Vortex-75 / Articulated Fume Extraction Arm

AlphaTech Vortex-75 // Articulated Fume Extraction Arm (75/110mm) The Backstory It started with a routine workshop cleanup. Halfway through organizing, an unruly flexible duct dangling from the ceiling kept getting in the way. A quick search on AliExpress revealed commercial articulated extraction arms—functional, but unnecessarily expensive for a maker space. The natural question followed: Can this be built DIY, cheaper, and entirely customized with standard rigid pipe and 3D printing?   Did the workshop strictly need a ceiling-mounted articulated extraction arm? Probably not. Is it satisfying and infinitely better to use because it was engineered and built from scratch? Absolutely.   Overview & Architecture The AlphaTech Vortex-75 is a modular articulated fume extraction system designed for soldering stations, resin/filament 3D printing , laser cutters, and light benchtop work.   Instead of relying on expensive proprietary ducting, the system utilizes standard, rigid plastic drain pipes (110 mm OD ceiling drop sleeve and 75 mm OD arm segments). This ensures maximum laminar airflow with minimal static pressure loss compared to ribbed flex-hoses.   Key Features: Fully Customizable Reach: Pipe lengths are completely modular. While reference lengths are provided below, you can cut the 110 mm/75 mm pipe segments to whatever custom dimensions your workshop layout requires.   Internal 360° Ceiling Swivel: Dual internal guide bushings inside a 110 mm drop tube provide smooth, balanced 360-degree rotation without tangling external flex ducting.   Friction Joint Core: Large mating friction hubs and locked with M8 hardware hold positions reliably under load.   Aerodynamic Capture Hood: Optimized velocity profile for high capture efficiency at the benchtop.   Integrated In-Line Carbon Cartridge: Designed to slide directly into 125 mm fan/duct interfaces with a quick-swap carbon pad retainer.     What to Print / Print List AlphaTech Vortex-75 Components (included in download): 1x ventilation_plenum_110_125.stl – Ceiling mounting plenum and 125 mm duct adapter. 1x Part_1_Bottom_Swivel_Collar.stl – Bottom guide collar for the 110 mm drop sleeve. 1x Part_2_Top_Guide_Bushing.stl – Top centering guide bushing for the 110 mm sleeve. 2x Pressfit_Thrust_Collar_75mm.stl – Slip-fit retention collars for the vertical 75 mm pipe. 3x Part_A_Male_75mm.stl – Elbow joint half (male side). 3x Part_B_Female_75mm.stl – Elbow joint half (female side). 1x aerodynamic_fume_hood.stl – Capture hood. 1x filter_cartridge_part1_basket.stl – Filter housing basket for activated carbon. 1x filter_cartridge_part2_retaining_ring.stl – Snap-in retaining ring for the filter pad.     Bill of Materials (BOM) 1. Rigid Pipes (Sourced from Biltema) Lengths shown below are reference cuts for a ~70 cm drop from ceiling to first elbow, but arm lengths can be customized freely:   110 mm PP/PVC Drain Pipe (Drop Sleeve):   Cut to 400 mm   75 mm PP/PVC Drain Pipe (Arm Segments):   Vertical Swivel Drop: 400 mm (sets lower elbow ~70 cm below ceiling with 180 mm protrusion below the collar)   Boom Arm (Upper Section): 420 mm (or custom length)   Forearm (Lower Section): 420 mm (or custom length)   Hood Mounting Stub: 80 mm   2. Fasteners & Mechanical Hardware 3x M8 × 190–200 mm threaded rods / long bolts   3x Nylon lock M8 hex nuts (locked/glued to the rod ends inside the joint pockets to act as fixed bolt heads)   3x Standard M8 hex nuts (pressed into the external tension knobs)   3x M8 large flat washers (fender / Form A)   80x Short self-tapping sheet metal screws (~4.2 × 13 mm) (used for securing all pipe sockets, thrust collars, and the hood)   6x Ceiling mounting screws (dimensions chosen by builder based on ceiling substrate)   1x Synthetic PTFE grease (Teflon lubricant) for friction seals and swivel interfaces(Only use inside the hanging joint in the 110, if used on the  joints on the arm, the arm wont hold its position under use)   3. Thrust Collars & Bushings 2x Thrust Collars (75 mm): Both collars  fit directly over the 75 mm pipe and lock in place with short sheet metal screws. One collar rests against the bottom swivel piece in the 110 mm pipe carrying the downward load, and the second mounts inside near the top guide as a retention stop.   4. Tension Knobs (External Download) Download and print 3x M8 Knobs separately: Any random nobs  will do.   5. Ventilation & Ducting (125 mm) 1x 125 mm In-line duct fan   125 mm Flexible duct hose (length based on your routing to exhaust/filter)   4x Hose clamps (125 mm) (for securing flex ducting to fan, plenum, and filter housing)   Post-Processing Note for Elbow Joints (Part A & Part B) Due to the slight overhang inside the joint mating surfaces, you might get a minor rough edge or sagging line depending on your printer's cooling. Part A (Male): Run a flat file or some medium-grit sandpaper lightly over the outer sealing ridge to remove any layer imperfections. Part B (Female): Use a deburring tool, hobby scalpel, or sharp blade to clean up the internal groove. Cleaning these surfaces takes less than a minute and ensures the two halves mate completely flat and rotate smoothly against each other.   Recommended Print Settings Filament: PETG strongly recommended (ABS/ASA optional; avoid PLA for mechanical joints due to long-term creep under tension).   Layer Height: 0.28 mm.   Line Width: Flat 0.50 mm across all line types (0.4 mm nozzle).   Walls / Perimeters: 4 walls (yields a solid 2.0 mm wall thickness).   Top / Bottom Shells: 4 bottom, 4 top.   Infill: 20–25% Gyroid(100% on the fume hood)   Support: Tree Support (Tree Slim, top Z-distance 0.28 mm) on the ventilation_plenum_110_125.stl and on the filter_cartridge_part1_basket.stl   Note: The fume hood shown in pictures is Design v1, which lacked sufficient strength around the neck joint. The updated file supplied here (v2) features a heavy structural fillet and reinforced wall thickness at the transition neck. Printing and field-testing soon.     Boost MeIf the AlphaTech Vortex-75 helps clean up your workshop air, consider hitting that Boost button! Your support directly fuels future designs, testing, and hardware upgrades. Every bit helps keep the workshop open and innovating. Thank you! 🚀