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Congrats on that! Let's start building a Td-Free from your PCB!

Get Started

Print your case

Start by printing the case that you can download over at Printables! Make sure you're printing the "Filament Path" with a black filament.

Overview

1. Part Overview

Let's start by getting an overview of all the parts we need for the assembly!

A black plastic electronics enclosure in three parts (lid, base, and a small internal component) alongside an anti-static bag containing a visible printed circuit board.

The small black part is the so-called "Filament Path", just so you know as I'll be using this term from now on.

Tip: You can click on any image to view it in fullscreen!

2. Unpack the PCB

As you might have guessed, the PCB needs to be unpacked, so get it out of the bag. You don't need to cut it, it can just be opened and reused.

PCB with beige/white cable protector on it PCB with LED soldered onto it with the aforementioned protector next to it

The white/beige part has to be removed as well. It protects the cables from breaking during shipping. Slide it carefully into the top-righthand corner of the photo. You can safely dispose of it on your compost. And no, this isn't a joke! It's made from PHA, a plastic that can be composted in your garden. For real! It also doesn't leave any microplastics behind. And this is PHA and thus truly compostable, not like PLA where it's only theoretically compostable (in an industrial environment).

3. Insert the LED into the Filament Path

Next step is to insert/press the LED into the Filament Path.

COB LED module pushed with LED facing down onto the Filament Path 3d print piece

Here it's important that the LED is as far in as possible so there's as much distance between the cables and the free side. Don't press it in too hard, it only has to hold. If it sits at a slight angle, it doesn't matter.

You'll have to bend the cables so they don't interfere with the case later on. When bending, make sure to not break the cables off.

COB LED module pushed with LED facing down onto the Filament Path 3d print piece with cables bent

4. Put the PCB into the case

That should be super easy: Just drop the PCB in, it should fall into place on its own.

PCB now inserted into the case

5. Placing the Filament Path

Okay, so this is gonna be a bit tricky, so buckle up! Actually, it's not too difficult, you'll just have to be careful not to rip the sensors off the board. For that, carefully align the Filament Path as shown in the pictures below.

PCB now inserted at an angle into case PCB now inserted at an angle into case

If it's properly aligned with the white drawings on the PCB, you can carefully fold it down.

Filament Path angled to align with the sensors Filament Path angled to align with the sensors

If you've done everything correctly, you should be able to move some filament through the Td-Free. If that doesn't work, the Filament Path is either misaligned or there is a print defect inside of the Filament Path.

6. Put the lid on

Lid carefully aligned with rest of case. Made out of black matte filament, PCB is already inserted

You'll have to be careful again! First, align the lid with the case and thus with the Filament Path as I've also done in the photo. Also make sure the hollow standoff is above the LED on the PCB and next to the USB-C port.

7. Close it up

Td-Free assembled viewed from top Td-Free assembled viewed from side

Just close the lid and you're done with the assembly. This wasn't bad at all, was it? Anyway, you've done a great job!

8. Opening it back up

This isn't part of the assembly, but it's super important to know:

Lift the lid only from the long sides, NEVER from the short sides.

Otherwise you might break a sensor off.

Get started