Klicky probe - bed leveling on anything! Stealth mod for single extruder

[nweolu]

Stealth Klicky Probe for Single Extruder

About design

Inspired by all the Klicky probes out there. I wanted to be able to level on anything reliably with simple install.
Proximity probes affected by heat. Stock probe doesn’t actually probe the surface. IR probes require heavy wiring mods on our machine.
Why klicky probes are so good - Six popular ABL probes compared: Accuracy, price, wiring and more! - YouTube
This probe doesn’t require any extra electrical components but the $3 switch. Simple wiring - a 12 year old can do.
I’m using magnets for deployment. Yes you have to move the probe down before leveling and hide it after.
You might ask - how come it doesn’t shift when probing? You need 70gr to klick the switch and >200gr to move the magnets. Clearances and friction will do the rest.
The part cooling duct had to be redesigned a bit and can use some improvement. You can avoit printing it and just cut your existing duct to be able to fit the probe. In my Gen2 extruder that part is not used for air anyway.
If there is enough demand, I can put together a kit for sale (including international) - wired switch with proper JST connector and magnets. Labor would be the 80% of the price.
Using stock build surface with craters and bumps between probing points will not give you much advantage. Just use stock probe if you not planning to use glass/garolite or other surface to print on.
It took me solid 80 hours to create the design, most of it went into recreating the extruder in CAD.

Goals of the design

• Forget the shimming the bed all day to get the delta under 0.09.
• Use any surface that can provide true leveling calculation i.e. has no bumps and craters.
• Make it minimal and somewhat stealth.

BOM

What	P/N	QTY	Link
Magnets	10mm X 5mm	3pcs	https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DBG1aNr
Switch	WS0850100F070PA	1pc	https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/e-switch/WS0850100F070PA/6613000
CA Glue	Any	3 drops	https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DejhHLr
Printed parts	N/A	ALL	Printables

Print instructions

Use your favorite PETG/ASA/ABS.
I printed out of PETG - works just fine.
You have to know how to print details and somewhat accurate dimensions.
Use 0.2mm height. 100% infill for Slider and Heatsink Duct.
I used PrusaSlicer. You only need tree supports for slider magnet insert and part cooling duct (largest cavity). But I guess luban can print this stuff too.
STLs are not oriented - DIY.

Assembly instructions

Cleanup parts, check magnets fitment. Dry fit slider and the side cover. It should have smooth action, up and down.
Knob has little dimple inside - it should meet the dent in the slider to secure itself on it. Expect satisfying click.

LOOOOONG picture, to be used on the phone when assembling

How to use

Nothing changed for machine’s brains. The process is the same.
Slide the probe down, start leveling, when prompted by machine to set Z-offset - slide the probe up and set the z-offset.

Skeptics

I even run some sort of reliability test - same everything - multiple leveling runs

	X0	X1	X2	X3	X4			Max	8.509
Y0	8.309	8.414	8.399	8.509	8.504			Min	8.309
Y1	8.429	8.456	8.481	8.468	8.489			Delta	0.2
Y2	8.444	8.46	8.47	8.49	8.376
Y3	8.508	8.404	8.419	8.431	8.411
Y4	8.438	8.431	8.384	8.375	8.443
	X0	X1	X2	X3	X4			Max	10.865
Y0	10.669	10.77	10.753	10.856	10.841			Min	10.669
Y1	10.779	10.813	10.84	10.823	10.854			Delta	0.196
Y2	10.798	10.82	10.825	10.845	10.735
Y3	10.865	10.762	10.775	10.789	10.771
Y4	10.819	10.781	10.748	10.739	10.807
	X0	X1	X2	X3	X4			Max	10.876
Y0	10.676	10.767	10.77	10.866	10.856			Min	10.676
Y1	10.789	10.818	10.842	10.83	10.858			Delta	0.2
Y2	10.804	10.823	10.833	10.849	10.741
Y3	10.876	10.769	10.781	10.794	10.781
Y4	10.802	10.795	10.761	10.749	10.785
	X0	X1	X2	X3	X4			Max	10.87
Y0	10.681	10.773	10.765	10.855	10.864			Min	10.681
Y1	10.794	10.818	10.842	10.831	10.863			Delta	0.189
Y2	10.798	10.821	10.825	10.849	10.744
Y3	10.87	10.764	10.778	10.793	10.783
Y4	10.816	10.802	10.749	10.738	10.801
	X0	X1	X2	X3	X4			Max	10.869
Y0	10.637	10.761	10.751	10.859	10.836			Min	10.637
Y1	10.77	10.811	10.846	10.837	10.869			Delta	0.232
Y2	10.789	10.816	10.83	10.849	10.745
Y3	10.851	10.761	10.781	10.795	10.775
Y4	10.787	10.782	10.749	10.724	10.774
0	1	2	3	4				Max	10.672
0	10.672	10.672	10.614	10.611	10.554			Min	10.427
1	10.586	10.57	10.619	10.613	10.575			Delta	0.245
2	10.604	10.524	10.563	10.604	10.521
3	10.56	10.427	10.472	10.526	10.526
4	10.492	10.431	10.495	10.471	10.476

Fun part for those who reads everything - if you want to test this - I have two switches (pre wired with connector) and two sets of magnets - send me a shipping label(pirateship.com) get them for free. PM me.

Results you should get

This is on Garolite.

Credit to

• Namakemono - for 3D Models for A350,A250, A350T platforms and A350 Beds that sped up the design.
• MooseJuice - for help in understanding the wiring.
• All the klicky probes authors for inspiration.

• Make a kit for sale - Wired switch + Magnets
• Make a kit for sale - Printed Assembled Components + Wired switch
• I don’t need a kit - will handle wiring and sourcing.

FAQ

Klick me

1. Does it work with Bi Metal heat Break?
   • YES - always check clearance
2. Will it work with aftemarket MK8 Nozzle
   • YES - always check clearance
3. Can I level on __________(insert material)
   • Absolutely
4. Do I need to change anything in the firmware?
   • No
5. Will this work with extruder Gen 1?
   • YES - use UNIVERSAL file.
6. Do I have to use - WS0850100F070PA switch?
   • YES - if you want to use stl files provided.

ToDo

1. Make part cooling duct better.

P.S. Where is the STL??? Read BOM.

Updates

7.21.23 - updated assembly instructions - added missing knob and rearranged steps.
7.24.23 - updated print cooling duct STL, now fits both GEN 1 and GEN2 extruders. Thanks to Win3002 for bolt pattern scan!

[Mxbrnr]

Nicely done! Looks like a great mod.
So the switch itself has a repeatability accuracy error of 0.044, which is virtually the same as the stock inductive probe or a capacitance probe. All are right around that 0.04 range.

What about using a threaded shaft/nut to hold the probe in place instead of the magnets? These could be incorporated as part of the already existing 3D printed parts, and might have a stronger hold.

[nweolu]

Unless I interpreted it wrong, the threaded shaft/nut approach has couple issues - deployment would be more time consuming and annoying. And you can’t live it deployed - it has to be below the nozzle to work. With magnets - safety built in, it would just slide up if forgotten (I actually didn’t check if it will go all the way up).
It is also weirdly satisfying af to slide it up and down.
Plus the whole probe offset issue - design avoids changing firmware in any way.

I was looking into precision switches like omron d5b, price is a bit high

[nweolu]

updated assembly instructions - added missing knob and rearranged steps.

[Win3002]

Just a little observation about a detail I noticed while printing ventilation docks for the nozzle. The screw holes in the dock are not exactly in the same place on the first version of the 3D printing head and the improved version that you have.

[nweolu]

I only have the 2nd gen head. I suspected there might be a compatibility issue but unless someone provides measurements - I can’t do much.
Best way is to put the back of the print head (where all the screws are) on the scanner with millimeter ruler close to it and scan. This way the image will be flat, not distorted and ruler and the head face on the same level. I could make accurate sketch from the image like this…

[Win3002]

[nweolu]

Sent you a PM with stl to try.

[Win3002]

je vais l’essayer dans les prochains jours

[nweolu]

No rush

[nweolu]

Uploaded STL for partcooling duct that will work on GEN 1 extruders.

[nweolu]

Looking for dual extruder detailed pictures and dimensions to adopt the klicky probe for it.

[MooseJuice]

Very nice. I can probably get you some pics and dims since i just removed mine.

[nweolu]

Would be nice
If you have an opportunity to scan the back side of it with a ruler and get some info on how current probe attached to the housing would be nice.
It seems to be tight in there but duable.
Also distance from housing to the nozzle tip without cover…

[MooseJuice]

I have here a quick little video of some of the characteristics to consider and a series of photos to give some basic initial dimensions

(Video is processing may take a bit)…

If you want something specific, i will be glad to work with you to get what you want

The nozzle tip is kind of a complicated topic as youll see from the video, but one of the photos does show this

I suspect the existing sensor mount location would be an ideal place to try it at but id be interested to see what you come up with.

[nweolu]

This is quite useful. Let me throw together a model to see what’s missing. I might have everything between two sets of pics I received.

Thank you so much! I’ll keep this updated.

[cgrantmccool]

it’s a little and inconsequential thing but updating the name of the Printables to be “v1 and v2 universal fit” would be good. I had a mini panic attack as I reread the forums certain you had done this work, which you had.

Will update people on the good word of klicky once I do the install.

[nweolu]

Sorry, do you mean the name of downloadable file from printables?

[cgrantmccool]

Just the name of the page is what i noticed. I was getting set-up last night and saw the title just saying “2nd Gen” and was like “no! I know I read 1st gen worked” and went reading in a panic is all.

It’s just buried in the forum, which we should be reading thoroughly anyways.

[nweolu]

@cgrantmccool

no! I know I read 1st gen worked” and went reading in a panic is all.

It’s just buried in the for

Done, I’ve removed gen two from the title and added info in summary and “Additional information” section about compatibility.
I can see how it was confusing. Thank you for pointing out!