Filament Retainer for UM3/UM3E

[CTotten 18]

I am finally getting around to posting this.  We bought our UM3E about 12 months ago.  The first time I ran a print over night, the filament jumped over the edge of the spool, got bound up around the spool post, and caused the print to fail (in the last 60 minutes of the 20 hour print job).  I was very frustrated. 

 

So I designed a simple add-on to prevent this from happening again.  The factory equipment restrains the filament at one point around the spool, leaving it free to jump the spool around the rest of spool.  To fix this, I created two additional restraint arms.  To make sure it fit correctly to the existing components, I downloaded the part CAD files from Ultimaker.  It fits over the spool post, and positively locks into place against the existing retainer arm (to prevent it from rotating with the spool).  When changing spools, you just sit the retainer on the side of the spool, and load it normally. A little turn ensures it is locked in.

[Smithy 1,145]

Great idea and design!

 

Do you plan to share the STL or even the source CAD files (if it don't fit a specific spool) ?

[CTotten 18]

18 hours ago, Smithy said:

Great idea and design!

 

Do you plan to share the STL or even the source CAD files (if it don't fit a specific spool) ?

 

Here you go.  You need one base, and two arms.  Arms clip onto the base.

 

I usually only print with a single material, so I never bothered to make on for the extruder 1 filament spool, but I may do that in the near future.  I will keep you posted if I do.

 

Enjoy!

FilamentRetainer_Arm_UM3E.STL

FilamentRetainer_Base_UM3E.STL

[Smithy 1,145]

Thanks a lot!

And is already in my print queue ? 

[P3D 46]

Thank you very much, indeed! It already sits on my spool holder. If you get around to do it (and if you are allowed to/willing to share), the source CAD files would be much appreciated too ☺️

[P3D 46]

For what it's worth, here is my approach to a similar construction for the second spool. You have to wiggle it a bit before it fits, but it works. I printed it in Black Tough PLA. Inside the ZIP are STEP files.

secondspoolarm.stl

SecondSpoolBase.stl

secondspoolretainer.zip

[Smithy 1,145]

Thanks a lot for the second one, will print it as soon as possible.

The first one does its job quite well and fits perfectly. Maybe not always necessary but good to have it on the spool to be 100% sure that the filament will not struggle during a long print.

 

Thanks a lot, @CTotten and @P3D