Filament2 Silicone Tool XL in combination with INDX idea.
The silicone tool looks interesting - but I am also interested in how it could possibly work in conjunction with a Bondtech INDX based XL.
Thinking about the Filament2 Silicone Add on for the Prusa XL.
1. They first demonstrated it at Formnext 2024 on an A1 Mini.
2. Interesting possibility on an XL - 2 XL heads, - 1 Filament2 Silicone, 1 - Bondtech INDX. The two print heads should take up about 144mm - so leaving 216 - which is enough room for 7 INDX passive tools at the back - in place of the other 3 XL toolheads.
3. It looks like the Filament2 is an addon to the NextTruder - probably mainly using the drive power - so I wonder if they could instead make an INDX 'passive tool' version - that somehow gets its drive power from the INDX toolhead via some sort of gear engagement - or maybe they could slightly modify the INDX toolhead to have some sort 'power take off' - to allow probably a 10 INDX tools XL - with one of the Passive Tools a Filament2 Silicone Extruder.
4. Another XL suggestion that has been made to me - is to keep the full 5 tool XL setup as is - but as permanently mount an INDX toolhead one the front of the XL pickup carriage (plus make it active rather than passive).
Then mount 11 INDX Passive tools on the front of the XL - to make it 16 tools in total.
Short demo animation of INDX on XL - will make version with 2 heads and silicone tool next.
https://youtube.com/shorts/Bc44xUUht1A?si=f-sQOiYYez2HASQg
RE: Filament2 Silicone Tool XL in combination with INDX idea.
The whole silicone head thing seems a bit niche to me. I don't understand why they wouldn't focus on getting simple things done first, like Prusa designed nozzle wipers and the startup code to go with it. Or a power solution for the camera they released(and/or a camera designed specifically for the XL). Or a better belt tensioning system that can be reliably adjusted.
In other words, spend some time making what is already part of the XL better.
RE: Filament2 Silicone Tool XL in combination with INDX idea.
Yeah...I wish...pretty sure my 5T has been abandoned by Prusa.
RE: Filament2 Silicone Tool XL in combination with INDX idea.
Finally got round to doing a mock up of some INDX + XL options - will do an animation too at some point.
i think I prefer the double sided option.
RE: Filament2 Silicone Tool XL in combination with INDX idea.
INDX for traditional plastics and the tool heads for silicone, pick & place, and whatever else comes along.
That would be quite the machine
RE: Filament2 Silicone Tool XL in combination with INDX idea.
It looks like your "double-sided option" requires the carriage be able to pick up tool heads on both its front and back sides. Doing that with the required stability and repeatable precision would likely be very challenging.
Currently the point of contact between the carriage and the tools is very close to the linear rail. Adding another pick-up point to the other side of the carriage, significantly cantilevered away from the linear rail, seems ripe for adding play.
Also, add the required PTFE tubing to your models, and see if the double-sided option still seems attractive.
Finally got round to doing a mock up of some INDX + XL options - will do an animation too at some point.
i think I prefer the double sided option.
RE: Filament2 Silicone Tool XL in combination with INDX idea.
Currently the point of contact between the carriage and the tools is very close to the linear rail. Adding another pick-up point to the other side of the carriage, significantly cantilevered away from the linear rail, seems ripe for adding play.
I thought using the same parts which fit the same distance from the rail carriage in the opposite direction would be ok - but I guess the forward facing pickup could be pulled back a bit - but might require a new part, rather than reusing the existing rear facing parts.