My Anet A8 upgrades

cults3d

Intro On this page, I'm listing all the upgrades I made over time on my Anet A8 3D printer. All the printable parts I added are visible in red on the picture. Expect this page to be updated from time to time. SVG from Freepik CC 3.0 BY as I needed such type of file to publish this page. Upgrades Extruder I upgraded my extruder by adding a new one that is more efficient and reliable. Fan If you need to replace the radial fan, look for 12V 50mm Radial Fan ball bearing on Aliexpress. Mine started vibrating and slowing down after a few months. Fan Duct I like "Spriya" - High Efficiency Anet A8 Fan Duct. It's easy to install and improves airflow in my printer. Filament Loader The Anet A8 Ergonomic Retained Extruder Release Button will save your fingers from getting hurt when loading filament. Filament Access To easily access a stuck filament, consider the Anet A8 modification for filament loader. It makes it easier to remove stuck filament. Insulation You can find silicone covers on Aliexpress. Search for 3d+silicone+insulation+anet. They keep my printer warm and prevent heat loss. Belt Replacement I replaced the original plastic+steel wires belts by 2M GATES 6mm 2GT GT2 RF Fiber Glass Reinforced Rubber Timing Belt for 3D Printer, Ebay. It's easier to print with now. Y-Axis Belt The Anet plastic frame gets distorted by the Y-axis belt and loses its elasticity over time. Adding these elements greatly improved the situation: Anet A8 Front Frame Brace and Anet A8 Rear Frame Brace. X-Axis Belt I put an Adjustable Belt Tensioner/Tightener and Belt Tie on the X-axis stepper motor side of the belt, close to the extruder head. It prevents the belt from hitting anything. Z Axis There are accessories to maintain the free tops of the Z screws... DON'T use them, the screws are meant to stay free. Still, you may have some adjustments issues and the screws are not vertical. A better way to fix the situation is to shift the stepper motors to correct the verticality. See e.g. Anet A8 Motor Mount Replacement (with Z Axis REAL Fix) or enlarge the stepper motor screw holes of the original support to allow for lateral adjustment. For easy adjustment, see Z Endstop Fine Adjustment Prusa i3 - Anet A8, but with the larger foot provided in this remake. Electricity MOSFETs See why it's a good idea to add external MOSFETs. I added two MOSFETs for the headbed and the extruder and used Mosfet_Holder_Small_2xVert from Anet A8 Mosfet Holder. Beware of the correct wiring, as incorrect wiring can damage your printer. Power If you need to add a power supply, look for 12V 50W on Aliexpress. It's easy to install and provides enough power for my printer. Heatbed I'm mostly using a Borosilicate glass, 213*200*3mm, Amazon stuck in place with Rapesco Paper clips 19mm, Amazon and covered with Pritt Power Stick Glue. Levelling This Anet A6/A8 Bed Level Thumbwheel Upgrade makes adjustments way easier. It's easy to install and provides precise levelling. Bearings I replaced the original noisy bearings by Genuine Igus Drylin RJ4JP-01-08 8mm Linear Bearing x 7 Replace LM8UU 3D Reprap, Ebay. They're quieter now. Insulation I taped a 200x200x10 aluminium/foam/sticker sheet on the bottom of the heatbed. Search for heating+bed+insulation on Aliexpress. It keeps my printer warm and prevents heat loss. Spool Holder I designed this Anet A8 giant spool holder for faster and less frequent spool swapping. It's easy to install and holds a lot of filament. Filament Clip To hold the filament wire in place for storage: Filament Clip. It's easy to use and keeps my workspace tidy. Filament Guide I like this Hand filament guide. It's easy to use and helps me load filament smoothly. Filament Cleaner Consider using a filament filter/cleaner. There are many options available. Use one where you can fit some sponge. I use WD40 as lubricant and the Universal Filament Filter and Lubricator. Camera I designed an Anet A8 webcam support to put a webcam on the tray. It's easy to install and provides a clear view of my prints.