An earlier version (print at your own risk) is already on github, just search for vaeder. This version im gonna put on my own website, so I can pay some of my food and rent from the ad revenue.
Skip to main content
Check my channel: Demonstration: Vaeder curved geared cold end (early prototype) - YouTube 21
In the beginning of february I’ll do a demonstration in the reprapworld shop in Nootdorp, the Netherlands. We’ll record it for the youtube so you all can see. And we’re gonna use my next invention/design, a simple cheap filament speed sensor, to test the slip/speed of all different kinds of extruders on the market compared to the v-struder.
I’ll make one this afternoon and will post it on my channel: Demonstration: Vaeder curved geared cold end (early prototype) - YouTube 7
This looks like a good design, but I don’t see how this could bring FFF/FDM up to par with SLS or SLA. There are already extruder designs that exist that should theoretically easily manage the micron-scale features SLS and SLA can achieve, but we still can’t do it because of the dynamics of melting plastic and pushing it through a nozzle.
As for the design itself, I do see how this would reduce grinding, but my concern is that since there’s no longer anything to dig into the filament, might slippage happen if the pressure at the nozzle was higher? Of course, I haven’t tested it so I could be wrong, but it just seems likely especially if the coefficient of friction of the belts wasn’t very high.
In the event of a nozzle jam, what fails/gives-way?
Nicely done, by the way, I really like this approach. 
Great idea!! I would like to see prints’ pictures
Could this setup be used in a bowden extruder setup or is it just made for it or the direct drive?
Vaeder,
Are the geared teeth on the belt really necessary? Have you tried a gear-less version? It seems like you could drive the big wheel directly off your stepper and use the other two on set screws to adjust belt tension, or put them on springs.