RepRapPro Huxley x axis assembly

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Revision as of 17:06, 4 July 2012 by SallyRepRap (talk | contribs) (Step 2: X belt)
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Introduction | Frame assembly | Y axis assembly | X axis assembly | Z axis assembly | Heated bed assembly | Extruder drive assembly | Hot end assembly | Wiring | Commissioning | Printing | Maintenance | Troubleshooting | Improvements

A notice about these instructions!

These instructions are open to editing by everyone and anyone.
For the official, and most up to date, instructions, see the RepRapPro wiki here


NOTICE: This page is currently being updated. If you are following these instructions to build a RepRapPro Huxley, you may find some discrepancies between the kit contents and this page. The changes should be completed in the next couple of days.

Goal

By the end of this stage, your X axis will look like this:


Reprappro-huxley-x-complete.jpg

Tools

You will need the following tools:

  • Phillips screwdriver
  • Long-nosed pliers
  • 5.5mm drill bit
  • 6mm drill bit
  • Half round needle file or 7mm drill bit
  • Knife

Step 1: X axis rails

RP parts Quantity Reprappro-huxley-x-stage-1-components.jpg
Reprappro-huxley-x-motor-bracket.jpg 1
Reprappro-huxley-x-idler-bracket.jpg 1
Reprappro-huxley-x-carriage.jpg 1
Hardware Quantity
265mm Smooth Rod 2
LM6UU Linear bearings 3
Igus bushings 4

Start by fitting the Igus bushings into the x ends. These bushings need to allow the Z smooth rods to slide easily and without much slack. In order to achieve this, you will need to fit an Igus bushing into position and slide a smooth rod through it.

The bushings can be curled up slightly to fit in downwards. The rims are retained by slots in the 3D-printed parts. Do not attempt to put the bushing in with the smooth rod running through them - this will break the printed part. Put the bushing in on their own, then run the rod through afterwards to check them when they are in place.

Reprappro-huxley-z-igus-fitting-a.jpg

If the fit is too tight, remove the igus bushing, then remove a small amount of material from the X end.

Either use the half-round file to remove material, or clamp a 7mm drill in a vice and run the X end up and down it by hand. Take care - it's better to remove too little and to have to repeat the procedure, than to remove too much irrecoverably.

Try the smooth rod through the bushing again. Repeat this procedure for all four bushing positions.

Reprappro-huxley-z-igus-fitting.jpg

The holes in the two ends of the X axis where the smooth rods will be fitted are very deep and tend to be very tight fitting; you should ream these out before assembly. Clamp a 6mm drill in a vice and run the holes up and down over it by hand. Again take care not to remove too much - you want a snug fit.

Run a 5.5 mm drill through both Z-axis threaded rod holes (top right in the picture above); these holes must allow the threaded rod to pass through with clearance.

Also check that an M5 nut will fit comfortably into the slot between these holes. If it is too tight, fettle the hole edges with a blade (cut away from your fingers...).

Reprappro-huxley-z-M5-nut.jpg


Slide two linear bearings into the bottom of the X carriage from the side, rather than downwards, otherwise you will break the clip.

Reprappro-huxley-x-bottom-bearing.jpg

You can now insert the smooth rods into the X motor end, and slide the other linear bearing onto the top rod (you may need to de-burr the end of the rods with a file to get the bearings on). The smooth rods go a LONG way into the motor mount; make sure they are both fully inserted before you go further.

As with the Y axis smooth rods, if the linear bearings are a little tight, place the smooth rod into an electric drill, then spin the rod whilst rubbing it with a scouring pad. The linear bearing should slide freely along the rod, but without too much play.

Put the X carriage onto the rods.

Add the X idler end, at which point your X axis assembly will look like this:

Reprappro-huxley-x-stage-1-complete.jpg

Step 2: X belt

RP parts Quantity Reprappro-huxley-x-stage-2-components.jpg
(There should be two more screws

and nuts in the picture...)

Reprappro-huxley-idler-cover.jpg 1
Hardware Quantity
T2.5 toothed belt 1
NEMA14 stepper motor 1
M3x16mm screw 7
14 tooth T2.5 pulley 1
623 bearing 1
M3x10 socket set screw 1
M3 nut 3

Reprappro-huxley-x-idler-setup.jpg

Loop the belt through the idler end as shown. Put a screw through the cover, put the bearing on it, and push the result into the hole in the idler end. Tighten a nut on the back.

Put one end of the belt into the X carriage, gripping it with the little teeth printed in it (see below for a picture).

Reprappro-huxley-x-motor-setup.jpg

Loop the other end of the belt through the motor end in a similar manner.

The toothed pulley has an encapsulated nut. Insert the set screw and tighten it all the way until it breaks out into the centre hole. Clear out the plastic.

The hub of the pulley has a slight swelling to accommodate the encapsulated nut and to make it stronger - it is deliberately not concentric.

Fit the 14-tooth pulley to the X axis stepper motor. This should slide over the front shaft (the one with a flat), and is fixed to the shaft by tightening the M3x10mm socket set screw. Don't tighten the screw too much with the pulley mounted otherwise you could break the pulley apart.

Ensure the teeth face in towards the motor (the X axis belt will not fit with the pulley the other way around).

Attach the motor to its bracket with four screws. Put the motor at the inside end of the screw slots (i.e. as close to the idler end as possible).

Reprappro-huxley-x-motor.jpg

Put the free end of the belt into the carriage as shown. The belt should be slack, but only just.

Reprappro-huxley-x-carriage-belt.jpg

Drop two nuts into the slots in the idler, and put two screws into them. Leave them loose. These are used to adjust the gap between the Igus bearings to match the gap between the Z axis by pushing on the ends of the rods.

Reprappro-huxley-x-idler-adjustment.jpg

Nozzle mount

Reprappro-huxley-x-nozzle-mount-components.jpg

You will need the nozzle mount RP part and four 12mm self-tapping screws.

Reprappro-huxley-x-nozzle-mount.jpg

Attach the mount to the X carriage with the screws. This will not only hold the hot end, it also retains the top linear bearing in the carriage.

Next step

Z axis assembly