Nema 14 or Nema 17 pancake for small printer

Hello,

I'm designing a small 100x100x100mm direct extruder MGN15 linear rail printer. But struggling to decide which steppers to use. Does anybody have experience with Nema 14 or Nema 17 pancake steppers for X and Y belt axis? Or even Nema 11?

Blue colored rail is fixed Y-axis. The red axis slides on the carrier along the Y-axis. X-axis stepper is mounted on the bottom of the red rail. So it moves with X-axis. The heated bed slides on a carrier on the red X-axis rail. Printhead slides obviously on a green Z-axis rail

If I understand correctly, Turnin Z-axis lead screw doesn't require much of the torque. So Nema 14 should be enough. But what about X and Y?

Do steppers require something different from the board? I'm planning to use SKR mini E3 V1.2 Control Board 32Bit With TMC2209 UART Drivers.

Thank you for any help!

I'm in the process of building a mini Prusa i3 using Nema 17 pancake stepper motors. It all depends on the weight of the X carriage and bed. If you plan to use a direct drive extruder you may want at least Nema 17, and if using a heated bed you'll also want to use Nema 17 motors. If you do use the Nema 14 stepper motors then you'll want to print slow, under 50mms or you may get missed steps.

I believe you could use just about any Stepper to make a 3D Printer of this size, though believe my choice would be the Nema 17 pancake as the smallest I would use.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/29/2019 06:13PM by Roberts_Clif.

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Computer Programmer / Electronics Technician

I built a micro-Kossel delta using Makerbeam XL t-slot using all NEMA 14 steppers, even the Bowden extruder (a modified Itty-bitty-belted design). My print volume is only 50x50x90mm, like I said, a "micro" Kossel design. This picture has a NEMA 17 stepper on a different Bowden extruder that I used in an earlier design.


Yours is a bit bigger, but it might still work with the NEMA 14's. The extruder definitely will. I had a VERY small footprint, so I needed to go as small as possible with my steppers.

DLC

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Kits: Folgertech Kossel 2020 upgraded E3Dv6, Anet A8 upgraded E3Dv6, Tevo Tarantula enhanced parts and dual-head, TronXY X5SA Pro(E3DHemera).
Scratch: Large bed Cartesian, exchangeable heads, Linear slide Delta, Maker-Beam XL Micro Delta, 220x220CoreXY.

Thanks for opinions.

Currently, my plan was going to use E3D's Aero extruder, that already has some Nema14 sized stepper. But E3D Is going to release new light direct extruder, Hermes, in November. So I'm waiting for it as it will probably suit better into this project.

But yes, thanks! I'll try to implement Nema17 pankakes, as they have more torque.