Filament Splicer

Project cancelled, click here to read why
The idea for Filament Splicer was born about a month after our Ultimaker 3D Printer was build. As cool as 3D Printing is, printing in one color is boring.

Users of normal, single head FFF/FDM printers are stuck with single color unless they join filament pieces together to produce one multi-colored string. It is not very complicated but process is quite awkward and you will get fed up very quickly.

If you want to have proper, stable filament join you need to have right temperature on the tip of plastic when you connect pieces together. This is hard to achieve when you use some arbitrary heat source. You either underheat or overheat and burn the plastic. Using print head of your printer is best 'ad-hoc' solution but it leaves quite a mess on it, you cannot print when you splice and plastic which is in the head slowly gets burned while you take time to splice your string.

Then, of course there is issue with forming of the joint, carpet knife and fingers where our favorite tools for that job but it took quite a long time to form each joint.

We have had our share of failed prints due to broken joints / stuck filament and finally decided to create a device which will help to splice filament. Initial idea was to create fully automated unit: you place filament ends on copper block, close it, push the button and viola - you have your joint. That was the theory.... In practice this is impossible because PLA and ABS expand during heat-up and contract during cool down, this results in either no joint at all or bubble-filled mess.

Many headache filled days [Even best PLA is really nasty stuff when you breath it in for a while] later we dropped the idea and went for 'open' model with precisely manufactured grooves which help to quickly heat up, connect and form joints.

Thermal insulation was another challenge, we wanted to allow up to 260c temperature but nothing could properly insulate enclosure from hot copper block for prolonged period of time. Ceramic fiber thermal tape can take that heat but one needs a lot of it and then there is itching... Chinese tape is horrible and even best branded, made in USA [ThermoTec] tape is not flawless. We eventually gave up on ceramic fibre and went with PFTA [Teflon] plates. Since PFTA can be outright poisonous at high temperatures, we decided to use high quality - made in Europe material - this way we are sure that maximum temperature of 235c is well within safety limit.

Availability

Filament splicer can be pre-ordered via our campaign on Indiegogo, it is available as a DIY kit or fully assembled unit.

 

Assembled
Assembled
Kit
Kit

 

Open Source

Filament splicer blueprints are released under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License and can be downloaded from Thingiverse and Youmagine.

Tags: 
projects
filament splicer

61701 Comments

Anonymous

StanleyCow (not verified)

on

Sun, 06/01/2025 - 19:52

Я знаю, что надо сделать )))
Mesenchymal stem cells, as it is said, are the basis of [url=https://StemCellsTreatmentFrance.com/]https://StemCellsTreatmentFrance.c... for regenerative medicine. Chambers, I., Colby, D., Robertson, M., Nichols, J., Lee, S., Tweedy, S., Smith, A. (May 2003 year.). "Cloning the functional expression of nanog, a factor supporting pluripotency of embryonic stem cells."

Anonymous

DanielDum (not verified)

on

Sun, 06/01/2025 - 20:56

[url=https://psee.io/7fxb3x][img]https://tripacostarica.com/1/tr/1.png[/img][...
[b]Summer this year[/b] provides fantastic opportunities for budget-conscious travelers pursuing unforgettable experiences without depleting the bank.
To enhance value, think about destinations and strategies that combine affordability with adventure.
Eastern Europe, like Poland or Hungary, is a jewel—vibrant cities like Krakow or Budapest deliver rich history, stunning architecture, and delicious cuisine at a part of Western Europe’s costs.
[url=https://psee.io/7fxb3x][img]https://tripacostarica.com/1/tr/2.png[/img][...
[b]Hostels and Airbnb[/b] rentals begin at $20–$30 per night, and hearty meals cost under $10. Southeast Asia, including Vietnam and Thailand, continues a top selection for tropical vibes.
Visualize Hanoi’s bustling markets or Chiang Mai’s serene temples, with street food at $1–$3 and guesthouses around $15.
[url=https://psee.io/7fxb3x][img]https://tripacostarica.com/1/tr/3.png[/img][...
[b]For North Americans[/b], Mexico’s Riviera Maya fuses pristine beaches with cultural sites like Tulum, where all-inclusive deals kick off at $80/night.
Lock in flights early, use fare alerts, and select for public transport to save. Traveling off-peak (June or late August) reduces costs further.
With sharp planning, your summer escape can be both affordable and incredible!
[url=https://psee.io/7fxb3x][b][u]Get your value-for-money travel right now![/u][/b][/url]

Anonymous

Stevensah (not verified)

on

Sun, 06/01/2025 - 21:23

Arzteprasident Klaus Reinhardt warnte vor gravierenden Versorgungslucken und hob die Bedeutung eines geplanten Primararztsystems hervor.
[url=https://2-bs2best-at.ru]2.bs2best at[/url]
Oppositionspolitiker – insbesondere aus der AfD – kritisierten eine massive Unterfinanzierung, Personalmangel und lange Wartezeiten. Sie fordern hohere Investitionen, eine Ruckfuhrung von Kliniken in kommunale Tragerschaft sowie einen deutlichen Burokratieabbau. Viele Burgerinnen und Burger mussten bereits monatelang auf einen Facharzttermin warten, wahrend die Krankenkassenbeitrage stetig steigen.
[url=https://http-bs2web.at]1.bs2best at[/url]
Mehr zum Thema – "Vollig losgelost" – GroKo degradiert Lauterbach in den Ausschuss fur Raumfahrt

Durch die Sperrung von RT zielt die EU darauf ab, eine kritische, nicht prowestliche Informationsquelle zum Schweigen zu bringen. Und dies nicht nur hinsichtlich des Ukraine-Kriegs. Der Zugang zu unserer Website wurde erschwert, mehrere Soziale Medien haben unsere Accounts blockiert. Es liegt nun an uns allen, ob in Deutschland und der EU auch weiterhin ein Journalismus jenseits der Mainstream-Narrative betrieben werden kann. Wenn Euch unsere Artikel gefallen, teilt sie gern uberall, wo Ihr aktiv seid. Das ist moglich, denn die EU hat weder unsere Arbeit noch das Lesen und Teilen unserer Artikel verboten. Anmerkung: Allerdings hat Osterreich mit der Anderung des "Audiovisuellen Mediendienst-Gesetzes" am 13. April diesbezuglich eine Anderung eingefuhrt, die moglicherweise auch Privatpersonen betrifft. Deswegen bitten wir Euch bis zur Klarung des Sachverhalts, in Osterreich unsere Beitrage vorerst nicht in den Sozialen Medien zu teilen.
bs2web at
https://bs2webat.org

Anonymous

SallyStugh (not verified)

on

Sun, 06/01/2025 - 22:40

Я считаю, что Вы не правы. Могу это доказать.
Their sources, characteristics, differentiation of [url=https://StemCellBudget.com/]https://StemCellBudget.com[/url], and therapeutic use are discussed. 22.Wernig M., Zhao J.P., Prushak J. et al.|etc.|others|so on}. however, taking into account the biological differences between citizen and mouse cells, most scientists think that electrical having an opinion about therapy of a person, will be missed during functioning only with rodents.

Anonymous

BlaineJew (not verified)

on

Sun, 06/01/2025 - 22:44

livraison rapide Viagra en France <a href=" https://www.wearebusiness.org/user/mowzbglwlz/?um_action=edit ">Viagra sans ordonnance 24h</a> or <a href=" https://images.google.tk/url?sa=t&url=https://viasansordonnance.com ">Acheter du Viagra sans ordonnance</a>
https://www.google.gm/url?q=https://viasansordonnance.com prix bas Viagra generique
[url=http://images.google.bi/url?q=https://viasansordonnance.com]Viagra generique en pharmacie[/url] prix bas Viagra generique and [url=https://visualchemy.gallery/forum/profile.php?id=4878056]Meilleur Viagra sans ordonnance 24h[/url] Viagra generique en pharmacie

Pages

Add your comment

More information about text formats

Plain text

  • No HTML tags allowed.
  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.