# Dual Extruders and the AO-100 **URL:** \ **Category:** Hardware\ **Created:** [April 4, 2013, 7:45pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/dual-extruders-and-the-ao-100/41 "2013-04-04T19:45:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Orias](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.lulzbot.com/orias/32/3_2.png) [@Orias](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/Orias)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2013, 7:45pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/dual-extruders-and-the-ao-100/41/1 "2013-04-04T19:45:17Z")
Here’s some information on our AO-100 and the dual extruder setup. The earlier work can be found on our [development server](http://devel.lulzbot.com/AO-100/hardware/dual/dual_color/biz_card_code/). You can find some Slic3r configs and scad files as well. **[sjkelly](http://www.thingiverse.com/sjkelly)** has a nice setup on Thingiverse: [AO-100 Dual Material Setup](http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:28687) **[Sound](http://www.thingiverse.com/Sound)** made [Fan mounts for sjkelly’s dual carriage](http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:33240) for cooling the hot ends vs the printed part. [Marlin dual firmware (from latest git, no special branch/fork)](http://devel.lulzbot.com/AO-100/software/2012-Q4/firmware/dual_extruder/) Here is the “Quick and dirty” docs on how this was done. > jebba: crispy1: see the source here: \> [http://devel.lulzbot.com/AO-100/hardware/dual/biz\_card\_code/](http://devel.lulzbot.com/AO-100/hardware/dual/biz_card_code/) \> In particular the difference() in here: \> [http://devel.lulzbot.com/AO-100/hardware/dual/biz\_card\_code/biz\_triple\_lulz.scad](http://devel.lulzbot.com/AO-100/hardware/dual/biz_card_code/biz_triple_lulz.scad) > crispy1: jebba: so it looks like you build the STLS to properly overlap when brought into slic3r’s plater at the same coordinates? > jebba: crispy1: kind of like this: > jebba: 1) grabbed biz cardholder off thingiverse. Any of them will do > jebba: 2) convert our font to openscad > jebba: 2) convert font with OpenSCAD-Font-Importer … > jebba: 3) do mini file that has the STL in openscad > jebba: Like this line: > jebba: color(“green”) import(“PlainBusinessCardHolder.stl”, convexity=5); > jebba: Then you render that. > jebba: Then bring in the text and move it around changing the values at the top until you have it how you want. > jebba: So you can F5 and see the biz card + the text exactly how you want the final piece. > jebba: Then uncomment the difference() line and render/compile it. > jebba: This took forever with openscad current, so i grabbed the latest git and it was reasonbly fast. > jebba: Then export the STL, which will be the card holder with holes in it where the text is. > crispy1: jebba: sounds like quite a quiteflow > crispy1: \*workflow > jebba: Then comment out the bizcard holder itself > jebba: and render just the floating text > jebba: then export the floating text as an STL > jebba: then go into slic3r and do: Combine multi-material STL files > jebba: do the biz card first, then the text.stl > jebba: then export that as an AMF. > jebba: Then load the AMF into slic3r itself, and export the gcode. > jebba: Then print with pronterface. > jebba: crispy1: and you’re done! ---
**Author:** ![MakersWorkbench](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.lulzbot.com/makersworkbench/32/6_2.png) [@MakersWorkbench](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/MakersWorkbench)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 12:50am UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/dual-extruders-and-the-ao-100/41/2 "2013-04-11T00:50:18Z")
Holy crap! I was working on a similar design for my AO-100! This is perfect but how much build area do you lose? ---
**Author:** ![jebba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9e8a1a/32.png) [@jebba](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/jebba)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 3:28am UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/dual-extruders-and-the-ao-100/41/3 "2013-04-11T03:28:00Z")
> [@MakersWorkbench](#): > > Holy crap! I was working on a similar design for my AO-100! This is perfect but how much build area do you lose? We’ve actually been doing this for quite awhile. The original carriage was by sjkelly and is on thingiverse: > **[AO-100 Dual Material Setup by sjkelly](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:28687)** > > For the past 3 weeks we have been working on improving and expanding the capabilities of the AO-100 from Aleph Objects.We noticed a few areas that could be improved. After loosing the Z axis alignment a few times, we started experiencing really bad... I have a few more photos here: [http://devel.lulzbot.com/AO-100/hardware/dual/dual\_color/biz\_card\_hires/](http://devel.lulzbot.com/AO-100/hardware/dual/dual_color/biz_card_hires/) This one is ABS letters with wood holder: [http://devel.lulzbot.com/AO-100/hardware/dual/dual\_color/biz\_card\_wood\_abs/](http://devel.lulzbot.com/AO-100/hardware/dual/dual_color/biz_card_wood_abs/) And a quick & dirty HOWTO on how I did it: [http://devel.lulzbot.com/AO-100/hardware/dual/dual\_color/biz\_card\_code/](http://devel.lulzbot.com/AO-100/hardware/dual/dual_color/biz_card_code/) We have a dual mount for the TK-0 too, but it has only printed a few parts. For the AO-100/AO-101 the bed size narrows to 164 x 200mm. ---
**Author:** ![kdoske](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f04885/32.png) [@kdoske](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/kdoske)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2013, 6:08am UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/dual-extruders-and-the-ao-100/41/4 "2013-05-04T06:08:14Z")
How can this setup be used to build supports out of one of the water soluble plastics like PVA? Do you need a special slicer program? We have been searching but can’t seem to find much info on it. We mainly build with ABS, not sure if that matters. ---
**Author:** ![jebba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9e8a1a/32.png) [@jebba](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/jebba)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2013, 7:09pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/dual-extruders-and-the-ao-100/41/5 "2013-05-04T19:09:03Z")
I don’t know of people using PVA successfully. HIPS can be used and breaks off reasonably easily (unless made too thick). The slic3r software supports multiple extruders and support. ---
**Author:** ![GEARHED01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/edb3f5/32.png) [@GEARHED01](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/GEARHED01)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2013, 3:09pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/dual-extruders-and-the-ao-100/41/6 "2013-05-16T15:09:20Z")
Would you guys mind putting up the steps/tutorial of how you did the dual extrusion conversion? I have the lulzbot ao100 and I’ve been looking into dial extrusion for a while on this printer and this is the only thing i found on the topic! Btw great job with the conversion! ---
**Author:** ![jebba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9e8a1a/32.png) [@jebba](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/jebba)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 6:49pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/dual-extruders-and-the-ao-100/41/7 "2013-05-17T18:49:30Z")
Here’s some more info on dual: [http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:28687](http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:28687)