the filament spool horizontally with the hub weight container text “OPEN THIS END” facing up</li><li>Unscrew the side with the text “OPEN THIS END” (See NOTE 1)</li><li>Carefully remove the main hub body insert from the bottom, careful to not spill desiccant beads</li><li>Reinstall the hub lid by screwing it back onto the main hub insert to avoid accidentally spilling desiccant beads</li></ul></li></ul>&nbsp;NOTE 1:<ul><li>The top of the hub insert is marked “OPEN THIS END”.</li><li>The bottom of the hub insert is marked “WRONG END”.</li><li>When the hub is installed in the filament spool, don’t mistake the bottom for the top and unscrew from the bottom end, otherwise the desiccant beads may spill out.</li><li>To remove the hub insert, unscrew the top marked “OPEN THIS END” and carefully remove the hub. Reinstall the top of the hub insert after removing from the spool to keep from accidentally spilling the desiccant beads.</li></ul>&nbsp;NOTE 2:<ul><li>If you plan to leave the filament spool hub weight and desiccant container in your filament dryer, choose the filament to print the hub weight so that it can withstand the heat from your filament dryer.</li><li>While I have tested the print with several filaments, I choose ASA for the hubs because it has the highest heat tolerance of the filaments I have on-hand.</li><li>Other filaments should work fine as long as the heat is not too high. Minimally, choose the same type of filament as you are drying and you should be ok. For example, PLA filament for a PLA spool, PETG filament for a PETG spool, and so on.</li></ul>&nbsp;Features:<ul><li>Screw on top.</li><li>Top lid is clearly labeled “OPEN THIS END.” This is important because if the hub is filled with desiccant and inside the spool, and you unscrew the wrong side, your desiccant will spill out everywhere. So always unscrew the side labeled “OPEN THIS END”. The other side is clearly embossed with “WRONG END” so don’t open from that side or the desiccant beads will spill out.</li><li>Good air flow to the desiccant:<ul><li>Grill airflow on both ends</li><li>Perforated slits along the cylinder inside the hub</li><li>Allows for air flow to circulate both inside and outside the hub</li><li>As the spool rolls during printing, the desiccant is “tumbled” providing air contact to all of the beads, not just those beads on the outside edges for good moisture absorption</li></ul></li></ul>&nbsp;Size:<ul><li>I will likely upload additional sizes in the future to accommodate different spool sizes</li><li>Currently: sized for Bambu Labs Reusable Spool</li><li>Hub Outside Diameter: 52.30 mm</li><li>Hub Inside Length (through the spool): 63.62 mm</li><li>Hub diameter and inside length are sized to provide a little bit of relief in the diameter (1.65 mm), and slightly short on the length (by about 3 mm) so the lid can be screwed tight to the spool</li><li>Other Compatible Spools that I tested:<ul><li>Polymaker Polylite ASA cardboard spools : fit is near perfect</li><li>Amolen plastic spools (PLA Silk) : fit is good, but a little bit long and should be fine for its purpose</li><li>eSUN PLA+ black plastic spools : fit is good, but a little long and should be fine for its purpose</li><li>eSUN PLA Silk clear plastic spools : NOT COMPATIBLE - DOES NOT FIT, I will update the files with an updated dimension for these spools as soon as time allows</li><li>Additional compatible spools confirmed by fellow community members:<ul><li>Overture Spools</li></ul></li></ul></li></ul>&nbsp;Print-Tested with the following Printer and Filaments:<ul><li>Printer: Bambu Labs X1C + AMS</li><li>Filament:<ul><li>Bambu Labs PETG Basic (White)</li><li>Bambu Labs PETG-CF (Green)</li><li>Bambu Labs ASA (Grey)</li><li>Bambu Labs PLA Tough (Orange)</li></ul></li><li>Plates tested:<ul><li>Textured PEI Plate (Gold)</li><li>High Temperature PEI Plate (Smooth)</li></ul></li></ul>&nbsp;My General Settings:<ul><li>Nozzle: 0.4 mm hardened steel</li><li>Layer height: 0.2 mm</li><li>Wall loops: 4</li><li>Top shell layers: 4</li><li>Top shell thickness: 0.8 mm</li><li>Bottom shell layers: 4</li><li>Bottom shell thickness 0.8 mm</li><li>Sparse infill density: 15%</li><li>Infill pattern: Gyroid</li><li>Infill/wall overlap: 15%</li><li>Speed settings:<ul><li>Mainly slowed down so the profile is compatible with PLA, PETG, PETG-CF, and ASA (slower settings needed for PETG)</li></ul></li><li>Support: None</li><li>Brim: None</li><li>NOTE: For ASA printing, for best, results:<ul><li>Heat chamber to approximately 40-45 C before starting the print</li><li>Keep chamber temperature 50 - 55C during printing.<ul><li>I keep the enclosure closed and place insulation on the top glass to hold the heat in. You may need to slightly adjust insulation coverage to maintain steady-state temperature between 50 and 55 C.</li></ul></li><li>I had no adhesion or warping issues with ASA on either the Smooth PEI plate or the Gold Textured PEI plate</li></ul></li></ul>&nbsp;Printed mass:<ul><li>Bambu Labs PETG Basic: 54 grams</li><li>Bambu Labs ASA: 47 grams</li><li>Bambu Labs PETG-CF: 51 grams</li><li>Bambu Labs PLA Tough: 55 grams</li></ul>&nbsp;Desiccant volume mass:<ul><li>Approximately: 74 grams depending on brand</li><li>Desiccant filled to just below the hub’s screw thread level to accommodate the lid</li></ul>

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