FuseBox2 Printer

After 2 years of printing with my FuseBox, I've been working on a successor design. Predictably named the FuseBox2, it takes the low-price and accessibility of the original and makes improvements upon reliability, quality, and speed.



Here's an album of the build: http://imgur.com/a/Kdmro
Github repo: [github.com] // Thingiverse page: [www.thingiverse.com]

Key improvements include a much more rigid 2020/2040 frame, vertical gantry for easier hotend removal, improved cooling duct that doesn't focus air on the heater block, and more robust endstop mounts.

Overall I'm pretty happy with the way the printer's turning out. I still need to mount the LCD, PSU, and cord socket as well as do some more fine tuning to the firmware/slicer settings.

Looks good, though the gantry must be pretty heavy - how quickly (in minutes) did you print that 3DBenchy? How did you join profiles together w/o the corner brackets? I also see you've switched from horizontal to vertical X axis. Do you like the new arrangement better? I think horizontal should be more precise because you can control slop in the horizontal plane where it counts.

The gantry should be a similar weight - there's a bit more ducting for the fans, but the plastic doesn't weigh much compared to the metal parts (in my case it's probably lighter because I used an E3DV6 instead of a Lite6).

The vertical axis has several benefits - it serves to improve hotend cooling, increase y movement range, and make the hotend easier to remove - so far it doesn't seem to be less precise since ringing does appear to be more controlled. I did reinforce the x-ends in the design afterwards, though the prototype doesn't have those installed and seems ok.

I joined the extrusions by drilling and tapping - each extrusion has its ends tapped and screwed down for a super rigid frame (see http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?177,601562).. It's both cheaper and likely stronger than the corner brackets.

Biggest issue right now is probably a minor amount of z artifacts - that may be due to the cheap bearings that I bought.

I somehow ended up fixing the printer's banding issues by pushing the leadscrew all the way down into the flex coupler - effectively making the motor to leadscrew connection rigid.
Here's a before/after pic:


Print quality's looking great now!

I have placed a 4.5mm steelball between stepper shaft and leadscrew. That way the z-compression is "0" but the coupler can still flex.

Quote
o_lampe
I have placed a 4.5mm steelball between stepper shaft and leadscrew. That way the z-compression is "0" but the coupler can still flex.

That's a good idea, any pictures of the quality or banding (or lack of)?

Quote
o_lampe
I have placed a 4.5mm steelball between stepper shaft and leadscrew. That way the z-compression is "0" but the coupler can still flex.

Would a printed sphere work as well?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/17/2017 03:12PM by AlexY.

Quote
AlexY

Quote
o_lampe
I have placed a 4.5mm steelball between stepper shaft and leadscrew. That way the z-compression is "0" but the coupler can still flex.

Would a printed sphere work as well?

I don't know how to print a 4.5mm ball?! I guess its not round enough.

Quote
Origamib

Quote
o_lampe
I have placed a 4.5mm steelball between stepper shaft and leadscrew. That way the z-compression is "0" but the coupler can still flex.

That's a good idea, any pictures of the quality or banding (or lack of)?

I could show you some perfect prints , but only a before_after comparison would make sense. But I haven't made any pics without the balls inserted.

Nice to see there is better hotend and part cooling fans with this version. With many people moving away from cantilevered beds and smooth rods, is there any reason you decided to keep them other than price? Thanks!

I'm going to guess simplicity.... It is very hard to deny the simplicity of a cantilevered bed, and the extra space it gives you to work with. It removes a lot of constraints from the design.

Yeah, mostly simplicity and reduced cost. The 2020 makes it a lot more rigid than the previous revision, and for a 200mm bed size a cantilevered bed is adequate.

I went for smooth rods mainly because they were more accessible - linear guides are a bit harder to find and can be a lot more expensive. A hybrid version with a linear guide only for the x gantry would be interesting, providing the benefit of reduced gantry weight without increasing cost too much.

Quote
o_lampe
I don't know how to print a 4.5mm ball?! I guess its not round enough.

What about a hemisphere/dome? That would make it easier to print without support, and the top would be round to allow the leadscrew to tilt a bit.

608 bearing has 4mm balls in it. If you want the ball centered, print a little 5mm OD washer and place the bearing in it.

4.5mm steelballs are pretty common in countries where airguns are allowed. It's a standard ammonition size.

Quote
newbob
608 bearing has 4mm balls in it. If you want the ball centered, print a little 5mm OD washer and place the bearing in it.

Quote
o_lampe
4.5mm steelballs are pretty common in countries where airguns are allowed. It's a standard ammonition size.

Thanks for the tips