E3D Online, an award-winning 3D printer components OEM, has released its latest dual-drive extrusion system, Hemera. The product was initially called Hermes, but changed after intervention from a company already using the name.
The system incorporates the company’s V6 hotend with a new filament drive designed to process flexible filaments at 50mm/s.
“Hemera has been a real labor of engineering love – it’s easily our best product to date. From an engineering perspective we’re especially proud of the performance with softer materials, and the compact design,” said Sanjay Mortimer, co-founder and Commerical Director of E3D Online.
Compact, dual-drive extrusion
The Hemera’s dual-drive arrangement was established to boost grip when compared to single drive systems. According to E3D, it is able to push filament with up to 10kg of force. Furthermore, users are able to adjust filament tension as a result of a secondary gear shaft placed on a moveable, sprung idler.
All the components are also toleranced after the drive gear. The E3D team identified a clearance gap between drive gears and heat break of approximately 100µm. Thus, the filament is tightly constrained in the heat break with 250µm of clearance. This ensures that the filament is directly melted.
“Hemera was designed to be compact which allows us to attain a very short distance from drive-wheels to melt-zone,” the company states. “This has a number of benefits, primarily reducing the length of filament under compression when being pushed into the melt zone, improving responsiveness.”
A novel heatsink
A novel heatsink was integrated into the Hemera to divert airflow up and away from the hotend and heated bed. This decreases the risk of warping and uneven stresses forming in a 3D printed part. Furthermore, Hemera reduced stringing and blobbing, as well as greater filament traction. In addition to the V6 hotend, this system is compatible with the Volcan and Super Volcano Nozzles, and the Nozzle X.
A custom motor, based on a NEMA 17 frame, is also present with a faceplate that allows it to be encompassed within the extruder housing. T-Slots are also included on both sides of the system to make it easily mountable on a 3D printer.
From Hermes to Hemera
Despite its unique name, the Hemera system experienced an abrupt identity change form its original name “Hermes”. As stated by E3D Online, this was a result of a “legal challenge” from a much larger company. In a recent statement, E3D expressed:
Nonetheless, the full Hemera system is currently available in a direct kit or Bowden kit at £84.
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Featured image shows the Hemera Dual extrusion system. Photo via E3D Online.
