Simple nozzle cleaning station

Just a concept, that I have tried out for several weeks now and it works good. Made it for my homemade Prusa i3. Mechanically should work for all Prusa i3 derivates.

This is a very easy to build nozzle cleaner. I used PVC clear and drilled and sawed it to my needs. Will upload an .stl for those who cannot make something like this on their own. But should be very easy without that. Or you can do it much better.

I have tested the concept and it works great.
The idea is to run the nozzle over those 3 zippers before any print. The zippers are usually made of nylon, so they will stand the heat, but still after dozens of usages will wear out.
I have a Autobedleveling system, so some of the moves before printing are not so easy to programm. I wanted the nozzle to be clean BEFORE the ABL starts to avoid wrong results because of an oozing nozzle or remains of a previous print on the nozzle.

The cleaning station uses three zippers which were cut and bend so they reach above Z=0.
The side with the rippels was turn upside so the ripples/notches will scratch over the nozzle. That will help the cleaning.

The process for the G-Code :
Write a script that is beeing executed before each print (repetier Host- Printer settings- Startcode)

Turn on the extruder and make the printer wait until the temperature is reached.

Execute a Z homing in order to find the right altitude.

Let the printer now pass the heated hotend over the zippers in a zigzag pattern.

Home X and Y

Start the ABL rountine

then the print job follows....

Now this is MY G-code that I put in front of each print job. Yours may differ, depending on the coordinates of your cleaning station, temperature etc.

; Home X and Y

g1 X0 F1500
g1 y0 F1500

M104 S230 ; set extruder temperatur
M109 S230 ; wait for temperature to be reached

g28 ; home all axes

;Go to coordinates cleaning station

g1 y125 F3000
g1 X215 F3000

;Heating nozzle

M190 S106 ; set bed temperatur
M109 S230 ; wait for temperature to be reached

; Cleaning

g1 y60 F3000
g1 y110 F3000
g1 y60 F3000
g1 y110 F3000
g1 y60 F3000
;
g1 x214 F300
;
g1 y60 F3000
g1 y110 F3000
g1 y60 F3000
g1 y110 F3000
g1 y60 F3000
;
g1 x 213 F3000
;
g1 y110 F3000
g1 y60 F3000
g1 y110 F3000
g1 y60 F3000
g1 y110 F3000
g1 y60 F3000
;
g1 x 212 F3000
;
g1 y110 F3000
g1 y60 F3000
g1 y110 F3000
g1 y60 F3000
g1 y110 F3000
g1 y60 F3000
;
g1 x 211 F3000
;
g1 y110 F3000
g1 y60 F3000
g1 y110 F3000
g1 y60 F3000
g1 y110 F3000
g1 y60 F3000
;
g1 x 210 F3000
;
g1 y110 F3000
g1 y60 F3000
g1 y110 F3000
g1 y60 F3000
g1 y110 F3000
g1 y60 F3000

; Go to a safe Position before ABL

g1 y0 F3000

g1 z20 ; raise Z axis 20 mm to avoid any possible collision

;Start Autobedleveling

G28; Home all axes

Use an M3 screw and a nut to fasten the cleaning station on your Y carrier.

Choose WATCH to follow the project evolve or simply follow me. Enjoy.