8 mm PLA Linear Bushings LM8UU LM8LUU

thingiverse

UPDATE 3 (regarding Wanhao Duplicator i3/i3Plus):\nI highly recommend replacing the bearing rods and generously applying MoS2 grease to the inside radius of the original linear ball bearings for maximum quietness and lower friction.\nThe greased original linear ball bearings are significantly quieter than printed bushings, which I've found to be unreliable when paired with higher transport speeds.\nThe greased original linear ball bearings have no issues with friction-based vibrations, whereas printed bushings can cause problems at higher speeds.\nUPDATE 2:\nThe printed bushings have proven to be a temporary solution, as they become too snug after a week of use.\nI've replaced them with the original linear ball bearings and found that they've lost their terrible noise after being greased and realigned.\nFrom now on, I can no longer recommend using my printed bushings due to their reliability issues.\nThe exact reason for this problem is unknown, but it's clear that these bushings are not suitable for long-term use.\nA better option is to use proven bushings or simply grease and realign the original linear ball bearings.\nTHERE ARE BETTER BUSHINGS OUT THERE THAN THESE!\nALTOUGH, they can still be used as a starting point for other projects or modifications.\nI created these bushings to replace the original linear ball bearings on my Wanhao Duplicator i3 Plus, which were noisy despite not affecting print quality initially.\nHowever, I didn't want to risk damaging the bearing rod by continuing to use them.\nThe bushings are designed with a tight fit and must be prepared before being mounted on the 3D-printer.\nTo prepare the bushings, remove the y-axis bearing rods and apply a thin film of grease to each one.\nNext, boil some water and dip one end of the bearing rod into it for 30-60 seconds.\nWhen the end of the bearing rod is hot, press one of the printed bushings onto the rod and leave it to sit on the hot end for up to a minute while gently rocking the bushing back and forth.\nCheck if the bushing runs smoothly without any resistance or play; if not, repeat the process until it does.\nRepeat this procedure for each bushing, pairing them with their respective rods.\nAfter completing this process, let everything cool down and check if all bushings run smoothly without play.\nIf any of the bushings still feel too snug, repeat the process one more time.\nOnce complete, remount everything on your printer, align before tightening any screws.\nA good tip is to tighten everything loose at first, then go back and check alignment before continuing with the next round of tightening them a little bit more, and checking alignment again.\nContinue this process until all screws are tightly secured and everything is aligned.\nGentle steps will ensure that everything remains properly aligned.\nGood luck!\nUpdate:\nI've been using these bushings for a while now, and they seem to be working just fine.\nThe key to optimal performance is having a thin layer of grease on the rods for lowest friction.\nThe printed bushings are quiet, smooth, and without play.\nIf friction becomes an issue, the rods should feel warm to the touch after long and fast prints; however, I've seen no evidence of this so far.\nI'll update this text with the life expectancy of these bushings when I eventually need to replace them for the first time due to wear.\nThe longevity of these bushings remains a mystery, but I'll provide an answer as soon as I know.\nIt would be interesting to hear your thoughts on these bushings, fellow makers!\nPrint Settings\nPrinter:\nWanhao Duplicator i3 Plus\nRafts:\nDoesn't Matter\nSupports:\nDoesn't Matter\nResolution:\n0.1\nInfill:\nnofill\nNotes:\nCura high quality settings\nLayer 0.1 mm\nTemp 195 C\nBed 50 C\nSpeed 50\nWanhao Premium PLA filament\nA bit over 4 hours printing time\nPost-Printing\nSee summary\nHow I Designed This\nI used Ubuntu Desktop with LibreCAD, OpenSCAD, and Cura 15.04 to design these bushings.