Aluminium-Frame for the Ultimaker

youmagine

All the part files (except the plastic part) are available in SolidEdge ST5 format. If you or your lasercutter cannot read this file format, simply send me a message. Additional modifications were made to the Frame: - Holders for direct drive motors were added. - The spool-holder was relocated to accommodate 3 kg-spools in dual head mode. - A deeper holder was created for the Ultimaker controller. Advantages of this frame include: - Reduced noise and no more rumbling from the wooden housing, especially during infilling small parts. - Perfect first layers with no brighter or darker areas due to precise axles. - No temperature or humidity issues. - Perfect edges resulting from less backlash due to direct drive. The 3D model was taken from Thingiverse and modified to fit aluminum parts. The mounting noses and holes on the wooden components were resized accordingly. This design should not be made of wood, as it would result in excessive space between parts and poor clamping. The holes for bearings and vertical axes were made 0.2 mm smaller for further processing. These parts can be manufactured using lasercutting, but the holes are too small to be laser-cut. They may be marked and drilled by hand to 3.4 mm. After assembly, the parts can be secured with M3 screws at the mating noses or sewn together. For my machine, the entire frame was sanded, cleaned, and sandblasted with glass pearls for a smooth finish. The holes for bearings and vertical axes need to be reamed using a hand reamer (12 H7 or 16 H7). Loctite 641 retaining compound was used to secure the bearings in place.