Are you tired of dealing with overheating issues in your 3D printing setup? Do you want to take your printing game to the next level with a temperature-controlled automation system? Look no further! In this article, we’ll explore how to create an automated cooling system for the Bambu A1 3D printer using a Raspberry Pi Pico and a few other components.

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Understanding the Problem

The Bambu A1 is a great 3D printer, but it has one major flaw: it doesn’t have an internal cooling fan for the motherboard. This can lead to overheating issues, especially in warm environments or when printing complex models. To solve this problem, we need to create a system that can cool the printer and motherboard effectively.

The Solution: Automated Cooling System

Our solution involves creating a system that uses a Raspberry Pi Pico to control a set of cooling fans and an air filter system. The Pi Pico will monitor the temperature in the enclosure and turn on the cooling fans when it gets too hot. The air filter system will help to keep the enclosure cool by exchanging air from outside the enclosure through a filter.

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Components Needed

Here are the components you’ll need to create the automated cooling system:

Component	Description
Raspberry Pi Pico	Microcontroller to control the cooling system
2 x 40x40mm 24v fans	Cooling fans for the printer and motherboard
2 x 120v fans	Fans for the air filter system
Male molex connector	Connector to pull 24v from the AMS plug
Buck converter	Converter to step down 24v to 5v for the Pi Pico
DHT11 module	Temperature sensor to monitor the enclosure temperature
Relay module	Module to control the cooling fans and air filter fans
Air filter	Filter to keep the enclosure clean and cool
Grill	Grill to hold the air filter in place
Brackets	Brackets to hold the grill in place
Screws	Screws to secure the components

Step 1: Cooling Fans

The first step is to create the cooling fans for the printer and motherboard. We’ll use 40x40mm 24v fans, which can be powered directly from the auxiliary AMS plug. We’ll print the left and right side port fan housings, which will direct the air towards the air inlets on the side and underneath the printer.

Printing the Fan Housings

Print the left and right side port fan housings using the following files:

• Right side port 40mm fan.3mf
• Left side port 40mm fan.3mf

Assembling the Fan Housings

Assemble the fan housings by attaching the fans to the housing using screws. Make sure the fans are securely attached and the housing is closed.

Step 2: Air Filter System

The air filter system is designed to keep the enclosure cool by exchanging air from outside the enclosure through a filter. We’ll create a filter housing and attach it to the side of the enclosure.

Creating the Filter Housing

Cut a 9.5″ x 8″ opening in the side of the enclosure and attach the filter housing to the inside wall of the enclosure. Use the following files:

• Air filter housing – Part 1 (1).3mf
• Air filter housing – Part 2 (1).3mf

Assembling the Air Filter System

Assemble the air filter system by attaching the fans to the split fan duct print. Use the following files:

• Large fans.3mf
• Split fan duct.3mf

Attach the filter housing to the side of the enclosure using screws. Make sure the housing is securely attached and the filter is in place.

Step 3: Temperature-Controlled Automation

The final step is to create the temperature-controlled automation system using the Raspberry Pi Pico. We’ll use the Pi Pico to monitor the temperature in the enclosure and turn on the cooling fans when it gets too hot.

Setting up the Pi Pico

Set up the Pi Pico by installing the necessary software and libraries. Use the following files:

• A1_V3.0.py
• dht11.py
• temp_sensor.py

Connecting the Components

Connect the components to the Pi Pico using the following diagram:

Component	Pin
DHT11 module	GPIO 0
Relay module	GPIO 27
Cooling fans	GPIO 28
Air filter fans	GPIO 27

Writing the Code

Write the code to control the cooling fans and air filter fans based on the temperature reading from the DHT11 module. Use the following code:

import machine import time

Set up the DHT11 module

dht11 = machine.DHT11(machine.Pin(0))

Set up the relay module

relay = machine.Relay(machine.Pin(27))

Set up the cooling fans

cooling_fans = machine.DigitalInOut(machine.Pin(28))

Set up the air filter fans

air_filter_fans = machine.DigitalInOut(machine.Pin(27))

Set the temperature threshold

temperature_threshold = 65

while True: # Read the temperature from the DHT11 module temperature = dht11.temperature()

# If the temperature is above the threshold, turn on the cooling fans if temperature > temperature_threshold: cooling_fans.value(1) # If the temperature is below the threshold, turn off the cooling fans else: cooling_fans.value(0) # Turn on the air filter fans for 3 minutes every hour if time.time() % 3600