Air Filtration & Interfacing with Prusa MK3S+
Hi everyone,
I am very experienced with polymers and nanocomposites, but very new to 3D printing and recently received my MK3S+, which I hope to assemble very soon (I am actually just waiting on a colleague to print the bearing grease tool...). Unfortunately, I am limited on places to set up the printer and it is very likely to end up in my home office. One of my goals is to print with as many materials as possible to gain experience that might help me with other aspects of my career as a research scientist. All this to say, I have the plans and most of the materials for an expanded aluminum enclosure with a cabinet and I've now found myself approaching the topic of air cleansing. At a minimum, I know I want a robust HEPA & carbon filter setup, but I'm a little lost at how to integrate it into the MK3S+ system.
At a basic level I could purchase or design something like the Alveo system and let it run independently of the printer. I didn't know that existed and have already started plans on building something similar using a 24V high static pressure fan, appropriate filtration media, and 3D printing the housing. With this in mind, I have a few questions I'm hoping the Prusa community can help me with:
- Does anyone have experience with the Alveo systems and integrating them with the Prusa? By that I mean have the G-code kick the fan off/on as needed or integrate it with hardware?
- If I built my own, I still have the same question as #1, but I'm curious if I can use the Prusa power supply or do I need to incorporate a Pi?
- Thinking about the future, I'd really like to have 2 filtration systems in my enclosure. One that can recycle air within the enclosure so that I can conserve more heat; and another that would be mounted on the side so that I can filter air and maintain some degree of cooling capabilities when I don't need a hot print environment. With heating and cooling capabilities, the next obvious step is to make a PID controller...Can this be done with the Prusa as-shipped?
- For a couple of other reasons I'm interested in using Octoprint. Would doing so make implementing the air filtration system any easier?
I feel like I need to purchase a Pi and Octoprint to manage all of this, but I am a novice at best when it comes to electronics and programming for these types of applications. Any general advice, links to builds, or directs answers would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks Everyone!
RE: Air Filtration & Interfacing with Prusa MK3S+
Hi,
I can answer to you because I just bought the Alveo 3D filtration system with the V2 Controler card. This is a not too expensive ready-to-use fitration solution. The v2 controler will help you to connect the fan to a Raspberry Pi using GPIO pins or RS232 (with a TTL/USB converter). I am using small command line script for controling the fan. Coupled with Octoprint, you can start and stop automaticaly the fan when you respectively start and finish a print. This is awesome. I manage to put my scripts to GitHub and, later, do a plugin for this.
The fan is not so noisy if you don't put it at 100% power. Reduced to 50%, I can do some video meetings at 2 meters... Here is my own enclosure system for my Prusa i3 mk3s.
If you want to make your own system, you should use the Octoprint Enclosure plugin which help you to manage fans, temperature sensors, and so on.
I will share my scripts soon. In an meanwhile; you can check the Event documentation chapter of Octoprint to see how mapping system events with scripts.
Gadget addict - 3D Printing - Raspπ Arduino - Maker - Photographer - SlashGen - Father - PGP 52F3EEA0103DAC2F
RE: Air Filtration & Interfacing with Prusa MK3S+
Most users use PLA or PETG without enclosures and have no problems.
ABS is the filment most likely to cause people to look for filtration or external exhausts.
In your case you might need to plan ahead; are you likely to try printing filaments wth noxious components? Might you need a full fume cupboard set up?
If a simple filter system is enough then my suggestion is that you will do better to design and implement your own, make it part of the learning process while you are learning to use the printer with the basic filaments.
Although you could integrate the filtration with the printer and print processes I suggest you do not. You are going to be experimenting and you should be prepared for the unexpected: use a separate control system.
I suggest: Two filters.
One air recycler with a simple speed control - use an Arduino, Pi Pico or BBCMicrobit to make a PWM controller if you would like to learn more basic electronics - there are guides for schoolchildren on the BBC Microbit site.
And one exhaust with two controllers, both a speed control as above and a thermostat for environment control.
Give them an independant power supply. If you may be printing something that will generate noxious fumes and if you can expect power cuts then consider battery backup for the exhaust.
Cheerio,
RE: Air Filtration & Interfacing with Prusa MK3S+
I had the same needs as you when I got started. After looking around, I settled on a ready made enclosure with the features I wanted already built in. I got the Makergadgets.org enclosure (the adelina) - comes with built in HEPA/carbon filtration plus a temp controller exhaust fan that I vent out to my paint booth exhaust extractor (think shop exhaust system). When I want a heated enclosure (abs, pc, etc) I close the door and turn on the hepa filter - and then set the exhaust fan to start evacuating the chamber when the temp is above what I want at the top of the enclosure. When setting up exhaust fans, you have to remember to prevent the fans from blowing air around on the bed (stable print bed climate).
RE: Air Filtration & Interfacing with Prusa MK3S+
@yohann-c
I like your setup a lot and I am definitely going to dive more into the resources you posted. I had noticed that octoprint enclosure plugin before and so your recommendation has moved that up on my list. It looks like you vent into the room. If that is in fact the case, do you ever notice any odors with the Alevo system?
RE: Air Filtration & Interfacing with Prusa MK3S+
@diem
I definitely want to be able to print with whatever filament crosses my interest as my efforts into the hobby evolve. I think having a separate system makes a lot of sense, especially not relying on the g-code to "control" the filtration system(s). That said, is there a reasonable way for me to allow the filtration system and the printer to communicate. For example, if I could insert an optional line in the g-code to control a set enclosure temperature for different filaments? In my mind, it would have no effect on the printer or printing process directly, but give the filtration system some degree of autonomy...
RE: Air Filtration & Interfacing with Prusa MK3S+
@dan-rogers
Your temperature control scheme is pretty much exactly what I'm envisioning at a basic level and I've considered those enclosures. This is way down the line for me, but do you think you could fit an MMU2 in there or would you feed the filament through the top?
Also, I'm sure your route is the easier and cheaper option, but I'd kind of like to take the opportunity to learn a little more about the electronics and give doing it myself a shot. It seems like there is a great deal of support (for example, these responses are great) from the Prusa community and other 3d printing communities that will give me a good chance to succeed without having to reinvent everything.
My hope is that I can use this process to learn some skills that might help me in other projects.
RE: Air Filtration & Interfacing with Prusa MK3S+
Their enclosure comes in multiple heights. I just bought a second one for my daughter that is taller - it should fit an MMU - but I'd recommend feeding the tube thru the top so you aren't reaching around things to get to your MMU.
RE: Air Filtration & Interfacing with Prusa MK3S+
@heisenberg
Not at all. There is no odors. Notice that I only print PLA & PETG but this a good filtration system. My enclosure is pretty shut. The only thing that is lacking for me today is fan regulation in fonction of the temperature. I will do a specific script to maintain a certain temperature in the enclosure and regule the fan speed at any print time.
Gadget addict - 3D Printing - Raspπ Arduino - Maker - Photographer - SlashGen - Father - PGP 52F3EEA0103DAC2F
RE:
I would appreciate if you would post your scripts on the git. Thanks a lot.
RE: Air Filtration & Interfacing with Prusa MK3S+
All scripts / tools are here : https://github.com/spawnrider/octoprint-alveo3d-tools
Gadget addict - 3D Printing - Raspπ Arduino - Maker - Photographer - SlashGen - Father - PGP 52F3EEA0103DAC2F
RE: Air Filtration & Interfacing with Prusa MK3S+
Thank you.
RE: Air Filtration & Interfacing with Prusa MK3S+
Hi @yohann-c,
I have just ordered the Alveo V2 controller mainly because the AlveoOne filter I have been using for the past year is simply too noisy at 100%. I saw your link to the scripts but I have no idea how to implement them in the octoprint setup that I am using with my Prusa Mk3. Can you point me to where I can find information on how to add such scripts or similar? I am only familiar with adding plugins to octoprint.
RE: Air Filtration & Interfacing with Prusa MK3S+
Am digging into it also have the alveo V2 controller and filtersystem. Glad i bought the controller cause the reduction in rpm to 50% makes working in the same room more plessent 🙂 Now figurering out where to get the usb to pin converter stuf. (on my todo list)