Delta Roller

thingiverse

My first printer was a Voxel OX from Open Builds. It's been running for two years and I've been thinking about building a large delta printer. For stability, I wanted no plastic parts in the frame. I researched other builds and found that most are using materials custom-cut on a CNC or water jet. However, I couldn't justify spending $150 on a custom-cut 13" x 13" x .125 build plate, which would cost more than double if done professionally. My top and bottom plates together cost only $40, so I decided to cut all my materials myself using drill jigs for accuracy. I have access to various tools, including a 12" radial arm saw, a 10" table saw, a jig saw, a scroll saw, a drill press, and hand tools. Right now, I'm in the assembly phase, having already cut my plates and received the V-slot materials. The total cost of frame materials, excluding shipping, is less than $200. When designing this build, I wanted to ensure maximum effector stability by using wide rod spacing. Initially, I used 2080 uprights, which gave me 100 mm between rods. However, after consulting with others, I reduced the size to 2060, achieving a more stable rod spacing of 80 mm. Additionally, I'm using four wheels per carriage instead of the standard three on a 2020 upright. When it came to joints, I drew upon my structural background and opted for simplicity. Other designs that seemed strong enough were those using metal cast vertices, but they limited my choice of uprights. The corners have nine bolts holding the upright to the plate and the plate to the horizontal brace, providing a 100 mm corner brace-like structure. The plates and braces form a box at the bottom and top, creating an extremely rigid and flat foundation. The horizontal braces not only support the upright but also pull the plates into a flat position. I'm building the frame without tightening the bolts from the horizontal braces to the uprights until everything is assembled, checked for square alignment, and then slowly tightened in both directions. This will effectively "lock" the frame in place. The power supply and SSR for the heated bed are located at the bottom, covered by a fireproof panel. Two fans and one power inlet are built into the lower horizontal braces. The electronics will rest on the top plate alongside the motors. If I decide to enclose the printer, I want the electronics outside of the heated area. My options for the controller include another Smoothie board, Duet Network, or Azteeg X5 mini.