80x20 aluminum exrtrusion Y-axis for Prusa type printers (Tronxy/Anet/Zonestar/Folgertech)

thingiverse

I wanted to revamp the y-axis on my Tronxy P802MA for reduced noise and improved overall quality. I discovered several methods to achieve this, but I chose wheels solely to experiment with them. I previously had a very positive experience after converting the X-axis to 20x20 extrusion with minigantry. I found https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1278055, but that design's issue is that it requires leaving my 16-tooth pulley in place because the table is heavy and a 20-tooth pulley would decrease holding power by 25-30%. That wouldn't be ideal. Resolution was also slightly concerning, but not the primary concern. So, I created my version where the belt goes inside v-groove and strictly parallel to the axis. The most challenging part was designing a good belt holder while keeping it within the v-groove and parallel at all points. I've finished the conversion. Printed a 20x20 test cube, with x and y sizes matching to 2/100th of a millimeter. Noise reduction is substantial. However, I observed that the motor and idler add considerable length to the y-axis, while I want everything to be compact. Since I plan to fully rebuild my printer using aluminum extrusion, this conversion is simply a temporary step to test wheel operation on vslot. For the next version, I will plan to place the motor and idler under the extrusion, so they won't add any length to the axis. Because it's a temporary solution, I didn't design a low-profile mount to the base for the axis. Instead, I created two clip-on mounts for my Tronxy P802 that clip onto the acrylic frame (front and back parts). You'll need to find your own solution for your printer. BOM: * 16 screws (5x10) * 4 screws (5x20) (for table mount) * Full gantry for 80x20 extrusion with wheel (see https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1278055) * 10 t-nuts * 5mm nuts * 25mm 3mm screw, nuts (for tensioner, see https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1285301) * Two small screws (2-3 mm, depends on end switch) for end switch mount. * Washers, etc. PRINTED PARTS See images to learn how to position them when printing. Everything was printed with 0.25mm layer thickness and a 0.6mm nozzle to speed things up. Three shells were used. gantryhook-v3 - A belt hook that functions like a crocodile jaw. Space is very limited, so the jaw is too thin. Place the belt between the teeth and then knot the jaw with some reliable material. I used thin fish line. Secure it tightly. Use someone's help to hold the knot while you do the second knot. Print it sideways so the teeth have excellent quality, no supports. 100% infill. No support. y-belt-tentioner – idler part. Supports are necessary. 40% infill. y-motor-holder – motor holder. Supports are needed. 40% infill. y-mount – clip-on for the axis to acrylic frame. Supports are required. 40% infill. In this orientation, the top part (where extrusion is mounted) is the flattest. When assembling the axis, place this part with screws and t-nuts on the extrusion, then clip the axis onto the frame before removing the frame and tightening the screws. y-tablespacer – It's a spacer between gantry and table holder. Notes on Table I use my original aluminum table from Tronxy as a table holder. The table itself is fully glass now, and I don't use any aluminum under the glass. I've been using this setup since June 2017 without any issues. I'll post this conversion separately later. Models All models are also provided in SolidWorks format. Feel free to play around with them, but add a remix to my thing if you share what you did.