Upgrade ProB into a Dual Extruder Model

[William]

Hi,there
To upgrade your proB into a dual extruder model, you will need the following items:
1. A 20A power supply:
http://www.geeetech.com/s25012-12v-20a- ... p-966.html
2. A MK8 dual extruder:
http://www.geeetech.com/mk8-dual-extruder-p-921.html
3.One more A4988 Stepper motor driver:
http://www.geeetech.com/stepper-driver- ... -1007.html
4. A dual extruder holder:
http://www.geeetech.com/mk8-dual-extrud ... p-950.html
If you need them, please contact our sales(sales@geeetech.com). As to the firmware, please refer to that of pro C model:
http://www.geeetech.com/forum/download/file.php?id=1555

[FrancYescO]

Is this also valid for the Pro W?

I think the power supply of pro W is enough so we can use the stock one

and as we already have an extruder can we buy just one more and put it on the holder with the old one?

For the firmware we just need to replace the stock one to the Pro C firmware? No additional software setup?

After the dual extruder mounted we should consider our printer a Pro C?

[William]

It also valid for the Pro W. The power supply of Pro W is 15A,it means you need a 20A power supply.
http://www.geeetech.com/s25012-12v-20a- ... p-966.html
The holder on Pro W is not same on Pro C, you need a MK8 dual extruder.
http://www.geeetech.com/mk8-dual-extruder-p-921.html
One more A4988 is necessary.
http://www.geeetech.com/stepper-driver- ... -1007.html
The firmware, please refer to that of pro C model(just some simply change).
download/file.php?id=1555

[FrancYescO]

[quote=William post_id=81328 time=1509936761 user_id=51382]
The holder on Pro W is not same on Pro C, you need a MK8 dual extruder.
http://www.geeetech.com/mk8-dual-extruder-p-921.html
[/quote]
as i already have an MK8 Extruder with the Pro W, can i buy this two instead?

dual holder:
https://www.geeetech.com/mk8-dual-extru ... p-950.html
+ another mk8 extruder:
https://www.geeetech.com/new-mk8-extruder-p-998.html

[quote=William post_id=81328 time=1509936761 user_id=51382]
The firmware, please refer to that of pro C model(just some simply change).
download/file.php?id=1555
[/quote]
the changes on the firmware are already made on this file right?

[William]

You should know different of here(not in same side), this is why i suggest you dual extruder and dual extruder holder.

[FrancYescO]

oww, but should be possible to disassemple one of the "sameside" extruder and mount it in the opposite side, right?

[SarenT]

I am also currently interested in this. I am trying to do the same thing. As many users want to just upgrade to dual extruder, it would be great to buy one more extruder to upgrade. Basically, second extruder on the dual extruder is mirrored version. Actually, the stepper motor, fans and the heat sink don't make any difference, as they are "square". The only part, which is a problem to such an upgrade is those black plastic parts, which aligns the filament holder gears to eachother. That prevents to align 2 extruders side by side. The pictures on the geeetech store website show these parts to be metal (aluminium maybe?). A single extruder costs $30, a dual extruder $96. In order to save $66, I am considering several options here:
1) Order a single extruder in a mirrored orientation if possible.
2) Order a single extruder either plastic or aluminium and cut the marked part in william's picture above to fit in.
3) Order a single extruder and order a mirrored version of that plastic/metal part if possible.

Option 2 has another tiny issue. The way it looks from the pictures, the 2 hot ends will have different distances compared to the original dual extruder! I guess that can be configured either in the slicer.
What do you think of these options?

[wsoutter]

@sarenT. Did u attempt this modification? I like the idea and would like to attempt to build this mod. I am worried about editing the firmware to match (not my strength) the new print head positions etc. Anyone out there fancies doing a joint project, I will do the hardware / design for the extruder heads and they work on the firmware?

[_kaktus_]

Hi.


Like you said, modification of the equipment is not everything.

Firmware must be able to manage the hardware.

Perhaps Firmware from M201 version 1.0.03 would meet this challenge.
But I am not 100% sure.
Your thought got to me once, too. I even have a double head. But so far I haven't found time to design a new head mount.

You can always find the right version of Marlin.

[wsoutter]

@Kaktus, yes, I think it would be great for the community if we could design & build a dual print head solution for only maybe $28. As the official dual print head is $89 https://www.geeetech.com/mk8-dual-extruder-p-921.html

From reading this post, I am fairly sure that the Pro C model firmware would work - but would need tweaking for the positions of the custom build print heads.

I would be happy to design a new 3D printed holder/housing for people to be able to use the existing hotend/stepper motor - and just buy one new one like this: https://www.geeetech.com/new-mk8-extruder-p-998.html for $28.

The motherboard of the ProB has connectors for an additional stepper and hotend - so the electronics are good to go - again would need some tweaking on firmware. Perhaps the ProB firmware would already be handling this?

I have the additional hassle that I am already using the Geeetech Autolevel - so would need to add that to the firmware too.

Anyone out there that is a decent coder and fancies a joint interesting project?