Mega upgrade project: Extruders, motors and electronics

Hello all!

I've been an owner of a Felix 1.5 for about a year now, and I've been doing a tonne of research on a bunch of upgrades for it. Some of it are probably going to be pretty specific to this printer, but I've plans for a new extruder later which should be easily adapted to other models. However, before I rush off and order parts, I thought I'd set up a thread here for any help/input on the project. First and foremost, here's how things stand:

The Planned Upgrades:
Stage 1: Motors and Gantry
Stage 2: Single E3D Based direct-drive extruder
Stage 3: Dual E3D Based direct-drive extruders with new electronics

Stage 1
So the first stage is to upgrade the motors on the printer, and the Z axis/gantry. Currently, all the motors are Wantai 42BYGHW811. The idea is to replace the X and Y axis motors with higher quality NEMA 17s. For the Z axis, go to a NEMA 17 Linear Stepper Motor, then at Stage 2/3 Upgrade the extruder printer to a NEMA 11, to keep the carriage for the extruders light. I'd also like to replace the current Z linear rail bearing with a better one. A lot of the theory for all this comes from existing designs, which I'm just essentially producing myself. I'm not too worried about designing/printing the plastic parts to work with these either, as I've a tonne of experience in that kind of stuff. The main concern at the moment is that I order the right motors and linear rail bearing. From looking around Zapp automation seems to be my best bet!

I'm hoping someone here can help me get started on all this. As far as the motors go, how can I tell what I should be looking for when it comes to things like voltages etc? I somewhat feel like i'm innondated with information, and trying to match up to what's already there is proving to be very difficult! Ideally, these are the motor categories I'd like to go with:
X+Y: [www.zappautomation.co.uk]
Z: [www.zappautomation.co.uk]
Extruder(s): [www.zappautomation.co.uk]
The closest I got with any of that was looking at the extruder that I'm going to be basing my design on, Micron's new extruder (found HERE)

The only other thing I have to figure out for stage 1 is the linear rail bearing. As you can see from the two images here, currently, it has a big chunky dual-rail, but the newer felix models have a single rail, the same as those in the second image. I'd like to go down that route, because it seems to help in eliminating z-wobble.
Image1: Existing Z Rail


Image2: Single Rail, found on X and Y Axis (and newer felix models)


Any suggestions on a replacement rail?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/05/2014 04:38PM by twicx.

Definitely the linear ball slides are much better route they are made for professional machinery. They are very expensive what I would do is check eBay for used and outdated ones here is a picture of the one I built with all linear ball slides

@cncdick Do you get paid each time you post those images or something?

I think we've all seen them a hundred times already.

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No Bob I'm trying to help people I notice you didn't mention anything about what he was asking. Sorry I didn't know you were such a genius how many things have you designed and built in your life and how well they work. And I built plenty of other things other than 3-D printers I was a professional prototype maker for pro-audio company for the last 16 years. What is your job Bob oh I guess yours is just to try to make something to sell and fill your pockets and not try to actually help somebody. I haven't seen anything you've built mechanical that I think is worth a ****. Some people may want to look at something that actually performs well that is closer to a professional machine

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/06/2014 01:12PM by cnc dick.

Civility. Use it.

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- akhlut

Just remember - Iterate, Iterate, Iterate!

[myhomelessmind.blogspot.com]

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cnc dick
No Bob I'm trying to help people I notice you didn't mention anything about what he was asking. Sorry I didn't know you were such a genius how many things have you designed and built in your life and how well they work. And I built plenty of other things other than 3-D printers I was a professional prototype maker for pro-audio company for the last 16 years. What is your job Bob oh I guess yours is just to try to make something to sell and fill your pockets and not try to actually help somebody. I haven't seen anything you've built mechanical that I think is worth a ****. Some people may want to look at something that actually performs well that is closer to a professional machine

Sure, I understand you are proud of your work and want to help people. So do we all. And a lot of us are also respected professionals in our fields, so why not behave like one. But if we all posted dozens of images on multiple threads so people can look at our work these forums quickly become a mess.

I suggest getting a blog or something and posting a link, then people can follow it to get more details. You could also write some words, because TBH looking at pictures of a painted up Yoda isn't that helpful.

For the record all my RepRap related work is Open Source and available on github, I'm not out to sell anything.

---

What is Open Source?
What is Open Source Hardware?
Open Source in a nutshell: the Four Freedoms
CC BY-NC is not an Open Source license

Bob I stopped posting here six months ago because of your comments you're a legend in your own mind. There might be people that haven't seen my posts sorry if I offended you but believe it or not there's other ways of doing things not just yours. And especially this forum is supposed to be for developers. This means not only electronic developers if all of reprap was as close minded as you there would be pretty much nothing excuse me I will stop posting again for a while.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/06/2014 09:11PM by cnc dick.

You certainly live up to your user name...

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Buback
You certainly live up to your user name...

I'm sorry if it seems that way to you I'm usually very civil but Bob is the one that starts off his replies on people's posts with snide little remarks not just mine take for example the guy with the water cooled hot end that recently posted. It seems like anything that is different than the standard reprap whether it be electronics software or mechanics Bob is against it which is fine but then he starts with those snide remarks. This is not good for development on reprap I have a feeling that Bob wants everything to stay the same so he can sell some boards. I personally have never chimed in to a post like that I would like to see some of the advancements that Bob has done or is it just pretty much standard reprap. Has he done anything as far as designing a hot end anything new mechanically stiffer frames different style drives or linear assemblies yes I guess he's worked on some boards but that's it as far as I know. I just want to mention you just did the same thing with the snide remark please don't turn out like Bob

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2014 04:05PM by cnc dick.

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cnc dick

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Buback
You certainly live up to your user name...

I'm sorry if it seems that way to you I'm usually very civil but Bob is the one that starts off his replies on people's posts with snide little remarks not just mine take for example the guy with the water cooled hot end that recently posted. It seems like anything that is different than the standard reprap whether it be electronics software or mechanics Bob is against it which is fine but then he starts with those snide remarks. This is not good for development on reprap I have a feeling that Bob wants everything to stay the same so he can sell some boards. I personally have never chimed in to a post like that I would like to see some of the advancements that Bob has done or is it just pretty much standard reprap. Has he done anything as far as designing a hot end anything new mechanically stiffer frames different style drives or linear assemblies yes I guess he's worked on some boards but that's it as far as I know. I just want to mention you just did the same thing with the snide remark please don't turn out like Bob

I really don't know what I have done to inspire a personal vendetta, I don't recall ever commenting much on your posts before. I think it would take more than a few snippy comments? (Which if anyone found offensive I apologize).

If you get so wound up by mild criticism perhaps you are better off not posting on the internet. Differences of opinion are inevitable and It really isn't worth getting steamed about.

Your characterisation of me is so far from reality I can only say that I think you are the one suffering from delusions!

BTW, it's quite rude to hijack someone's thread with this so I will not respond further. Apologies to @twicx for the diversion

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2014 06:11PM by bobc.

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What is Open Source?
What is Open Source Hardware?
Open Source in a nutshell: the Four Freedoms
CC BY-NC is not an Open Source license

twicx I apologize to you also but again yes the linear ball slides are definitely in my opinion the way to go. Usually very expensive like I say check eBay many different brands out there but anything other than the around one's are going to be great you have to buy them as a set or buy bearings of the same manufacturer and size not like the round ones you can mix and match

hahaha! I make my first thread, head off to my architecture graduation (finally a Bachelor of Architecture now yay!) and all hell breaks loose!

Actually, those rails look really interesting, but the current models use Hiwin rails, because they're easy to fit with T-slot nuts, so I'm aiming to keep that kind of a system. Although I have to admit, even if you have posted that suggestion a few times on these forums, if they've proven to be a successful solution, I can't really see the harm in suggesting it to people with similar problems. Just my 2c.

The main thing I want to get sorted at the moment is the motors. I tried emailling Zapp, but they didn't reply. Looking at the reprap wiki, there seems to be a window of operating conditions for them, with things like voltages etc, but its that window I'm trying to figure out. It's very confusing when you go to a site to look for a NEMA 17, and there's a tonne of different options.

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twicx
hahaha! I make my first thread, head off to my architecture graduation (finally a Bachelor of Architecture now yay!) and all hell breaks loose!

Actually, those rails look really interesting, but the current models use Hiwin rails, because they're easy to fit with T-slot nuts, so I'm aiming to keep that kind of a system. Although I have to admit, even if you have posted that suggestion a few times on these forums, if they've proven to be a successful solution, I can't really see the harm in suggesting it to people with similar problems. Just my 2c.

The main thing I want to get sorted at the moment is the motors. I tried emailling Zapp, but they didn't reply. Looking at the reprap wiki, there seems to be a window of operating conditions for them, with things like voltages etc, but its that window I'm trying to figure out. It's very confusing when you go to a site to look for a NEMA 17, and there's a tonne of different options.

Hiwin is just a brand name there are many others go to eBay search for linear rail THK nsk Mitsumi. The reason I posted a picture of mine is it uses the THK linear rails on all axis. Go to eBay and search THK linear rail. Which I found on eBay be careful with smaller ones if you take the bearing off all the loose balls fall out

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/08/2014 04:01PM by cnc dick.

Thanks for that. Looking around, there's a few of them that have some little additional features that would help my setup. One that looks tempting allows for fine tuning of how far off the profile rail the block sits. Considering I'm trying to reduce z wobble, that would allow me to fine tune the alignment of the rail block and the motor.

I'm still struggling with the motors though. I really need some guidance on that one!

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twicx
Thanks for that. Looking around, there's a few of them that have some little additional features that would help my setup. One that looks tempting allows for fine tuning of how far off the profile rail the block sits. Considering I'm trying to reduce z wobble, that would allow me to fine tune the alignment of the rail block and the motor.

I'm still struggling with the motors though. I really need some guidance on that one!

what you are doing is definitely the right approach the stability of the small machines is really terrible factory frames usually aren't strong enough and there is play everywhere. I don't know enough about reprap electronics to try to help you with the small motors I'm sure other people will though. You might want to post a separate question just on motors I use a different machine control and CNC type motors

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/2014 07:58AM by cnc dick.