Prusa Core One sliding & hinged top cover with optional automated ventilation

Overview

I had some height constraints above my printer so the hinged version of https://www.printables.com/model/1226383-prusa-core-one-magnetic-top-cover-with-integrated did not quite suit my needs and I also wanted the functionality of https://www.printables.com/model/1323846-core-one-automatic-chamber-vent.

So I (over)designed my own version and might as well share it. It is probably much more complicated than it needs to be and not the sleekest looking, but worked for me. I designed for it to be used “sideways” since I have the filtration system attached in the back, but it can be placed and works in any orientation.

I printed the frame with Prusament PETG Galaxy Black, 0.4mm nozzle, 0.2mm layer height, 3 walls, 15% cuboid infill. Hinges with Jet Black PC-blend. The whole thing would probably work perfectly fine with regular PLA.

Includes .f3d files.

Needed hardware

Screws/bolts/nuts

Nuts and bolts instead of threading into plastic, because I simply don't like the latter. Should also be relatively simple to change it for use with heated inserts instead.

I mostly used button heads for best clearances (except hinge mounts). Socket heads should work in most places, but might cause interference issues (your mileage may wary).

• 4* m3x12 (hinge joints)

• 4* m3x8 (hinge mounts)

• 4* m3x6 (frame rails)

• 4* m3x10 (frame sides)

• 12* m3 nut

• 2* m3 (lock)nut (hinge mounts, regular nut will also probably work fine).

There is probably some suitable hardware in the left-overs of Core One assembly kit, but I don't remember if and which ones I used.

Magnets

Magnets are not strictly necessary, but make it snap in place a bit better and allow sticking to the side panel in position when opened.

I just used the sizes that I had easily locally available, edit/replace as needed.

• 6* 5x5mm cylinder

• 4* 10x3x2mm

Printing & assembly

Note that the attached .3mf files are meant as a reference for what to print and in which orientation. These are not actual prints with tested settings.

Hinges

Pictured hinges are printed with Prusament PC Blend Jet Black, but PETG/PLA will work perfectly fine. 

• The hinge-top was intended to be printed on its bolt-side end to avoid printing a bridge and/or using supports on the side that actually slides in the frame.

  

• You will need 2 instances of hinge-mid and hinge-top. 

  • Print the 2nd one mirrored if you want them to be symmetric.

1. Assemble the hinge-mount, hinge-mid and hinge-top with m3x12 (buttonhead) bolts and m3 nuts. Total of 4* bolts/nuts needed for both hinges.

   

2. Remove the m3x4 socket-head corner screw on the frame, we will replace it with m3x8 (can be longer).

   

3. Use m3x8 screw (example with socket-head, can be button-head) and attach the hinge-mount to the frame.

   

4. Add m3x8 bolt and (lock)nut to the other hinge-mount hole.

   

5. Tighten everything.

Frame

Pictured frame is printed with Prusament PETG Galaxy Black, but PLA should work perfectly fine. Anything more “complicated” (with shrinkage and warping) is up to your own discretion.

Print orientation should be relatively obvious, with the only exception that sides were designed to be printed with glass side away from print bed. 

• You will need 2 instances of slide and rail.

• Plugs can be skipped. 

  • Plug-mid is only needed if you want a “stopper” so that cover will not slide past certain point (when open). Note that if you use magnets, the cover frame will most likely stick to the side of the printer well enough that it will serve the same purpose.

    

  • If you print them and later decide not to use them, they can be “stored” in one of the sides of the frame. They also have 5x5 magnet slots if you want to simply stick them somewhere.

    

  • Plug-end is for aesthetics and it helps to stop you accidentally sliding the frame off the hinges.

    

    • You could close the corner off completely, but this will mean that you have to slide the hinge into the frame corner from the middle before adding the rail piece and attaching the glass cover.

Assembly can be a bit finnicky, mostly because the bolts/nuts have some intended “sideways” movement and don't press fit into place. Purpose for that is to pre-empt any tolerance issues when it comes to matching frame bolt holes and top cover holes (especially when using materials that can shrink/warp).

1. Press in any and all the magnets you intend to use. For me, they were tight press fits and didn't need glue and still stayed in place, but your milage may wary. There are m2-sized through-holes so you can press the magnet out later if needed (I used the smallest hex-key that came with the kit).

2. Assemble the frame pieces, it should snap together and stay relatively well in one piece even before any nuts/bolts. 

   • My rails had some visible marks where the magnet slot is printed so I arranged them to the inner side.

     

3. Easiest way for assembly, I found, is to set the cover on the table with 1 corner/edge over the edge, drop the nut in place and screw the bolt in from underneath, and then rotate and go around the frame.

   

   • I used buttonhead m3x6 bolts for rails, and m3x10 bolts for sides with m3 nuts. Total of 4*m3x6, 4*m3x10, 8*m3 nuts. 

   • I wouldn't fully tighten the bolts until they are all set (or even after you slide the frame onto the printer), so that you can get best fitment possible without any bowing etc. of the top cover.

   • Corners with the rail opening should be at the side where you want the hinges to be.

4. Slide the frame onto the hinges.

   

5. If the sliding action is too “sticky”, you can loosen and re-tighten hinge mount bolts, so that they are better aligned with the sliding movement.

   

6. Check the plexiglass cover for any bowing etc. loosen and re-tighten the frame bolts and move things around as necessary (be careful not to loosen too much and drop the nuts into the printer).

7. Add end-plugs if you want.

   1. With the plug side-ways, slide the “ears” into the groove.

      

   2. Rotate to snap into place.

      

Automatic vent opening 

Since the frame adds 15mm of height (and also I dislike screwing into plastic), I designed my own models of https://www.printables.com/model/1323846-core-one-automatic-chamber-vent and https://www.printables.com/model/1327661-core-one-automatic-chamber-vent-nextruder-lever-re

Pictured example printed with Prusament PC-blend Jet Black.

• Add support enforcer for highlighted spot.

  

1. Replace the original right side cover of the printhead (re-use the same screws).

2. Unbolt the vent.

3. Attach the the lever to the vent, and re-bolt it. 

   • Lever also has indents for nuts which means you can now loosen/tighten them just from the top without having to hold the nut in place.

G-code is the same as https://www.printables.com/model/1323846-core-one-automatic-chamber-vent with some x/y values modified. Obviously you should check/test/modify as needed before using it.

Start g-code

; ------------------------------------------ 
; Automatic vent control via Nextruder
G1 Y0 F10000 ; go to safe position 
{if filament_type[initial_tool] =~ /.(PLA|PETG)./} 
  ; Open the vent 
  G1 X85 ; left of lever 
  G1 Y-15 ; engagement position 
  G1 X105 F1000 ; push lever right 
  G1 X85 F10000 ; retract to the left 
{else}
  ; Close the vent 
  G1 X115 ; right of lever 
  G1 Y-15 ; engagement position 
  G1 X95 F1000 ; push lever left 
  G1 X115 F10000 ; retract to the right 
{endif} 
G1 Y0 ; go to safe position 
; ------------------------------------------

End g-code

; ------------------------------------------ 
; Close the vent if it has been opened 

{if filament_type[initial_tool] =~ /.(PLA|PETG)./} 
  G1 Y0 F10000 ; go to safe position 
  G1 X115 ; right of lever 
  G1 Y-15 ; engagement position 
  G1 X95 F1000 ; push lever left 
  G1 X115 F10000 ; retract to the right 
  G1 Y0 ; go to safe position 
{endif} 
; ------------------------------------------