Modular Mounting System for CR6 (MMSCR6)

I'm to share my latest idea for a modular hot end and extruder mounting systerm for the Creality CR6 style printers. This design is all about giving options and flexibility for mounting hot end and extruder combinations. With a modular design, you can choose from a variety of hot end and extruder combinations to suit your hardware. Just select the combination that works best for you.

For this first release, I only support a Bowden tube setup, a carriage mounted Sherpa extruder, strain gauge mounted Orbiter v1.5 or a stress gauge mounted Sherpa extruder, but I hope to add more extruder options in the future. I believe that this design has the potential to accommodate a variety of extruder types.

My design also includes the possibility of creating your own custom modules so you can personalize your hot end and extruder setup! If you want to add an extruder just line up the filament path and 4 screw holes needed to bolt the new extruder plate in. For a new hot end you can model it after the ones I have that needs top holes for melted inserts and front holes for threaded inserts and the holes needed for which ever hot end you want to install. 

I'd like to give a shout-out and show appreciation to the designs of K2Van and CARTOK. This design has been influenced and partially derived from their works, and I'm grateful for the knowledge and inspiration they've provided. For example the front fan blade design is reused from K2Van and the modified carriage mounted Sherpa mount is mostly from the CARTOK design.

Please keep in mind that this is just an early design at this point but I have built and used some of these combinations. I don't have all the hardware to test all possible combinations but I'll be happy to make modifications or adjustments if asked..

The combinations supported for now are:

Hot Ends:

1. Phaetus Dragon
2. Phaetus Dragonfly BMS
3. Mosquito

Extruders:

1. Bowden tube
2. Sherpa Mini strain gauge mounted
3. Sherpa Mini carriage mounted from CARTOK
4. Orbiter v1.5 strain gauge mounted

The cooling solution I'm using is the adjustable dual fang which is a remake that you can find in my makes. It was also derived from the one provided by K2Van.

For the Sherpa Mini mount from CARTOK you will need to use the modified version I'm including so that it does not conflict with the adjustable dual fang or use the original dual fang. My adjustable is available in case you have a longer/shorter hotend.

For now I've not included the Fusion 360 files. The basic reason is because they are a mess. The evolution of this design was organic and I just kept adding new sketches as new ideas pop up. It resulted in a large and messy design history. I'll be happy to share my Fusion file but let this serve as a warning that this design should be redone from scratch now that I know exactly how it should be made.

Most of the parts require melted inserts for strength and ease of assembly. Please Refer to some of the picture for an understanding of where to insert them. I don't have time to document this and the Fusion design does not have all these inserts included but maybe I can get to it later. Ideally I would need to include the inserts and bolts in an improved Fusion design.

The strain gauge mounted versions do have a bit more movement but I found little to no effect on quality for printing up to 100mm/s and 1000mm/s^2 but I am concern it may show up for high accelerations and faster speeds. Overall I'm happy with the current design that works well with the strain gauge and does provide some rigidity. The mount has small angles on the gauge clamp to help against movement while allowing the use of the strain gauge. 

In the design the Dragon version has a cut out for the round fins which is why it has a separate set of fan mount.

For those interested I did measurements and I could modify the hotend mount to allow for a Revo CR to fit. I have the Revo CR but not a Fusion model to help me make the design. If you know of one please share and I'd love to try.

Hope this is useful to someone. Happy printing!

NOTE: If you are interested in another solution I have a Voron TAP based version also that uses an MGN9H 50mm rail to control movement of the strain gauge while allow for a more rigid mounting of the extruder and hot end. That is what I am running now and I love it. It does not support as many options as this one but I can expand it if requested.

NOTE: Please know that part of my text is written by ChatGPT which can make some of it feel like marketing. Very interesting tool.