Aluminum Mendel
Description
All parts are easy to print without support. The 60 W onboard power supply runs the motors and extruder heater. The heated bed used a 120 vac and a solid state relay. The extruder is very accessible. The heatsinks on the extruder are optional, but help keep thing cool when printing ABS.
See BOM and exploded veiw of X axis below
I added a pdf of an exploded frame drawing 1/19/12
Wire clips and T-slot cover for Misumi extrusions are at thingiverse.com/thing:16344
Below is a zipped archive of all the Inventor source files.
Full BOM added per several requests.
.stp files added.
See video of this printer at youtu.be/JysNv3Hi67k
Instructions
PLA can be drilled and tappped if you go slowly. This design requires the use of a 6-32 and 8-32 tap. These can be obtained from any hardware store. PLA also holds sheet metal screws very well if you drill the appropriate size hole. I use a 1/8" drill bit for a #8 screw. This is much easier and stronger than trying to use captive nuts. I will work on a exploded drawing to aid assembly if there is interest. The parts were designed with Autodesk Inventor, and I will provide files if requested. The BOM has the parts and sources for converting a prusa mendel to this model.
There are a couple of omissions on the Full BOM. You actually need 4 stepper motors, not 3 as listed. You also need two 608ZZ bearings, available at Ultimachine.com. Let me know if there are other omissions.
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Thanks for that design, I going to make one or more with slight mods. But you're assembly file in the download misses the libraries, are they available? I would like to see the complete assembly not only the printed parts.
Got any better alternative the in-slide z axis ? i think it will be fragile and unreliable
&
gt; ...Let me know if there are other omissions.
Minor note; Both BOMs list this item twice:
8-32 x 3/8 socket head capscrew, count 50.
Do we need 50 or 100?
Thanks for sharing this impressive design. I've decided to build one and am acquiring parts. I'm building from scratch and have no existing printer to inherit parts from. I have a handful of questions so far:
* The BOM lists two aluminum plates, apparently for the bed and bed-carrier, correct?
* Your second photo shows a carrier built from two plates which do not appear to be the BOM dimensions of 9.25" x 10". I'm guessing that, perhaps the version in the photo was made from materials you had on hand
, and that a more conventional structure would use a single plate for the carrier, with the bed mounted via standoffs or spring-loaded screws, is this correct? If not, please clarify.
* Your bed is not square. Which way is it oriented?
* Is this drilling template appropriate?
https://github.com
/prusajr/PrusaMendel/blob/master/metric-prusa-lme8uu/bed-drilling.pdf
* I'm planning to use PLA and will forego the heated bed initially. I'm thinking I'll make the bed and possibly the carrier of acrylic or polycarbonate instead. Do you anticipate any problem here?
* I'm still figuring out an e
xtruder to use. My favorite so far is the x-carriage from the VertX. Can you see any obvious problem with this choice?
I cut one plate to make the carrier so it would not hit the power supply. One piece is 10'' x 2', the other is 7" x 2 1/2". I screwed them together into a "T". They could be made from acrylic, see the derivative by duncan. The bed is 10" in the X direction, so the print area is relatively square with the screws on the outside. The drill template is too small. You can position your Y smooth rods to fit around your power supply, and adjust the dimensions for your plate accordingly. I think you could make most extruders work with this design.
Anyone interested in helping me by printing me these pieces for me? I have cash!
tarheelzguy199@aim.com
Also do i just use the standard mendal profile in replicatorg? Or do i need to make a custom one?
The standard mendel profile should work since we are only changing the frame. I use marlin firmware with pronterface control. Slic3er works fine out of the box, and your can easily fine tune its settings. Your machine is capable of printing out all of the parts for this new frame.
I have a compete makergear prusa mendal, i am wanting to build this frame and more over the electronics and extruder, etc. Will that work?
Nice machine!
Sorry if I missed this but what is the build area for this machine? Also how does the Z ride on the extrusion? Do you have any build pictures anywhere?
thanks!
when trying to open iam with inventor he is mssing a few parts like the hfs6-30-30 and others, can you upload the rest of the file?
I zipped the entire project, including the assembly file. There are a lot of other parts, such as the stepper motors, which I modeled for the assembly. Since this duplicates many of the previously uploaded parts, you might want to keep this as a separate project. It is named Inventor Complete.zip.
I have finished my Aluminum 3D Printer. I posted a photo in "I Made One:. It is running at this moment printing two parts each 190mm long at a speed of 200mm/sec, wow!!
Love it. Thanks for sharing.
I made my own hobbed sleeve out of a piece of brass and I got a geared motor direct from Kysan. I had to order two to get it, so I have an extra one if someone wants one.
I have this great printer almost done. The last thing I need is a geared step motor for the extruder, as my old mendel used the standard motor etc. Where can I get one quickly and what are the specs for it?
This design really caught my attention! I was so enthused I built the frame already from your posted drawing. I am doing this from scratch but I work in a shop where I can salvage enough material to work on building one. We have an industrial 3d printer so I may be able to con an engineer into helping me print some parts.( unless I can machine some) The problem is I just started and don't have a clue yet about what I need besides the files you have on this page. Any advice for a noob who never built one before? Like a list of the parts needed from the original Mendel?
I'm currently building a copy of this that is slightly changed and will have a roughly 1m^2 build area lol. what tips can you give me with the build?, any changes that you would make in hind site?
cheers
Phoenix
I think you should be able to extend the axes to your dimensions without other modifications. The post by Pointedstick below indicates that 280 mm with 8 mm rods is fine. I am happy with the present design, I look forward to input from others. Any change to the x or z axes will start a cascade of other changes, as the design fits the components together pretty tightly. I look forward to seeing your design.
Could you post a BOM to make this from scratch?
I think I would like to build this - but it would be my 1st RepRap and so a full BOM would really help figure out exactly what I'm doing...
Also what do you think about using extrusion for the X-axis instead of smooth rods?
&
amp; maybe 10mm smooth rods for the Y-axis? Would this help with the flex you mentioned earlier?
I am quite keen to make one with a large build volume, like around 500mm cube... I realise that just makes it phenominally harder BUT I think your design is likely to give the best shot at it. Even better than the MendelMax if you ask me.
I don't see the 8mm rods listed in the BOM. Am I blind or were those omitted? Pretty nice design regardless.
I listed only the parts needed to convert a prusa mendel to this model. Sorry that I wasn't more explicit, I had no idea so many people would be interested. This design uses 4 of the smooth rods and 2 threaded rods (cut to length), motors, RAMPS, etc from an existing mendel.
dkennell,
Any chance you have the Inventor iam file?
I will try to build your design.
Thanks
Roy
I am building your design. Right now I am stuck on wiring the relay. Do you have a wiring diagram for the relay? I have an Arduino board and a Ultimachine ramp and a GHDIDZ power supply from Lutz. Thanks.
Are the inner slides on the nylon, or just printed? Also, is the vertical brace printed or metal?
The inner slides are printed PLA, as well as the vertical brace. The vertical braces could easily be made from aluminum plate if desired. I originally planned to make them from aluminum, but the printed braces along with the blind screws proved to make the z axis very rigid.
i found a website about play-free fastening of aluminium extrusions, and thought you might get some good ideas from it to fasten your 3d printer together without needing to drill, making it tighter and more accurate.
Here's the link:
Do you think there is space on the x carriage for a Greg's Wade's extruder body?
I think you could make it work by adjusting the width of the aluminum extruder mounting plate. Mine is a 65 mm square. Keep in mind that any width you add will subtract from the x travel. Also all the weight will hang from the front of the axis. You may be able to adapt the vertical x axis design found at http://www.thingiverse.com/thi...
Could you describe and/or post a picture of your z coupling setup. I'm not sure where the thrust bearings fit in. Do they sit between the motor case and the coupling?
This is very cool!
I would like to modify it to accommodate a 12"x12" build platform. Are the Z extrusions solid? Any loss of resolution at tall print heights?
I really like the heat pad you're using. How fast dose it heat?
Do you think 8 mm smooth rods would be sufficient for the increased build area?
Nice Design. I landed on some of the same decisions you did in my build. I started with the MendelMax BOM, but decided 90 degree angles made more sense. I'm building my Z axis now, so I'm going to spend some time reviewing your solution. Again, nice job.
This is really cool. To what precision can you make things? (Can you make, for example, Lego-compatible bricks?)
Awesome, Well done! im about to build myself an aluminium one as well. I got a hold over some really cheap aluminum profiles. Thanks for sharing your design.
I added an exploded view of the x axis motor end as a pdf at the bottom of the downloads. Hope this helps.
Great build and design with this. I just purchase T-Slot and I'm not having to re-think my design. I love the simplicity of your design. Looks really clean. Have you had it printing yet and if so how do the results compare to your prusa?
Yes, I have printed quite a bit with it. It works great. My last version of the prusa had the linear bearings and the same belts and pulleys, so it was doing a great job. In fact, my last prusa printed all the parts for this before I disassembled it to make this version. So the print quality is about the same as the fine tuned prusa. The big advantage to this is the compact size, light weight, and portability. It looks good, I always thought the threaded rods were a little crude. Also the extruder is very accessible. The quick release extruder body for the Makergear extruder is a big improvement, I will try to post that design tonight.
This is a really interesting design. Could you please post more drawings/pictures/videos? I've searched misumi-ec.com for tolerance data on the extrusions but haven't found any. Is there a link to such data?
This is a really interesting design. Could you please post more drawings/pictures/videos? I've searched misumi-ec.com for tolerance data on the extrusions but haven't found any. Is there a link to such data?
This is a really interesting design. Could you please post more drawings/pictures/videos? I've searched misumi-ec.com for tolerance data on the extrusions but haven't found any. Is there a link to such data?
After seeing the Rook it's interesting to see another t-slot mendel, and other choices.
http://www.thingiverse.com/thi...
Maybe there are some ideas I can keep in my folding huxley ^^
http://www.thingiverse.com/thi...
I had not seen that, but if you start thinking about what support is needed, the design by rook and this design is the obvious choice with seven extrusions. Getting rid of the diagonal braces gives great access to the extruder and good visibility of the print job. I use blind screws as well as the printed braces and feet for a very rigid frame without using corner brackets.
Nice! Hopefully anyone who decides to convert their mendelmax give half of their extrusions to a friend/random neighbor. Sharing is caring!
So instead of using a smooth rod for the Z Axis, it's utilizing the T-Frame? is that correct?
That is correct. It saves a lot of space, plus the expense of 4 linear bearings. You can see the detail on the second photo. The design utilizes inner slides, much like a T-nut, attached to the x axis ends with screws from the inside. The tolerances are very tight on these extrusions, so you can get very good sliding action. In another design, I would not be afraid to try it for the y axis.
Please post video of this printing. I'd really like to see it! :-D
Please post video of this printing. I'd really like to see it! :-D
Very interesting competitor to the MendelMax. What is the build envelope of this machine?
License
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Well I just tried the project using the files in Mendel_Al_Inv.zip but still the following files can't be found.
I'm new with Inventor so I just might not be doing things right.
HFS6_3030_xxx.ipt
ANSI B18.6.4-1_4-20 UNC-1.25(13)CI.ipt
ANSI B18.3.1M-M5x0.8x10(1).ipt
8-18 and 6-40 ipt files
Stepper Motor.ipt
Z Rod.ipt
Coupling.ipt
Nut.ipt
Z Threaded Rod.ipt
Thrust Bearing.ipt
Linear Bearing.ipt
X Rod 420.ipt
Y Carriage Mounts Single.ipt
Thanks for your patience, RJ