Printer Design with Bearings on Extrusions A while back I designed a printer that was to be the base for a printer farm after trying to use a upgraded Folger FT5 for that purpose. The printer is designed to be easily extendable in the X (or Y) dimension. It uses 623zz bearings that ride on the extrusions for all motion constrain. I finally wrote up a blog post here: https://www.tolen3d.com/blog/designing-a-printer-farm-unit I'm in the middle of a complete redesign, so comments welcome! 1.jpg mod_embed_images_loadimage('f7b39c423e045241677b562ed6170e4a', '/forum/thumbcache/69b/532/e2c/74c/170/532/b24/111/ef2/4ae/be_800x400.png', 'https://www.tolen3d.com/uploads/2/1.jpg', 'https://reprap.org/forum/addon.php?177,module=embed_images,check_scaling=1,url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tolen3d.com%2Fuploads%2F2%2F1.jpg', '', 839645, 800, 400, 'Loading image ...', false); 2.jpg mod_embed_images_loadimage('3b7026390370ad82564af10a2201a7b7', '/forum/thumbcache/ac4/a42/d9f/3df/4e0/de7/8ff/79e/f06/6ce/51_800x400.png', 'https://www.tolen3d.com/uploads/2/2.jpg', 'https://reprap.org/forum/addon.php?177,module=embed_images,check_scaling=1,url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tolen3d.com%2Fuploads%2F2%2F2.jpg', '', 839645, 800, 400, 'Loading image ...', false); 3.jpg mod_embed_images_loadimage('40b0be6a84f2d872745129de825525f0', '/forum/thumbcache/48f/55d/e71/a56/ed4/b65/2e3/748/31f/b59/43_800x400.png', 'https://www.tolen3d.com/uploads/2/3.jpg', 'https://reprap.org/forum/addon.php?177,module=embed_images,check_scaling=1,url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tolen3d.com%2Fuploads%2F2%2F3.jpg', '', 839645, 800, 400, 'Loading image ...', false); https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?177,839645,839645#msg-839645 Sun, 09 Aug 2026 03:49:37 -0400 Phorum 5.2.23 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?177,839645,839982#msg-839982 Re: Printer Design with Bearings on Extrusions https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?177,839645,839982#msg-839982
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MKSA
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gmedlicott


The printed parts are very rigid, and are designed so the bearings have a light pre-load. It takes an accurate printer, and measuring the extrusion dimension to make it work.

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They don't look rigid at all and in fact luckily they are not as the whole set up would have the bearings eat in the Al extrusion or bind. The X, Y connecting part is particularly flimsy.

The carriage parts are rigid in design (relative, 3d printing vs. CNC machining) as there is always material directly connecting opposing bearings, with the bearing preload set by elastic deformation. The Z for instance has a preload of 50N, enough so the bearings ride smoothly on the extrusion, yet stiff enough for the bed to tolerate a lopsided print at large volume.

The X-Y interface does look weak, but it has M6 x 120mm through bolts with the side carriage parts having locking tabs to prevent rotation. I can grab the ends of the lower Y rail and barely rock it, with much more force than the print head would exert. This design is simple but has its downsides as described in the blog post at the top of the thread.
https://www.tolen3d.com/blog/designing-a-printer-farm-unit

This build was more an exercise in seeing what worked and what didn't. Many lessons learned as all of us can probably attest to when building our printers!]]> gmedlicott Extruded Aluminum Frames Thu, 29 Nov 2018 13:20:02 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?177,839645,839967#msg-839967 Re: Printer Design with Bearings on Extrusions https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?177,839645,839967#msg-839967
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Number_5
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the_digital_dentist
If I were contemplating enough production to justify a printer farm, I don't think I would rely on bearings held in printed plastic mounts. I think I'd end up spending more time repairing the machines than printing. Would it really be difficult to make the part from a drilled piece of metal?

Of course you would.

Why does it matter?

Of course I would what? Why does anything matter?]]> the_digital_dentist Extruded Aluminum Frames Thu, 29 Nov 2018 09:24:13 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?177,839645,839957#msg-839957 Re: Printer Design with Bearings on Extrusions https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?177,839645,839957#msg-839957
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gmedlicott


The printed parts are very rigid, and are designed so the bearings have a light pre-load. It takes an accurate printer, and measuring the extrusion dimension to make it work.

.

They don't look rigid at all and in fact luckily they are not as the whole set up would have the bearings eat in the Al extrusion or bind. The X, Y connecting part is particularly flimsy.]]> MKSA Extruded Aluminum Frames Thu, 29 Nov 2018 06:58:44 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?177,839645,839955#msg-839955 Re: Printer Design with Bearings on Extrusions https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?177,839645,839955#msg-839955
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the_digital_dentist
If I were contemplating enough production to justify a printer farm, I don't think I would rely on bearings held in printed plastic mounts. I think I'd end up spending more time repairing the machines than printing. Would it really be difficult to make the part from a drilled piece of metal?

Of course you would.

Why does it matter?]]> Number_5 Extruded Aluminum Frames Thu, 29 Nov 2018 06:39:47 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?177,839645,839945#msg-839945 Re: Printer Design with Bearings on Extrusions https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?177,839645,839945#msg-839945 MKSA Extruded Aluminum Frames Thu, 29 Nov 2018 03:53:30 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?177,839645,839919#msg-839919 Re: Printer Design with Bearings on Extrusions https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?177,839645,839919#msg-839919
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the_digital_dentist
If I were contemplating enough production to justify a printer farm, I don't think I would rely on bearings held in printed plastic mounts. I think I'd end up spending more time repairing the machines than printing. Would it really be difficult to make the part from a drilled piece of metal?

Having come from a background of designing parts for CNC machining, plastic (printed or other) is amazing, I can design semi-complex parts and added features are free! That said, 3d printing parts can be a bit weak, and are not always dimensional accurate. Now injection molding on the other hand...]]> gmedlicott Extruded Aluminum Frames Wed, 28 Nov 2018 15:53:08 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?177,839645,839917#msg-839917 Re: Printer Design with Bearings on Extrusions https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?177,839645,839917#msg-839917 the_digital_dentist Extruded Aluminum Frames Wed, 28 Nov 2018 15:26:17 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?177,839645,839900#msg-839900 Re: Printer Design with Bearings on Extrusions https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?177,839645,839900#msg-839900
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FA-MAS
Those steel bearings are going to start eating away at the softer aluminum they’re riding on.

Another concern I'm looking into, though the bearings in this setup have a light preload (20N maybe for the X&Y, 50N for the Z) and have purely rolling motion vs rolling-sliding as found in V-wheels. Also aluminum extrusion is anodized which increases hardness. Even so, I'm working on a preload vs wear test to determine a max acceptable preload.]]> gmedlicott Extruded Aluminum Frames Wed, 28 Nov 2018 12:58:04 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?177,839645,839898#msg-839898 Re: Printer Design with Bearings on Extrusions https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?177,839645,839898#msg-839898
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o_lampe
How do you adjust the bearing clearance? Using eccentric screw posts or do you add some tensioners in the brackets?

The printed parts are very rigid, and are designed so the bearings have a light pre-load. It takes an accurate printer, and measuring the extrusion dimension to make it work.

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o_lampe
Most people would be afraid of the noise coming from naked bearings on extrusion.

I was worried about the noise too, but it actually isn't that loud. The Nema 17 motors are much louder using a 16/32 microstep driver. It may be more audible with Trinamic drivers.]]> gmedlicott Extruded Aluminum Frames Wed, 28 Nov 2018 12:30:57 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?177,839645,839886#msg-839886 Re: Printer Design with Bearings on Extrusions https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?177,839645,839886#msg-839886 blt3dp Extruded Aluminum Frames Wed, 28 Nov 2018 10:20:08 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?177,839645,839825#msg-839825 Re: Printer Design with Bearings on Extrusions https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?177,839645,839825#msg-839825
Most people would be afraid of the noise coming from naked bearings on extrusion.]]> o_lampe Extruded Aluminum Frames Wed, 28 Nov 2018 02:11:35 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?177,839645,839645#msg-839645 Printer Design with Bearings on Extrusions https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?177,839645,839645#msg-839645
I finally wrote up a blog post here:
https://www.tolen3d.com/blog/designing-a-printer-farm-unit

I'm in the middle of a complete redesign, so comments welcome!






]]> gmedlicott Extruded Aluminum Frames Mon, 26 Nov 2018 01:06:42 -0500