Toolhead In-Depth

The 3D Printing Toolhead, sometimes called a Printhead, contains a lot of aspects crucial to the correct extrusion and functionality of the printer. The parts in this part of the printer are prone to problems and you must be sure to maintain them properly. The terms used in this article are all defined in the previous article.

The basic functionality of the toolhead works from the top down, so the process begins in the entry point (on the top) of the tool head and flows all the way out the nozzle. At the entry point, the filament is inserted and the Drive Gear grabs it, being spun by the rotational force of the motor, pulling the filament down further into the Toolhead. This entry point and start is referred to as the 'Cold End,’ because there is no heating element on this part of the Toolhead.

The filament continues on to the Heatsink, pushes right through the center, and then enters the ‘Hot End,’ or the lower segment of the tool head. The filament is then melted by a Heating Element, at whatever that particular material’s melting point is. Several other parts have jobs here. The Thermistor tells the rest of the printer how hot it currently is in the Hot End. Finally, the filament is extruded through the nozzle at either a diameter of .2, .4, .6, or .8 mm. That is much less than the filament was when it entered, which is 1.75mm. This process is repeated throughout the entirety of the print.

This is how the mechanisms in the Toolhead function and what they are. Overall, the Toolhead contains mostly elements required for the heating of the filament, and of course, the nozzle, which is where the filament comes out. Depending on the extruder placement, the Drive Gear may either be included within the Toolhead or not.