This is a quick-connect/disconnect system for a 2.5-inch vacuum/exhaust hose that includes a mounting facility so you can keep it organized. I developed this to vent out my printers and it has worked out so well that I thought I better share it…
When I first started looking for venting and connection systems I was very surprised to find there is not much out there if you want a comprehensive system with a quick connect/disconnect and supporting brackets for mounting the venting lines. So… I developed one.
Introduction
My first design priority and the most difficult challenge was designing a quick connect/disconnect system that a) required only one hand to operate, b) allowed the hose to rotate on the connection to reduce tension in the hose lines, and c) was 100% printable (no hardware required and preferably print-in-place).
My secondary goals included a) making sure the system was reverse compatible with the old-school pipe clamps and b) incorporating a mounting strategy.
My resulting design achieves all of those goals. I am using it to vent 6 Vorons to the outdoors. I added a 120mm fan at the wall side to create negative pressure in the lines and assist the exhaust fans in the Vorons. All together the system works excellently. I am pretty confident it would be equally as effective for other applications including vacuum and dust collection systems.
The Quick Release Head is a single print-in-place part. I needed to design into it special support that allows the overhanging “teeth” to be printed parallel to the print surface.
All the other components of the system, I refer to as the accessories, are assembled from multiple sections and glued together. This allows very clean and crisp mating areas and consequently a very solid and fast connection between the parts.
So far I have created the following accessories:
- Straight Connector
- Y-Connector
- 6060 Fan Connector
- 120×120 Fan Connector
- 120×120 Fan-Wall Adapter
- Head Cap and Tube Cap
- 100mm and 200mm Extensions, and
- various mounting solutions (listed separately below).
I have not developed a blast door yet but if anyone wants it I can develop one. If there are any other specific add-ons you would like let me know and I will do my best to develop them.
How it Works
The connection between the Head and any accessory is made by teeth on the flex handles of the Head extending into the groove on the accessory. And, this is only secure because both parts have surfaces parallel to each other. With one hand you squeeze the handles and the teeth pull away from the centre of the accessory allowing it to be withdrawn. Letting go of the handles allows the teeth to return.
The cross-sectional view tries to illustrate this essential design component which then dictates how the parts are printed.
The Head requires some built-in support to create a precision lower edge that is overhanging and parallel to the print surface. I have included support that seems to work quite reliably and creates a relatively sharp edge that locks the accessory in (so do not add support when slicing this).
To achieve similarly sharp edges in the accessories they are printed in sections that must be glued together after printing. As the mating surfaces are designed to be very close gluing is very easy and effective.
Building the Accessories
Each of the Accessory Parts has a core component that defines its purpose and then you add to it one or more end rings. The diagram below describes it better than I can write it. In addition, a mounting ring is optional (but recommended) for the Y Connector. The mounting ring allows the Y Connector to be snapped into a wall mount. The Straight Connector has the mounting ridge included.
In addition to the components described above, extensions are also optional for all of the components. The extensions are 100mm and 200mm in length and can be stacked to whatever length you want. Using extensions can minimize the amount of flexible exhaust lines you need and also can be used to join accessories to create a manifold if desired.
The following is an example of how the extensions can be used to create a manifold. The benefit of this in my case is more structure to eliminate some of the movement in the entire system.
The Mounting System
I added an external ridge around the mountable components and then a snap-on mounting bracket that indexes on that ridge. I have made a wall mounting plate as well as a series of mounting brackets to go onto the heavy shelving I am using.
The wall mounting brackets, shown above, clamp onto the Accessory Parts using the ridge on the accessory to index with the groove in the wall mount clamp. The opening portion of the clamping bracket is print-in-place and no support is required.
I have also developed a mounting system for shelves which I will include in another posting about shelf accessories.
Wall Vent
In my situation, I wanted to vent to the outdoors and to do that I created a dual port manifold that sits onto a 120mm variable speed fan (connected to a smart/wifi switch). The fan pulls air out of the exhaust lines creating a slight negative pressure so that no smells escape the exhaust system even when no printer’s enclusure fan is running. The fan then connects to the wall via the Wall Vent Port which, in turn, connects to a 4″ duct exiting the wall to the outdoors. I just used a dryer-style vent cover on the outside.
Construction
I have created a numbering system which is used in the various diagrams in this posting to help identify the print parts for each accessory. Use those numbers to select the parts you need to print.
You will need to glue the accessory parts together after they are printed. And, depending on the material you print with you may need to find an effective adhesive. In my case, using PETG, the B7000 adhesive sourced from Amazon works really well. Apply a small bead of adhesive around the part as illustrated in the image above and give it a half turn. Then let it cure, in my case, overnight.
Printing
I have tried to make my main print settings visible on the Cura screenshots but in case they are difficult to read I have summarized them again here…
Material: I choose to use PETG for its durability and flexibility.
My Setup: Nozzle = 0.4mm
My Settings:
Layer height = 0.2mm
Line width = 0.45mm
Wall count = 4 (1.6mm)
Infill = 40%
Support: Designed to print without additional support.
Print Orientation: The following screenshots are included only to show print orientation.
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