Connected Spool Assembly and Method of Using the Same

Abstract

The consumable assembly (12) for a 3D printer (10) includes a spool (200) that carries a wound filament (202). The spool is configured to be installed within a spool cabinet (52) to maintain the filament in a controlled environment. A filament key fob (204) carrying a spool chip (306) programmed with identification data of the consumable assembly is connected to the spool. The filament key fob is configured to be received at a dock (68) of the 3D printer outside of the controlled environment of a chamber (54) of the spool cabinet while remaining connected to the spool installed in the chamber of the spool cabinet.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an additive manufacturing system for 3D printing of parts by material extrusion technology. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a 3D printer having a spool of consumable filament with an electronic identification device, sometimes called a spool chip, carried within a filament keyfob configured to be connected to a spool and communicate with the printer. All references disclosed herein are incorporated by reference.

Background Art

[0002] Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is generally a process by which three-dimensional (3D) parts are constructed by adding material to form the 3D part rather than subtracting material as in conventional machining. Using one or more additive manufacturing techniques, three-dimensional solid parts of substantially any shape can be printed from a digital model of the part by an additive manufacturing system, generally called a 3D printer. A typical additive manufacturing workflow includes slicing a three-dimensional computer model into thin cross-sections that define a series of layers, converting the result into two-dimensional position data, and sending the data to a 3D printer that manufactures the three-dimensional structure in an additive construction style. Additive manufacturing involves many different approaches to manufacturing methods, including material extrusion, inkjet, powder bed fusion bonding, binder jetting, direct energy deposition, electrophotographic imaging, and vat photopolymerization (including digital light curing and stereolithography processes).

[0003] In a typical extrusion-based additive manufacturing system (e.g., a fused deposition modeling system developed by Stratasys, Inc., Eden Prairie, MN), a 3D part can be printed from a digital representation of the printed part by extruding a viscous, flowable thermoplastic material or a filled thermoplastic material from a print head along a tool path at a controlled extrusion rate. The flow of the extruded material is deposited on a substrate as a series of roads where it fuses with previously deposited material and solidifies as the temperature drops. The print head includes a liquefier that receives a supply of thermoplastic material in the form of a flexible filament and a nozzle tip for dispensing the molten material. The filament drive mechanism engages the filament with a drive wheel and bearing surface, or a pair of toothed wheels, etc., and supplies the filament to the liquefier where the filament is heated to a molten pool. The unfused portion of the filament essentially fills the diameter of the liquefier tube and provides a plug flow type pumping action to extrude the molten filament material further downstream from the tip to print the part and form a continuous flow or tool path of the resin material. The extrusion rate is not throttled and is based only on the supply rate of the filament to the liquefier, and the filament is advanced at a supply rate calculated to achieve a target extrusion rate as disclosed in Comb's U.S. Patent No. 6,547,995.

[0004] In addition to the deposition of thermoplastic resin in fused deposition modeling, the filament supply may also include chopped microparticles or continuous fibers in the form of filament material. This material may be deposited with or on top of the deposited thermoplastic resin layer, or may be deposited as a composite filament consisting of continuous fibers within a core coated by a thermoplastic resin shell portion. The continuous fibers may also be deposited uncoated on top of or with the molten resin. This filament material is supplied in a similar manner to the resin-only filament material using a similar filament drive mechanism.

[0005] In a system where the material is deposited in a substantially flat layer, after each layer is formed, the position of the print head relative to the substrate is incremented along an axis (perpendicular to the build plane), and then the process is repeated to form a printed part that resembles a digital representation. When manufacturing a printed part by depositing layers of part material, a support layer or structure is typically built under or within a cavity of an overhanging portion of the printed part being built that is not supported by the part material itself. The support structure may be built using the same deposition techniques as the part material is deposited. The host computer generates additional shapes that act as support structures for overhanging or free space portions of the printed part to be formed. The support material is then deposited according to the shapes generated during the printing process. The support material adheres to the part material during manufacturing and is removable from the completed printed part when the printing process is complete.

[0006] A multi-axis additive manufacturing system can be used to print 3D parts using fused deposition modeling technology. The multi-axis system can include a robotic arm that is movable with multiple degrees of freedom. The multi-axis system can also include a build platform that is movable with two or more degrees of freedom independently of the movement of the robotic arm to position 3D parts that are constructed to counteract the effects of gravity based on the part shape. The extruder may be attached to the end of the robotic arm and may be configured to extrude material at multiple flow rates, and the movement of the robotic arm and build platform is synchronized with the flow rate of the material extruded to build the 3D part. The multiple axes of motion can utilize complex tool paths for printing 3D parts, including a single continuous 3D tool path to the entire part or multiple 3D tool paths configured to build a single part. The use of 3D tool paths can reduce problems with conventional planar tool path 3D printing, such as stair-stepping (layer aliasing), seams, and support requirements. The shape of the part mechanism can be used to determine the printing orientation without the need to print layers of the 3D part on a single build plane.

[0007] Regardless of which printing system architecture is used, the printing operation for fused deposition modeling depends on extruding the build material from the print head at a predictable and targeted extrusion rate, which depends on a reliable method for delivering the consumable feedstock material to the print head. In the case of a moisture-sensitive filament material, it is desirable for the filament to be provided to the print head in a dry state (e.g., less than 300 parts per million by weight of water) to prevent moisture from adversely affecting the extrusion process. Accordingly, a moisture barrier and / or drying system may be provided for the filament during transport, storage, and use in the printer, and a desiccant material may be included in the consumable assembly to assist in drying the filament and maintaining its dryness during storage, transport, and use in the printer. There is a continuing need for improved methods and apparatus for filament feedstock delivery in 3D printing systems.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0008]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0009] One aspect of the present disclosure includes a consumable assembly for a 3D printer. The consumable assembly includes a spool carrying a wound filament, and the spool is configured to be installed within a chamber of a spool cabinet to maintain the spool in a controlled environment such as a heated environment or a humidity-controlled environment. A filament key fob carrying a spool chip programmed with identification data of the consumable assembly is connected to the spool. The filament key fob is configured to be received at a dock of the 3D printer outside the chamber and its controlled environment while remaining connected to the spool installed in the chamber of the spool cabinet. The filament key fob of the consumable assembly includes identification data of the consumable assembly and carries the spool chip connected thereto. The spool chip is configured to be received at a dock of the 3D printer outside the spool cabinet and communicate with the 3D printer while being within the dock. A tether of the consumable assembly couples the filament key fob to the spool and continues to couple the filament key fob to the spool when the filament key fob is received at a dock outside the chamber of the spool cabinet. In another aspect of some embodiments, the tether connects to the axis of the spool.

[0010] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the spool chip comprises an E-PROM chip, an RFID tag, or other electronic identification device. In another aspect, the filament key fob is configured to be received at a dock of the 3D printer and place the identification device adjacent to a corresponding spool chip interface of the 3D printer.

[0011] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the filament key fob is held within a housing configured to be attached to and removed from a spool. In another aspect, the housing is configured to function as a handle for carrying the spool when attached to the spool and to be received in a dock of a 3D printer when removed from the spool. The handle is present outside the heated environment of the spool cabinet while the spool is installed within the spool cabinet, remaining cooled to the touch, and enabling the operator to carry the consumable assembly to install and remove the spool within the spool cabinet of the 3D printer.

[0012] In another aspect, the handle formed by the filament key fob housing is configured to be removably attached to the edges of two spaced-apart spool walls. The handle can include first and second snap-fit channels configured to snap-fit onto the edges of the spaced-apart spool walls. The handle can also include a latch release mechanism configured to be operated to release the handle from the edges of the spaced-apart spool walls. In another aspect, the latch release mechanism of the handle is also configured to function as a release mechanism for fixing the handle within the dock and releasing the handle from the dock.

[0013] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes a method of handling a fused deposition modeling filament spool around which a filament is wound. The method includes loading the spool into a 3D printer, along with a filament key fob or other electronic spool identification component coupled to the spool by a tether. The filament key fob, in some embodiments, comprises a housing configured to be attached to and removed from the spool as a handle (separate from the tether). The spool is placed within a chamber of a spool cabinet of the 3D printer, and the chamber provides a controlled environment for the filament wound around the spool. In embodiments where the filament key fob is attached to or fixed to the spool separately from the tether, the housing is removed from the spool while still being coupled to the spool by the tether and placed in a dock of the 3D printer. In embodiments where the filament key fob is not separately attached to the spool, the filament key fob is still placed within the dock of the 3D printer. The dock is located outside of the chamber of the spool cabinet to preserve the spool chip while enabling the 3D printer to utilize the filament wound around the spool.

[0014] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the filament key fob is configured to be received in a dock of the 3D printer and to place the spool chip adjacent to a corresponding spool chip interface of the 3D printer.

[0015] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the chamber of the spool cabinet provides a heated environment for the filament wound around the spool, and the filament key fob is placed within a dock located outside of the chamber to maintain the spool chip at a temperature lower than the temperature of the heated environment. In another aspect of some embodiments, the method includes closing the door of the spool cabinet and heating the spool and filament to a temperature above 50°C while maintaining the spool chip at a temperature below 50°C.

[0016] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the spool tip is housed within a housing configured to function as a handle when attached to the spool, and placing the spool within the chamber of the spool cabinet of the 3D printer includes using the handle to place the spool, and placing the spool tip housing within the dock of the 3D printer includes placing the handle within the dock of the 3D printer. In another aspect, removing the spool tip and the spool tip housing from the spool while the spool tip housing remains coupled to the spool by the tether further includes removing the handle from the spaced-apart spool walls with the spool disposed within the chamber and the handle remaining coupled to the spool by the tether. In another aspect, transporting the spool includes carrying the spool by the handle.

[0017] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the method includes removing the handle from the dock, securing the handle to the spool, and using the handle to remove the spool from the chamber of the spool cabinet. In another aspect, securing the handle to the spool further includes securing the handle to the spaced-apart spool walls of the spool proximate to one of a plurality of notches in the spool wall such that the notch and the handle secure the end of the filament to the spool wall.

[0018] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the handle includes first and second snap-fit channels configured to snap-fit onto the edges of the spaced-apart spool walls, and the handle further includes a latch release mechanism configured to be operated to release the handle from the edges of the spaced-apart spool walls. In this method, removing the handle from the dock can further include using the latch release mechanism to release the handle from the dock.

[0019] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes a 3D printer configured to use a consumable assembly. The consumable assembly includes a spool carrying a wound filament, and the spool is configured to be installed within a spool cabinet to maintain the spool in a controlled environment such as a heated environment or a humidity-controlled environment. The spool chip of the consumable assembly includes identification data of the consumable assembly and can be connected to the spool. The spool chip is received by a dock of the 3D printer outside the spool cabinet and is configured to communicate with the 3D printer while being within the dock. The tether of the consumable assembly couples the spool chip housing to the spool and continues to couple the spool chip housing to the spool when the spool chip is received by the dock outside the spool cabinet.

[0020] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the 3D printer includes a print head configured to receive a filament material from a consumable assembly. The spool cabinet of the 3D printer has a filament spool disposed therein and provides a chamber configured to provide a controlled environment for the filament on the filament spool. The 3D printer includes a dock located outside the chamber and configured to receive a spool chip housing of a spool chip for the filament spool to maintain the spool chip outside the controlled environment of the chamber.

[0021] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the spool cabinet includes a door that covers both the chamber and the dock when in a closed position. The gasket of the door seals to the frame of the spool cabinet. In embodiments where the spool chip housing of the spool chip is coupled to the filament spool by a tether, a portion of the tether extends between the gasket and the frame. In another aspect, the dock of the 3D printer includes a notch arranged to enable routing of the tether from the spool chip housing when the spool chip housing is disposed within the dock.

[0022] In another aspect, the dock of the 3D printer includes a spool chip interface configured to be disposed therein, read data from, write data to, or interact with a spool chip. The 3D printer includes a controller configured to control the printing operation of the 3D printer, and the controller communicates with the spool chip via the spool chip interface.

[0023] In another aspect of some embodiments, the dock is configured to receive a removable handle of a filament spool including a spool chip housing. The dock can include a latch receiving structure configured to receive a latch insertion member of the removable handle to releasably secure the handle within the dock.

[0024] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of 3D printing is disclosed. The method includes placing a fused deposition modeling filament spool within a chamber of a spool cabinet of a 3D printer, the chamber providing a controlled environment for the filament on the spool, placing a spool chip housing of a spool chip of the filament spool within a dock of the 3D printer, with the dock located outside the chamber and away from the controlled environment while the spool chip housing is coupled to the spool by a tether, communicating with the spool chip using a spool chip interface within the dock, and controlling a printing operation of a print head of the 3D printer using the filament from the spool based on the communication with the spool chip.

[0025] In another aspect of the disclosed method of 3D printing, controlling the printing operation further includes using a controller of the 3D printer configured to control the printing operation of the 3D printer based on communication with the spool chip.

[0026] In another aspect of the disclosed 3D printing method, after placing the spool tip housing in the dock of the 3D printer, the method further includes closing the door of the spool cabinet so as to cover the chamber, such that the door gasket forms a seal against the frame of the spool cabinet, and a portion of the tether extends between the gasket and the frame.

[0027] In another aspect of the disclosed 3D printing method, the method further includes removing the spool tip housing from a spool disposed within the chamber by using a latch release mechanism of the spool tip housing to release the spool tip housing from the spool, while the spool tip housing remains coupled to the spool by a tether. In another aspect, placing the spool tip housing in the dock of the 3D printer further includes inserting a latch insertion mechanism of the spool tip housing into a latch receiving structure of the dock.

[0028] In another aspect of the disclosed 3D printing method, the spool tip housing includes a handle, the handle is coupled to the spool by a tether, and is releasably fixed to spaced-apart spool walls of the spool. Placing the spool in the cabinet chamber further includes using the handle to place the spool in the chamber while the handle is fixed to the spaced-apart spool walls. In yet another aspect, placing the spool tip housing in the dock of the 3D printer includes placing the handle in the dock of the 3D printer. The handle is releasable from the dock using a latch release mechanism. The method in some aspects further includes fixing the handle to the spaced-apart spool walls of the spool and using the handle to remove the spool from the chamber of the spool cabinet.

[0029] In another aspect of the present disclosure, another method of 3D printing is disclosed. The method includes placing a fused deposition modeling filament spool within a chamber of a spool cabinet of a 3D printer, the chamber providing a controlled environment for the filament on the spool, removing a spool tip having a spool tip housing from the spool placed within the chamber, placing the spool tip housing within a dock of the 3D printer, the dock being located outside of the chamber and away from the controlled environment, communicating with the spool tip using a spool tip interface within the dock, and controlling a printing operation of a print head of the 3D printer using the filament from the spool based on the communication with the spool tip.

[0030] In another aspect, removing the spool tip from the spool includes removing the spool tip housing from the spool while the spool tip housing remains coupled to the spool by a tether. Placing the spool tip housing within a dock of the 3D printer includes placing the spool tip housing within the dock of the 3D printer while the spool tip housing remains coupled to the spool by a tether. In another aspect of some embodiments, the spool tip housing includes a handle, and placing the filament spool within the chamber includes placing the filament spool within the chamber using the handle.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0031]

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] The present disclosure relates to a consumable assembly for use in a 3D printer, including, for example, a spool configured to hold a supply of consumable filament material and a data tag containing information about the filament. The consumable assembly includes a spool tip or an electronic spool identification component tethered to the spool, such as an E-PROM chip or an RFID tag held within a housing. The spool tip of the consumable assembly contains identification data of the consumable assembly and / or other data. The spool is configured to be installed within a spool cabinet of the 3D printer, and the housing of the filament data key or the filament key fob is received within a dock of the 3D printer outside the spool cabinet and is configured to communicate with the 3D printer while within the dock. Typically, the spool cabinet has a controlled (e.g., heated and / or dehumidified) environment within the printer, and the spool tip is sensitive to heat. The tether of the consumable assembly couples the filament data key to the spool and continues to couple the device to the spool when the spool tip is received within a dock outside the spool cabinet. The shape of the filament key fob holds it within the dock.

[0033] In some embodiments, the housing of the filament data key is configured to be separately attached to the spool before and / or after use. In these embodiments, the spool tip housing is removable from the spool after the spool is installed within a chamber of the spool cabinet but remains coupled to the spool by the tether. After the spool is installed in the cabinet, the spool tip is inserted into a dock of the 3D printer located outside the chamber to maintain the spool tip outside of the controlled (e.g., heated) environment within the chamber.

[0034] In some embodiments, the spool tip remains separately connected to the spool via a tether and is held within a housing that attaches to and detaches from the spool. By attaching the spool tip housing to the spool, the chance of the device's tether becoming entangled and snagged during installation and removal of the spool is reduced. The housing may be configured to further function as a handle for the spool. For example, a spool tip housing configured to attach to the sidewall or flange of the spool provides a surface for gripping the spool and moving it to a position within or proximate to a 3D printer. When the spool is installed in the 3D printer, it is removed from the spool, allowing the spool to rotate and extrude filament to print a 3D part or associated support material. A spool tip housing configured to function as a handle can be reattached to the spool after use, so that the hot-to-the-touch spool can be removed from the machine with a cool-to-the-touch handle.

[0035] The spool chip, as a non-limiting example, contains information regarding the type of material, the diameter of the filament, and / or the remaining length of the filament on the spool as described in Stratasys U.S. Patent No. 6,022,207 and MakerBot U.S. Patent No. 9,233,504, and can communicate with the printer, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. The spool chip is any electronically readable device such as an electronically readable and writable circuit board or an EPROM device. The spool chip can be configured to store and update data, specifications, and other information regarding the filament wound on the spool. The spool chip functions as a data tag and can include various functions. For example, the characteristic data stored in the spool chip can include at least one of a material identification number, a build material type, a build material diameter, an extruder temperature requirement, a build material melting temperature, a build material color, a build material color lot number, the cost per unit of the build material, a build material density, a build material tensile strength, a build material viscosity, a build material recycle code, a build material expiration date, or other characteristic information suitable for a 3D printer. The spool chip can also be used to track the lineal feet of the filament on the spool. The data can include non-executable code containing information such as the length of the filament remaining on the spool, the type of material, the average outer diameter of the filament, the batch number, the number of times the spool has been loaded into the 3D printer, and the storage conditions required to hold the filament spool in the cabinet. The 3D printer can query the spool chip to verify the spool material information and OEM confirmation, and continue to track the length or volume of the material pulled from the spool during printing, or verify or monitor other data related to the material on the spool. When the filament is advanced to the extruder, the printer tracks how much material has been wound from the spool or commanded to be extruded, and subtracts this amount from the total on the device. The 3D printer can then write back to the spool chip to update the stored information.In another aspect, the spool chip can encode a unique identifier of the consumable assembly, which can be used by the printer, for example, in combination with remote network resources, to determine the properties of the construction material to further determine the operating parameters of the manufacturing process using the construction material. The material type information may be used by the printer to configure the machine parameters suitable for manufacturing parts from that particular material.

[0036] To supply the spooled filament, various types of consumable assemblies can be used in embodiments of the present invention. The terms used herein to describe a container for a consumable filament material include spools, containers, canisters, cartridges, and the like. All such terms are intended to generally refer to a container that holds and wraps a filament material and provides such material to a 3D printer as a consumable printing material, unless a different meaning is explicitly provided or is not apparent from the context.

[0037] Consumable assemblies for 3D printing have previously included an electronic device (sometimes referred to as a "spool chip" or "spool tag") for maintaining and providing filament data for a 3D printer in various ways. The spool chip can be any device or combination of devices suitable for storing data regarding the filament material. This can include, for example, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags such as active or passive RFID tags, optically identifiable tags such as barcodes, quick response (QR) codes, magnetically identifiable tags such as magnetic swipe strips, or any other tag that can be automatically detected and correlated by a controller to identify information regarding the material on the spool. A sensor that reads data from the spool chip can automatically identify the filament material and provide data regarding, for example, the type of build material to the controller. The spool may be housed within the consumable assembly, and the spool chip may be attached to the consumable assembly as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,063,285. The spool may be assembled into the consumable assembly and further packaged with an associated print head that includes a spool chip as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 9,073,263. When the consumable assembly is installed in a printer, the spool can be automatically read by a sensor or reader on the 3D printer. In other conventional consumable assemblies, as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,938,351, a spool of filament is provided with a separate component that includes a spool chip through which the filament is first fed. The user feeds the filament through the component and then places the spool and component in a material container and loads the material container into the 3D printer for operation. Since all components including the spool chip may look the same and different filament materials may have different usage specifications stored on the spool chip, loss of an unattached chip component or accidental mismatch of the chip component with the material on the spool can cause component errors and / or non - operability of the consumable assembly.The present invention prevents this potential problem by connecting a spool and a removable spool tip and optionally forming a handle with the tether from the spool tip housing.

[0038] Exemplary embodiments are described with reference to a tethering spool tip housing or filament key fob that can also function as a handle, but it is not necessary for the spool tip housing to function as a handle or for the spool tip housing to be attachable or fixable to the spool separately from the tethering connection. Further, in some embodiments, the handle is connected to the spool, but the handle need not include the spool tip.

[0039] The filament material can include, for example, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (“ABS”), polycarbonate, nylon, composite materials, filled materials, support materials, or any other suitable plastic, thermoplastic material, or other material that can be usefully extruded for printing an object. In some embodiments, the environment in which the spool and filament are held is a high temperature that can damage or destroy a spool chip such as a memory chip. For example, the type of material included in the spool can consist of high temperature thermoplastic resin materials such as nylon 12, PC, ASA, and Ultem9085, PES, PPSU, PEKK, and PEI, continuous carbon fibers, or a core / shell combination of both fibers and resin. These materials may be held at a temperature above 100°C to ensure that the filament does not absorb moisture during storage or printing. The spool chip is held within a spool chip housing that is optionally configured as a removable handle from the spool in the disclosed embodiments, so the removed housing or handle can be held in a location outside the optionally heated environment to protect the chip while allowing information to be read and used by the 3D printer. However, the handle need not include a spool chip or other electronic device in all embodiments, and conversely, in embodiments that include a spool chip, the spool chip housing need not form a handle in all embodiments. In embodiments having a tethering handle, regardless of whether the handle includes a spool chip, by storing the handle in a location outside the heated environment, the operator can remove the heated spool without waiting for the spool to cool to a temperature acceptable to the operator's hand by removing the handle, which is maintained at ambient conditions or a “touch-safe” temperature below 60°C and using it. If the spool cabinet 52 is not held at a high temperature, the handle still provides a convenient and useful way to remove the spool after use. This is especially difficult to remove at high temperatures because the material spool is often very heavy and the spool may be recessed within the spool bay.The spool tip and housing are also referred to herein as a filament key fob.

[0040] The handle or filament key fob is configured to be snap - on and releasable, for example, attached to the outer peripheral edges of two side walls of the spool, also known as flanges, as a convenient way to pick up the spool. When the handle is gripped, the spool remains stationary relative to the handle and can be loaded into the bay of the 3D printer or positioned close to the 3D printer. When the spool is loaded into the bay, the handle is removed and the spool can rotate about an axis to extrude the filament. In embodiments that include a spool tip within the handle, the handle is then loaded into a receptacle or port outside of any heated environment within the bay that is configured to read information on the memory and send a signal to a controller to provide the information contained in the memory. In some embodiments, if the handle is not placed within the port, the 3D printer does not recognize that the spool has been loaded and does not allow the 3D printer to utilize the spool in a printing operation. In other embodiments, the 3D printer can recognize the spool tip even if it is not placed in the port, and such RFID chips use near - field communication.

[0041] The present disclosure can be used with any suitable extrusion-based 3D printer. For example, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a front view and a front schematic view of a 3D printer 10 having a substantially horizontal printing surface on which the part being printed is indexed in a substantially vertical direction when the part is printed layer by layer using two print heads 18. The illustrated 3D printer 10 uses one or more consumable assemblies 12, each of which is an easily loadable, removable, and replaceable spool that holds a supply of consumable filament for printing with the 3D printer 10. Typically, one of the consumable assemblies 12 contains the part material filament and the other consumable assembly 12 contains the support material filament, each supplying material to one of the print heads 18. However, both consumable assemblies 12 may have the same structure.

[0042] Each print head 18 is an easily loadable, removable, and replaceable device that includes a housing that holds a liquefaction device assembly 20 having a nozzle tip 14. Each print head 18 is configured to receive a consumable material, melt the material within the liquefaction device assembly 20 to produce a molten material, and deposit the molten material from the nozzle tip 14 of the liquefaction device assembly 20. Examples of suitable liquefaction device assemblies for the print head 18 include those disclosed in Swanson et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,004,124; LaBossiere et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,604,470; Leavitt, U.S. Patent No. 7,625,200; and Batchelder et al., U.S. Patent No. 8,439,665. Other suitable liquefaction device assemblies include those disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 9,327,447 and U.S. Patent No. 10,131,131; International Publication No. 2016014543.

[0043] The guide tube 16 interconnects the consumable assembly 12 and the print head 18, and the drive mechanism of the print head 18 (or the 3D printer 10) draws a continuous portion of the consumable filament from the consumable assembly 12 through the guide tube 16 into the liquefying device assembly 20 of the print head 18. In this embodiment, the guide tube 16 may be a component of the 3D printer 10 rather than a sub-component of the consumable assembly 12. In other embodiments, the guide tube 16 is a sub-component of the consumable assembly 12 and can be exchanged between each consumable assembly 12 and the 3D printer 10. During construction work, the continuous portion of the consumable filament driven into the print head 18 is heated and melted within the liquefying device assembly 20. The melted material is extruded through the nozzle tip 14 in a layer pattern to produce a printed part.

[0044] The 3D printer 10 uses layer-based additive manufacturing technology to print 3D parts or models and corresponding support structures (e.g., 3D part 22 and support structure 24) from parts of the consumable assembly 12 and support material filaments, respectively. An exemplary 3D printer 10 prints parts or models and corresponding support structures from filaments supplied by the consumable assembly 12 by extruding paths of molten material along tool paths. During the construction operation, successive portions of the consumable filament are driven to a suitable print head using a filament drive device and heated and melted within a print head liquefier. The melted material is extruded through the nozzle tip of the print head in a layer-by-layer pattern to produce the printed part. In some embodiments, the print head moves within a plane and the build platen moves along a print axis to print the part and support structure. In other embodiments, 3D tool paths can be utilized. In some embodiments, a robot that moves with five or more degrees of freedom to print the part. Typically, the printer prints both part material and support material, and each of the consumable assemblies supplies either part material filaments or support material filaments to a print head designed to print either part material or support material. Suitable 3D printers for the 3D printer 10 include extrusion-based systems developed by Stratasys, Inc., of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, under the trademark "FDM".

[0045] As shown in the illustration, the 3D printer 10 includes a system casing 26, a chamber 28, a platen 30, a platen gantry 32, a print head carriage 34, and a print head gantry 36. The system casing 26 is a structural component of the 3D printer 10 and can include a plurality of structural sub-components such as a support frame, housing walls, etc. In some embodiments, the system casing 26 can include a spool cabinet 52 configured to receive the consumable assembly 12. The consumable assembly is loaded into a container bay or spool cabinet 52 where the spool and filament can be preheated and / or dried. Two specific spool cabinets are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but the disclosed embodiments are not limited to a particular number or location of spool cabinets. The chamber 28 is a sealed environment that includes a platen 30 for printing the 3D part 22 and the support structure 24. The chamber 28 may be heated (e.g., using circulating heated air) to reduce the rate at which the part and support material solidify after being extruded and deposited (e.g., to reduce warping and curling).

[0046] The platen 30 is a platform on which the 3D part 22 and the support structure 24 are printed layer by layer and is supported by the platen gantry 32. In some embodiments, the platen 30 can engage and support a build substrate, which may be a tray substrate as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,127,309 to Dunn et al. made of plastic, cardboard, or other suitable material, and can also include a flexible polymer film or liner, painter's tape, polyimide tape, or other disposable manufacturing for adhering the deposited material onto the platen 30 or the build substrate. The platen gantry 32 is a gantry assembly configured to move the platen 30 along (or substantially along) the vertical z-axis.

[0047] The printhead carriage 34 is a unit configured to receive and hold one or both printheads 18 and is supported by a printhead gantry 36. The printhead carriage 34 preferably prevents or limits movement of the printhead 18 relative to the printhead carriage 34 such that the nozzle tip 14 remains within the x-y build plane, but enables the nozzle tip 14 of the printhead 18 to be controllably moved from the x-y build plane by at least a portion of the movement of the printhead carriage 34 relative to the x-y build plane (e.g., pivotally servo, toggle, or otherwise switched). Each printhead 18 is held (e.g., pivotally servo, toggle, or otherwise switched).

[0048] In the illustrated embodiment, the printhead gantry 36 is a robotic mechanism configured to move the printhead carriage 34 (and the held printheads 18) within (or substantially within) a horizontal x-y plane above the platen 30. Examples of gantry assemblies suitable for the printhead gantry 36 include Swanson et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,722,872; the printhead gantry 36 can also support a deformable baffle (not shown) that defines the ceiling of the chamber 28, such as those disclosed in Comb et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013 / 0078073. The printhead gantry 36 can utilize any suitable bridge type gantry or robotic mechanism for moving the printhead carriage 34 (and the held printheads 18), for example, using one or more motors (e.g., stepper motors and encoder DC motors), capstans, pulleys, belts, screws, robotic arms, etc.

[0049] In an alternative embodiment, the platen 30 may be configured to move within the horizontal x-y plane within the chamber 28, and the printhead carriage 34 (and the printhead 18) may be configured to move along the z-axis. Other similar configurations may be used such that one or both of the platen 30 and the printhead 18 are movable relative to each other. The platen 30 and the printhead carriage 34 (and the printhead 18) may also be oriented along different axes. For example, the platen 30 may be vertically oriented, and the printhead 18 may print the 3D part 22 and the support structure 24 along the x-axis or the y-axis.

[0050] The system 10 also includes a controller assembly 38, which can include one or more control circuits (e.g., the controller 40) and / or one or more host computers (e.g., the computer 42) configured to monitor and operate the components of the 3D printer 10. For example, one or more of the control functions performed by the controller assembly 38, such as performing a movement compiler function, can be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, etc., or combinations thereof. It may also include computer-based hardware such as data storage devices, processors, memory modules, etc., which may be external and / or internal to the 3D printer 10.

[0051] The controller assembly 38 can communicate via the communication line 44 with the print head 18, the chamber 28 (e.g., using a heating unit for the chamber 28), the head carriage 34, the platen gantry 32 and the motors for the head gantry 36, as well as various sensors, calibration devices, display devices, and / or user input devices. In some embodiments, the controller assembly 38 can also communicate with one or more of the platen 30, the platen gantry 32, the head gantry 36, and any other suitable components of the 3D printer 10. Although shown as a single signal line, the communication line 44 can include one or more electrical, optical, and / or wireless signal lines that may be external and / or internal to the 3D printer 10 and that enable the controller assembly 38 to communicate with the various components of the 3D printer 10.

[0052] During operation, the controller assembly 38 can instruct the platen gantry 32 to move the platen 30 to a predetermined height within the chamber 28. Next, the controller assembly 38 can instruct the head gantry 36 to move the head carriage 34 (and the held print head 18) within a horizontal x - y plane above the chamber 28. The controller assembly 38 can also instruct the print head 18 to selectively draw out successive portions of the consumable filament from the consumable assembly 12 via the guide tube 16.

[0053] FIG. 1 shows a 3D printer 10 in which the build plane is in a substantially horizontal x - y plane and the platen 30 moves in a z - direction substantially perpendicular to the substantially horizontal x - y build plane, but the present disclosure is not limited to the 3D printer 10 as shown in FIG. 1. Rather, the disclosed consumable assembly can be utilized in any 3D printer including, but not limited to, printing on a substantially vertical print plane and movement of the platen in a direction substantially perpendicular to the substantially vertical print plane. Regardless of which 3D printer is utilized, the disclosed embodiments of the consumable assembly can be used in a filament - based 3D printing system.

[0054] Referring now to FIG. 3, a single spool cabinet 52 from the system casing 26 is shown, and heating or drying is optional. The spool cabinet 52 includes a chamber 54 formed within a cabinet frame 56 and a cabinet door 58 coupled to the cabinet frame 56 by hinges 60 to open and close the door to enable insertion or removal of the consumable assembly 12. The chamber 54 can be heated to preheat the consumable assembly to assist the 3D printing process, so the door 58 includes a gasket 62 configured to seal against the cabinet frame 56 to assist in containing thermal energy within the chamber. The spool cabinet keeps the filament in a dry state; some filament types absorb moisture from the air and result in unacceptable print quality. The spool cabinet 52 can also include a shaft channel 64 configured to receive the shaft of the consumable assembly spool when disposed within the chamber 54. In addition to or instead of the shaft channel 64, other consumable assembly attachment mechanisms can be included. Further, in some embodiments, the spool cabinet 52 also includes a filament guide receptacle 66 into which a filament guide (shown in FIGS. 9-10) can be inserted to help guide the filament from the spool to the drive section of the 3D printer. In some embodiments, the filament guide can be included in the consumable assembly.

[0055] In some exemplary embodiments, the spool cabinet 52 also includes a dock 68 configured to receive a filament key fob that houses a spool chip or spool identification component. The dock 68 can include a notch 74 configured to allow routing of the tether 206 from the spool chip housing. The filament key fob can be inserted into the dock 68 where the latch receiving structure 70 interacts with corresponding components of the device, as described with reference to FIGS. 4-7. The dock 68 can also include an electronic spool chip interface 72, such as a memory chip interface, configured to read data from, write data to, or otherwise interact with the spool chip of the filament key fob. The dock 68 is disposed outside the heated chamber 54 such that when the door 58 is closed to form a seal between the gasket 62 and the cabinet frame 56, the devices disposed within the dock 68 remain at a lower temperature relative to the temperature of the chamber 54 despite being coupled to the spool shaft via the tether 206. Thereby, the filament key fob can remain at a temperature that can be touched by an operator, and can also prevent the electronic devices from being damaged by the high temperature within the chamber 54. For example, some chip designs cannot be exposed to temperatures exceeding 60° C., while typical spool cabinet temperatures for warming filaments far exceed this temperature. In some embodiments, the dock 68 is disposed such that the dock and the electronic devices are covered by the door 58 when the dock and the electronic devices are enclosed in the heated chamber 54. However, in other embodiments, if the printing operation is performed at a temperature below 60° C., the dock 68 can be disposed elsewhere and may not be covered by the door 58. The present disclosure encompasses one or more spool cabinets and one or more consumable assemblies.

[0056] Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 4A, there is shown an exemplary embodiment of a consumable assembly 12 having a spool 200 around which a consumable filament 202 is wound, and a filament key fob 204 including a spool tip 306 held within a housing and connected to the spool by a tether 206. The tether 206 is separate from any device that couples the filament key fob 204 to the spool and provides a filament path between the spool and the printer. In the illustrated embodiment, the filament key fob 204 configured as a removable handle for the spool 200 is provided as an example of a spool tip that includes a structure. The exemplary embodiment is described with reference to the filament key fob 204 being a handle, but the device 204 may alternatively be any spool tip or electronic device held within a housing that does not function as a handle. The embodiment shown in FIG. 4A also includes a filament guide 350 that can be attached to the spool 200 via a snap fit of the housing of the filament key fob 204.

[0057] The spool 200 includes a pair of spaced-apart spool walls or flanges 208 and 210, a hub 214, a central passage 220 that extends longitudinally through the hub, and a shaft 212 held within the central passage of the hub. In an exemplary embodiment, the consumable assembly 12 can include a self-aligning mechanism that prevents the spool from being installed rearwardly or shifted to another position. As an example, the consumable assembly 12 can include a mechanism that only allows the shaft 212 to be inserted into the central passage 220 of the hub in one direction. To prevent incorrect insertion of the shaft into the spool, the shapes of the central passage 220 and the shaft 212 can be such that attempts to insert the shaft into the central passage from the spool wall 210 will fail. An example of such a shape and mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 10,422,179 to Koop et al. To store the wound filament 202, a filament winding region 218 is defined by the spool walls and the hub. The tether 206 is connected between the shaft 212 and the housing of the filament key fob 204 such that the spool wall and the hub can remain connected to each other when they rotate about the shaft with the handle disposed within the dock 68. The tether 206 is thin enough that the door gasket 62 seals against the tether and the frame when the door of the spool cabinet 52 is closed. In some embodiments, the flanges 208 and 210 include notches 216 configured to receive end pieces of the filament 202 and prevent the filament from unraveling when the filament is stored or transported.

[0058] The exemplary filament key fob 204 is configured to also serve as a handle that a 3D printer operator uses to carry the spool 200 between themselves and the 3D printer and to load and remove the spool from the spool cabinet 52. FIGS. 5-7A further illustrate the exemplary filament key fob 204 in an exemplary embodiment. As best seen in the exploded perspective view of FIG. 5, the filament key fob 204 includes first and second housing pieces 302 and 304 in the illustrated embodiment and comprises a housing that can be a molded plastic piece in the exemplary embodiment. A spool chip 306, which is an electronic device such as a memory chip, is located within a receptacle 308 of the first piece 302, and the receptacle 308 is positioned such that it is adjacent to the electronic device interface 72 of the dock 68 when the handle is inserted into the dock. A tether attachment mechanism 310 is also included in one or both of the first and second pieces 302 and 304 with the tether 206 attached to the mechanism 310. For purposes of illustration, only a portion of the tether 206 is shown in FIG. 5. However, the tether 206 must be long enough to allow the filament key fob 204 to be inserted into the dock 68 while maintaining its attachment to the shaft 212 while inside the spool cabinet.

[0059] The filament key fob 204 of the illustrated embodiment is configured as a snap-fit handle configured to snap-fit onto the outer peripheral edges of the spool walls 208 and 210 of the spool 200 or onto a structure within the dock 68. The first snap-fit channel 320 and the second snap-fit channel 322 of the filament key fob 204 are best shown in FIGS. 7 and 7A. The channel 322 is formed between a latch insertion member 312 having a rear tab 314 and a second channel member 324. The latch insertion member 312 includes a tab 326 that locks the filament key fob 204 in place after inserting the member 312 into the latch receiving structure 70 of the dock 68 or after receiving the outer peripheral portion of the spool wall 208 into the channel 322. The rear tab 314 extends through the tab receiving opening 316 of the second handle piece 304 to provide a latch release mechanism 318. For example, flexing of the tab 314 by an operator's thumb moves the tab 326 to enable release from the receiving structure 70 of the dock 68 or release of the spool wall 208 from the channel 322. FIG. 7A shows an optional mechanism for snap-fitting the filament guide 350 to the housing of the filament key fob 204.

[0060] FIGS. 8-10 illustrate a process for installing the consumable assembly 12 into the spool cabinet 52 of the 3D printer 10 in preparation for printing. The spool 200 of the consumable assembly loaded with the filament 202 is carried in the spool cabinet. For example, the spool is preferably carried by a filament key fob 204 releasably secured to the spool walls 208 and 210, although any method of carrying the spool 200 can be used. With the door 58 in the open position, the spool is loaded into the chamber 54 with the shaft 212 disposed within the shaft channel 64. FIG. 8 shows this spool position, where the filament key fob 204 is still attached to the spool walls 208 and 210 and the handle is coupled to the shaft 212 (or other location on the spool 200) by the tether 206.

[0061] Referring now more particularly to FIG. 9, in some embodiments, with the spool loaded into the chamber 54 of the spool cabinet, a filament guide 350 that may be associated with the spool 200 within the consumable assembly 12 is inserted into the receptacle 66 to guide the filament from the spool to the guide tube 16 (shown in FIG. 2). The filament guide 350 within the receptacle 66 provides a filament path from the proximal end of the spool 200 through the guide tube 16 to an extruder such as the print head 18 or a drive mechanism for the print head 18. The filament key fob 204 is removed from the spool wall, for example, by using the latch release mechanism 318 to unlatch the filament key fob handle. After the filament key fob 204 is removed from the carrying position on the spool wall, the connection to the spool 200 is maintained via the tether 206. The filament 202 is then removed from one of the notches 216 in the spool wall and the filament is fed into the guide 350. The filament can then be supplied to the 3D printer by advancing the filament from the spool along the closed filament supply path formed by the filament guide 350 and the filament guide tube. Next, as best shown in FIG. 10, the filament key fob 204 is inserted into the dock 68 with the latch insertion member 312 received in the latch receiving structure 70 to secure the filament key fob handle in place. With the filament key fob 204 inserted into the dock 68, the connection point of the tether 206 is positioned adjacent to a notch 74 that allows the tether 206 to extend upwardly toward the connection from the dock to the spool 200. Inserting the filament key fob 204 into the dock 68 allows the filament key fob handle to be stored in a position protected from the high temperature of the chamber 54 of the spool cabinet 52. When closed, the door 58, gasket 62, and cabinet frame 56 contain the heat from the chamber 54 and allow the filament key fob 204 to remain relatively cool. This allows the filament key fob handle to be safely removed by the operator's hand when removing the spool 200 from the spool cabinet.This also provides the operator with a non-heated contact point for gripping on the spool within the spool cabinet. In embodiments having a memory chip or other electronic device within the handle, this also protects the device from damage that can be caused by exposure to high temperatures.

[0062] After inserting the filament key fob 204 into the dock 68, the dock interface 72 is used to read data from the spool chip 306 to identify information such as the type of material, the amount, and the required spool cabinet temperature. In some 3D printers, the controller assembly 38 prevents the filament from the spool from being used until data from the chip has been read.

[0063] When printing is complete, the filament is clipped and the end piece is inserted into one of the notches 216 in the spool walls 208 and 210 for convenient storage. The filament key fob 204 is removed from the dock 68 by operating the latch release mechanism 318 and then reattached around the spool wall covering the filament end, preferably located within the notch 216, and the filament end is fixed and held in place. The spool 200 can be removed from the spool cabinet 52 and carried for storage using the filament key fob handle.

[0064] The above-described embodiments illustrate a method of handling a fused deposition modeling filament spool 200. One embodiment of such an exemplary method is represented by the flow diagram 400 shown in FIG. 11. As described above, the spool is transported with a spool tip or filament key fob coupled to the spool by a tether. This is represented by block 402. For example, in some embodiments, the filament spool 200 is configured as a handle and carried by a filament key fob 204 fixed to spaced spool walls 208, 210. As explained, in an exemplary embodiment, the handle is further coupled to the spool by a tether and can include a spool tip or spool identification component electrical device. As shown in block 404, the spool is placed within a chamber 54 of a spool cabinet 52. In some embodiments that include a handle, the handle is used to place the spool within the chamber 54 of the spool cabinet 52, and the chamber may be of a type that provides a heated or otherwise controlled environment for drying the filament wound around the spool. With the spool placed within the chamber, the housing of the filament key fob (e.g., the handle) is removed from the spool but remains coupled to the spool by the tether. This is represented by block 406 in FIG. 11. As shown in block 408, the tethered spool tip housing is located within a dock located outside the controlled environment of the chamber. In some embodiments of the exemplary method, steps 402-408 represent the scope of the method. However, in other embodiments, additional steps 410-416 are also included.

[0065] In an embodiment that includes a filament guide 350 having a spool 200, as shown in block 409 of FIG. 11, the user removes the filament guide 350 from the filament key fob 204, inserts it into the receptacle 66 of the printer, and then feeds the loose end of the filament into the filament guide 350 to start delivering the filament to the print head. Depending on the design, the removal of the filament guide is typically done before placing the filament key fob in the dock, but this need not be the case in all embodiments. As shown in block 410 of FIG. 11, in some embodiments, while the spool is placed within a chamber and a handle or other filament key fob is placed within the dock, the handle is maintained at a lower temperature or different environment, while the spool and filament are heated or exposed to a controlled environment. This is achieved, for example, by closing the door of the spool cabinet and heating the spool and filament, and since the tether extends between the door or door seal and the frame of the cabinet, the handle or other spool tip housing can remain outside of the heated environment. In an exemplary embodiment, the spool and filament are heated to a temperature above 50°C, typically above 100°C, to ensure that the filament does not absorb moisture, while the handle or spool tip housing is maintained at a temperature below 50°C.

[0066] When it is time to remove the spool from the heated environment of the cabinet chamber, as shown in block 412 of FIG. 11, the door is opened and the filament key fob or handle is removed from the dock. As shown in block 414, in the example of a handle, the cold handle is secured to the spool wall, for example, using the snap-fit connection described above. In some advantageous embodiments, using a plurality of filament fixing notches 216 disposed around the periphery of the spool walls 208 and 210, the handle is secured to a portion of the spool wall proximate one of the notches to assist in managing the cut end of the filament. Also, as shown in block 416, in embodiments using a handle, the handle is then used to remove the spool from the cabinet. Further, the filament guide 350 can be reattached to the handle or filament key fob as needed.

[0067] Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

**Claim 1** A consumable assembly for a 3D printer, the assembly comprising: a spool for carrying a wound filament, the spool configured to be installed within a spool cabinet that maintains the spool in a controlled environment and supplies the filament to a print head of the 3D printer via a filament path; a filament key fob comprising a spool chip held within a spool chip housing; a tether configured to couple the filament key fob to the spool separately from the filament path, and to enable the filament key fob to reach a dock of the 3D printer located outside the spool cabinet while the spool is installed within the spool cabinet and the tether remains coupled to the spool and the filament key fob; a consumable assembly comprising the above. **Claim 2** The consumable assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a filament guide configured to be attached to the filament key fob during transportation and storage. **Claim 3** The consumable assembly according to claim 1, wherein the spool chip housing is configured to be removably attached to the spool for transportation and storage. **Claim 4** The consumable assembly according to claim 3, wherein the spool chip includes an identification device for the consumable assembly. **Claim 5** The consumable assembly according to claim 4, wherein the spool chip is configured to be received by the dock of the 3D printer and to place the identification device adjacent to a corresponding spool chip interface of the 3D printer. **Claim 6** The consumable assembly according to claim 2, wherein the tether couples the spool chip housing to an axis of the spool. **Claim 7** The consumable assembly according to claim 2, wherein the filament key fob is further configured to function as a handle removably attachable to the spool, enabling the spool to be carried by the filament key fob for installation into the spool cabinet of the 3D printer. **Claim 8** The consumable assembly according to claim 2, wherein the spool tip housing is configured to be removably attached to the edges of the spaced-apart walls of the spool.

9. The consumable assembly according to claim 8, wherein the spool tip housing includes first and second snap-fit channels configured to snap-fit onto the edges of the spaced-apart spool walls.

10. The consumable assembly according to claim 9, wherein the spool tip housing further includes a latch release mechanism configured to be operated to release the spool tip housing from the edges of the spaced-apart spool walls.

11. The consumable assembly according to claim 10, wherein the latch release mechanism is configured to function as a release mechanism for fixing the spool tip housing to the dock and releasing the spool tip housing from the dock.

12. A method of handling a consumable assembly including a fused deposition modeling filament spool, the spool having spaced-apart spool walls, a hub, a filament winding region defined by the spool walls and the hub, and a filament wound around the spool within the filament winding region, the method comprising: transporting the spool having a filament key fob coupled to the spool by a tether to a 3D printer; placing the spool within a chamber of a spool cabinet of the 3D printer, the chamber providing a controlled environment for the filament wound around the spool, the filament being supplied from the spool through a filament path to a print head of the 3D printer, the filament path being separate from the tether; placing the filament key fob within a dock of the 3D printer with the tether coupling the filament key fob to the spool, the dock being located outside the chamber and enabling the 3D printer to utilize the filament wound around the spool; including.

13. The filament key fob is a spool identification component, and when the filament key fob is received by the dock of the 3D printer, a spool chip is disposed adjacent to a corresponding spool chip interface of the 3D printer. The method according to claim 12.

14. The chamber provides a heated environment for the filament wound around the spool, and disposing the filament key fob within the dock located outside the chamber maintains the spool chip at a temperature lower than the temperature of the heated environment. The method according to claim 13.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising closing the door of the spool cabinet and heating the spool and filament to a temperature above 50°C while maintaining the filament key fob at a temperature below 50°C.

16. The filament key fob includes a handle attached to the spaced spool walls and separately coupled to the spool by the tether. Placing the spool within the chamber of the spool cabinet of the 3D printer includes using the handle to place the spool, and placing the filament key fob within the dock of the 3D printer includes placing the handle within the dock of the 3D printer. The method according to claim 13.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising removing the handle from the spaced spool walls while the spool is disposed within the chamber and the handle remains separately coupled to the spool by the tether.

18. Transporting the spool includes carrying the spool by the handle. The method according to claim 16.

19. removing the handle from the dock; fixing the handle to the spool while the handle remains separately coupled to the spool by the tether; removing the spool from the chamber of the spool cabinet using the handle; The method according to claim 16, including.

20. Fixing the handle to the spool further includes fixing the handle to the spaced-apart spool wall proximate to one of a plurality of notches in the spool wall, the notch and the handle being configured to fix an end of the filament to the spool wall, the method of claim 19.

21. The handle includes first and second snap-fit channels configured to snap-fit to the edge of the spaced-apart spool wall, the handle further including a latch release mechanism configured to be operated to release the handle from the edge of the spaced-apart spool wall, removing the handle from the dock further including releasing the handle from the dock using the latch release mechanism, the method of claim 19.

22. Removing the filament guide from the filament key fob and inserting the filament guide into a receptacle of the 3D printer to provide a filament path from the proximal of the spool through a guide tube to the proximal of the print head, the method of claim 12.

23. A 3D printer, a print head configured to receive a filament material, a spool cabinet having an internally disposed filament spool and a chamber configured to provide a controlled environment for the filament on the filament spool, a dock located outside the spool cabinet chamber and configured to receive a spool tip housing for the filament spool to maintain the spool tip outside the controlled environment of the chamber, a 3D printer comprising.

24. The 3D printer of claim 23, wherein the spool cabinet includes a door that covers both the chamber and the dock when in the closed position.

25. The spool tip housing is coupled to the filament spool by a tether, the spool cabinet includes a door that covers the chamber, the door includes a gasket that seals to a frame of the spool cabinet, the filament spool is disposed within the spool cabinet, and when the spool tip housing is disposed within the dock, a portion of the tether extends between the gasket and the frame. The 3D printer according to claim 23.

26. The dock according to claim 25, including a notch arranged to enable routing of the tether from the spool tip housing when the spool tip housing is disposed within the dock.

27. The dock according to claim 23, including a spool tip interface configured to be disposed therein, read data from the spool tip, write data to the spool tip, or otherwise interact with the spool tip.

28. The 3D printer according to claim 27, further comprising a controller configured to control a printing operation of the 3D printer, the controller communicating with the spool tip via the spool tip interface.

29. The 3D printer according to claim 23, wherein the spool tip and the spool tip housing comprise a filament spool fob, and the dock is configured to receive the filament spool fob.

30. The 3D printer according to claim 23, wherein the filament spool fob includes a removable handle of the filament spool, and the dock is configured to receive the removable handle of the filament spool.

31. The 3D printer according to claim 30, wherein the dock includes a latch receiving structure configured to receive a latch insertion member of the removable handle to releasably secure the handle within the dock.

32. A method of 3D printing, the method comprising: Placing a fused deposition modeling filament spool within a chamber of a spool cabinet of the 3D printer, the chamber providing a controlled environment for the filament on the spool, Placing a spool tip housing of the filament spool within a dock of the 3D printer, the dock being located outside the chamber and away from the controlled environment, while the spool tip housing is coupled to the spool by a tether, Communicating with the spool tip using a spool tip interface within the dock, Controlling a printing operation of a print head of the 3D printer using the filament from the spool based on the communication with the spool tip, A method comprising.

33. The method according to claim 32, further comprising using a controller of the 3D printer configured to control a printing operation of the 3D printer based on the communication with the spool tip to control the printing operation.

34. The method according to claim 32, further comprising closing a door of the spool cabinet to cover the chamber after placing the spool tip housing within the dock of the 3D printer, so that a gasket of the door forms a seal against a frame of the spool cabinet with a portion of the tether extending between the gasket and the frame.

35. The method according to claim 32, further comprising removing the spool tip housing from the spool disposed within the chamber by releasing the spool tip housing from the spool using a latch release mechanism of the spool tip housing while the spool tip housing remains coupled to the spool by the tether.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein placing the spool tip housing within the dock of the 3D printer further comprises inserting a latch insertion mechanism of the spool tip housing into a latch receiving structure of the dock.

37. The spool tip housing comprises a handle, the handle being coupled to the spool by the tether and releasably fixed to spaced-apart spool walls of the spool, and placing the spool within the chamber further comprises using the handle to place the spool within the chamber while the handle is fixed to the spaced-apart spool walls, the method according to claim 32.

38. Placing the spool tip housing within the dock of the 3D printer comprises placing the handle within the dock of the 3D printer, the method further comprising using the latch release mechanism to release the handle from the dock, the method according to claim 37.

39. The method according to claim 38 further comprises fixing the handle to the spaced-apart spool walls of the spool and using the handle to remove the spool from the chamber of the spool cabinet.

40. A method of 3D printing, the method comprising: placing a fused deposition modeling filament spool within a chamber of a spool cabinet of the 3D printer, the chamber providing a controlled environment for the filament on the spool; removing a filament key fob having a spool tip from the spool disposed within the cabinet chamber; placing the filament key fob within a dock of the 3D printer, the dock being located outside the chamber away from the controlled environment; communicating with the spool tip of the filament key fob using a spool tip interface within the dock; controlling a printing operation of a print head of the 3D printer using the filament from the spool based on the communication with the spool tip; comprising a method.

41. Removing the filament key fob from the spool comprises removing the filament key fob from the spool while the spool filament key fob remains coupled to the spool by a tether, the method according to claim 40.

42. Placing the filament key fob within the dock of the 3D printer includes placing the filament key fob within the dock of the 3D printer while the filament key fob remains coupled to the spool by the tether, the method of claim 41. **Claim 43** The method of claim 42, wherein the filament key fob includes a handle, and placing the filament spool within the cabinet chamber includes using the handle to place the filament spool within the cabinet chamber.

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