Ultimate MakerGear X-Carriage
Description
1 It uses linear bearing LM8UU
2 In good offroad fashion I gave it a 3 cm lift kit :)
3 It has an integrated ducted fan
4 The extruder is shifted on the carriage for a better CofG
5 The belt is a little closer to the center so that the extruder can move higher before the belt touches
This thing is sure smooth!
Instructions
One important thing to mention is that this is designed to the hotend.com MkIV hotend. It is a little longer and if people want, I'll re-design it for MakerGear hotends, too. This new x-carriage should give a 120 mm Z-height using a MG hotend if it is redesigned. Let me know if you want one made for a MakerGear Prusa. For now, you can use the non-lifted, non-linear bearing but ducted fan x-carriage of mine at:
thingiverse.com/thing:16558
I can now print objects somewhere around 100mm tall!! :D (I've checked for an exact height before the belt touches and the belt touches at ~ 110 mm.)
The image posted is of my prototype in action. The hotend is now centered in front of the fan duct. Other small cosmetic changes have been also made but are minor. This design can use the MakerGear belt clamps and MakerGear hardware.
The linear bears are LM8UU.
The spacing for the fan screws fit a common 40mm fan.
I still need to re-design the x-carriage pulley so that it sits closer to the X centerline and design standoffs to reposition the X-motor so that it lines up better for a straighter belt path.
I have added a link to a photo that shows vertex, belt and frame clearances. These pics are of my printer with the currently uploaded STL. The x-carriage is fitted with a hotends.com hotend and the x-carriage is 90 mm above the build bed. One new vertex must be designed to allow a 110 + mm print height.
Please let me know what you think about it.
Enjoy,
J
You must be logged in to post a comment.
This looks really nice. I would also appreciate a version for the Makergear hotend that works with LM8UU bearings. :)
Out of curiosity, how does this give you more z height? It would seem whatever you gain from the lift kit moving the nozzle higher you would loose by the extruder motor being higher.
If this does add z height I would be interested in a MakerGear nozzle verions.
Hello wookieegunner. A hotends.com hotend is about 1cm longer than a MG hotend. Using the hotends.com hotend with the standard x-carriage gave me only a comfortable 80 mm print before the belt was nearing the diagonal support. Now I have an honest 100 mm Z and the belt is still much below the diagonal.
I would think that using this (adjusted) X-carriage will allow you to significantly lower all of the x-carriage mechanism and the belt . Interference for Z begins with the belt on the diagonal support then the motor closes in on the upper vertex somewhere at around maybe 115 or 120 for for a MG h
otend with an adjusted carriage.
I'm sitting at my desk at home proselytizing (Repraps are a religion, right? :) ) while my Prusa is at work. I'm only guessing on the numbers but I think I'm close.
License
More from jeepsterjc
More from 3D Printer Parts
Great idea for the mg prusa and jhead combo! I have the same configuration but am looking at ways to improve the stock x-carriage on the mg prusa. Your 3cm lift makes it perfect for mounting the cooling fan right to the side, very nice :)
By the way, hotends.com recently released their Mk V-B, which are 13mm shorter than the Mk IV-Bs. Hopefully it'll be the same height as the MG hotends.
Do you recommend using PLA for this? I noticed the heater block is quite near the area where the part attaches to the x-rods.
Also, just curious
, will igus drylin linear bearings work in place of the LM8UUs?