Prusa i3 MK3S+ LCD Knob Extruder Motor Visualizer

The Prusa i3 MK3S+ LCD Knob Extruder Motor Visualizer is a scaled-down version of the LCD Knob for the MK3S+ which has an embedded rare-earth magnet for use as an extruder motor visualizer. Also works great as a refrigerator or office/white board magnet!

The model is designed for use with a Magcraft P/N: NSN0601/N40 rare-earth disc magnet, however any 6.4x2.5mm disc magnet should be compatible. There is minimal clearance between the hole in the extruder motor housing and the neck of the visualizer to help keep it centered. If your printer is not well-tuned, you may have clearance issues with this model. I have provided an .f3d file for those of you (using Fusion 360) who would like to make adjustments to the user parameters of this model to better suit your use case.

The provided .gcodes have a print pause at the appropriate layer height to facilitate magnet insertion. For those of you who have not inserted magnets in a print before, I recommend manually raising your Z axis (settings > move axis > move Z) during the pause to around 100. Insert your magnet and then resume the print. As the extruder is lowering back into position to resume the print, grab the little bit of oozing plastic from below the nozzle and slowly pull it away from the extruder as it's lowering (pull slowly enough so the string of plastic is still connected to the nozzle tip). Just before the nozzle reaches the print (at around 10mm above the print) sharply pull the string of plastic away from the nozzle to detach and remove it. Using this technique should prevent a glob of plastic on the part as the print resumes and should prevent any cosmetic blemishes at the print pause layer.

I recommend printing at a 0.1mm layer height for better detail, although I'm sure it will print fine at a 0.2mm layer height. The provided .gcodes are for use with PETG, but PLA should also work well.

Bonus: If you print this model and find it does not fit in the hole on your extruder motor… Well, congratulations, you've just made yourself a sweet refrigerator magnet! Grab that .f3d file, make some tweaks to the user parameters and have another go at it! I have four LCD knob fridge magnets and a magnet-less desk ornament (forgot to set the print pause when slicing) from the various iterations of this model!

Change Log:

• 09APR2024 — Added remix link and description; changed license to match original model.

Scaled down and modified to accept a magnet for the purpose of using it as an extruder motor visualizer.