VzBot Printhead for Kywoo Tycoon Max

The Kywoo3D Tycoon Max printer is a great design with one clear shortcoming: the single gear printhead, which is heavy as well. To remedy a sloppy extruder I went on a tangent and remixed the VzBot printed Printhead design by Simon Vez to suit the Tycoon Max. 

This is a complete set of models  needed to replace the original printhead for this upgraded version. Most parts have been reworked from the original design, some were added and others were remixed or repurposed from other designs available on Thingiverse/Printables.

The VzBot platform is becoming a standard for modularity and adaptability in DIY 3D printing. This model is a direct result of these attributes. The printhead carriage can be equipped with different hotends and extruders. Parts included are for the use of a E3D V6 groove mount heatsink and heatblock. Using adapter plates available through the VzBot Github, a plethora of other hotends can be fitted. 

The extruder included is the VzHextrudort Low version available through: https://github.com/VzBoT3D/Vz-HextrudORT. Other versions of this extruder are available to suit your needs and desires. Alternatively you can print the parts for a Sherpa Mini extruder (https://github.com/Annex-Engineering/Sherpa_Mini-Extruder) which will fit as well if an adapter plate is used, the plate can be found on Simon Vez's GitHub. The extruder uses a Nema14 pancake stepper which should be aquired for this mod. The gears for this extruder can be salvaged from a Bondtech BMG (clone) or the new Bondtech RIGDA gears can be aquired for better print quality. 

The included pictures (in order) provide somewhat of an installation manual for the printed parts. Hardware used is all M3, check the required length of screws as you install. Most screws are standard sockethead, some are recessed head, pictures will indicate where these are used. You will need two tubes 5ODx3ID for the back plate of the carriage, I use brass but any material will do, carbon should do nice in terms of weight savings. Heat inserts are used for installation of threads in the printed parts. Use some good quality ones, both 5.7 mm and 3 mm length are needed.

This setup has been tested on my Tycoon Max Z800 (with a z extension to 800 mm) so should work without issues on your machine. Please note that the stepper current in the firmware is 0.8 A and the recommended current for the NEMA14 is 0.7 A, the stepper may get a tad hot as a result, you may want to add a heatsink to the back. If you need the firmware adapted, find Wiktor in the Kywoo uiser group on FB, he can make you an adapted version. I have not adapted the firmware so for this purpose, temperatures are managle so far. 

Printing settings:

Use a heat resistant filament as the stepper gets hot, ABS or ASA works best.

I printed all parts with a 0.6 mm nozzle, 0.65 mm line width, 0.13 mm layer thickness. These settings will ensure overhangs are nice and strength is high due to the large contact area between individual layers. Please use some cooling (even for ABS/ASA) for overhangs on the back panel of the print head carriage. Most parts can be printed without support, check in the slicer which would benefit from a some. 

This is not a mod for the faint-of-heart, you will need to completely dismantle the carriage and redo the umbilical which means get into the case to unplug the cables from the mainboard. I am sure this mod will void your warranty.  

Before you ask, there is no mounting location for the filament sensor on the carriage/extruder. I do not use it at all so left it out, but if you please, you could mount the sensor somewhere upstream from the extruder at the top of the machine for example. Repurpose the original bracket for this purpose and Bob's your uncle. 

Post a make if you complete the mod, love to see your interpretation of this model!

Other models remixed and/or included in this model are:

BL Touch mount by AlexLR (www.thingiverse.com/thing:6275946)

5015 fan intake by Caelestis 3D (www.printables.com/model/312774-radial-fan-air-intake-fits-any-5015-fan)

3010 fan grille by Aldoale (www.printables.com/model/496217-vz-bot-printhead-rapido-heatsink-duct-3010-fan)

V6 Fan Duct for 3010 fan by joshuarowley42 (www.thingiverse.com/thing:340312)

3010 Rapido Hotend Cooler Shroud by Willg77 (www.thingiverse.com/thing:5671729/files)

This is a complete rework of the original design by Simon Vez to allow installation on the Kywoo3D Tycoon Max printer. Most parts of the printhead were adapted and some additional parts were designed or remixed from existing designs.