Aluminatus TrinityOne Build Manual

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Aluminatus TrinityOne Documentation

Version 1.0.1

Documentation

Trinity Labs Documentation

User Documentation

Assembly Helps

Leveling and tightening everything up - Eugene B
  • Leave the main gantry-to-base mounting plates loose except for a couple of screws. Keep the Z-mounts loose on the X-Carriage. Leave the upper Z-rod mounts loose. I also left the lead screw bushings on the Z-mounts loose. The whole thing was a sloppy mess. The only thing tight was the bottom rod mounts, since there is no other choice.
  • Lower the X-carriage on the z-axis all of the way down.
  • Roughly level or align the x-carriage to the bed or the base sheet metal top. You want the carriage to be the same z-height on both ends.
  • Sequentially tighten the Z-Mounts (Lead-screw and guide rod mounts) on the X-Carriage, wiggle the x-carriage to help it "float" to its least-stress position as you start to tighten the screws. Adjust the z-height of the X-Carriage as necessary to ensure that it is level relative to the base. This positions the Z-Mounts to match the fixed position of the smooth rods.
  • Raise the X-carriage to the highest position.
  • Using a square and a spacer against the smooth rod. Move the main gantry until the rods are nearly perpendicular to the base.
  • Tighten the main gantry.
  • Either by referencing the smooth rods or by running the X-Carriage up and down against a square, tweak the perpendicularity of the Z-axis and tighten the top rod mounts. You only want to tighten the top rod mounts when the X-Carriage is at the top of it's travel.
Connecting the LCD Controller

Helpful Additional Steps

Make Z-axis endstop switch functional
  • Other endstop switches had their mounting holes drilled at the factory to fit M3 screws. The Z-axis switch may be drilled to 3.2 mm (1/8") without damage, allowing mounting to the supplied bracket.
  • The spacing between the Z-axis bearing holder/X-axis bracket (printed part) and the endstop switch requires a long bolt or extension, which may be missing from some kits. A long (~40 mm) M3 bolt and a few nuts will work. Alternatives are at the builder's creative discretion.
  • Note that the switch mounts to a bearing holder (printed part) for the leadscrews which may not actually need to hold a bearing (see below). The printed part may be cut short if desired.
  • Alternatively, if you remove the leadscrew guides as detailed below, you can print a standalone endstop holder.
Remove leadscrew guide bearings, top and bottom
  • The 1.0.1 instructions recommend not installing the top bearing and mount on the leadscrews. The bottom bearing may also be eliminated, leaving the screws supported only by the nut, and the motor and shaft coupling below. While not very durable, this minimizes possible overconstraints on the screws, allowing them to spin freely. There is some risk of overloading the motor bearings, which will be under the axial load of the weight of the X-axis gantry.
Check Z-axis bearings for smooth motion
  • The Z-axis bearings are Pacific Bearing Company linear items, sliding on Thomson shaft. While the bearings and shafts are very precisely made, the bearings are press-fit into a printed part. If the printed part has any proud imperfections on the inner surface, it will cause misalignment in the bearings, resulting in sticky sliding action.
  • Check bearings for free running on the shafts. They should fall under their own weight.
  • If the bearings on one side stick, there are several alternatives:
    • Remove both bearings from the sticking holder (a 4mm hex key can be used as a hook in the grooves on the sides of the bearing). Inspect for defects in the printed part, and file out with a rat-tail file. Reinstall bearings and check. Repeat as required.
    • If the printed part cannot be made acceptably smooth, wrap a piece of thick tape (aluminum, electrical or similar) around the centermost rib of one bearing, then reinstall both. The tape becomes a pivot about which the bearing can be steered. Use the shaft to bump the bearing, then check free running through both. Hunt for a position that slides free.
    • If one pair of bearings slides free and the other doesn't, a single bearing may be removed from the sticking side, and the printer assembled with only 3 bearings, instead of 4. The net impact on rigidity is small.
  • Note that one set of bearings is looser than the other ("compensated.") The official recommendation is to have the looser-running side opposite the X-axis motor, but the practical necessity of this is debated. Do be sure that paired bearings stay together, since mixing them could mean both sides would be tight, which may increase the chance of the system binding.
Print new extruder body if mirrored
  • Some printers shipped with a mirrored extruder body, causing the extruder motor to strike the X-axis motor at its limit, and also causing the extruder to seem to run backwards.
  • A new extruder body may be printed once the machine is operational.
  • This would be a good time to address the mounting screw under the extruder motor, which may not fit, despite being a button-head. Note: this has been addressed in Thingiverse [1]. Look for "Alpha 5" variants. They are buried in the all files download.
General part touchup
  • Some machined parts, especially the water-jet aluminum plate under the heat spreader, have sharp edges. A bit of time with a file may save scraped knuckles later.
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