Ormerod 2 Direct Drive Z axis

thingiverse

The Ormerod threaded rod for the z-axis always seemed a bit finicky so I decided to give it a major overhaul and swap out the existing setup for a lead screw. To avoid cluttering up the space with a shaft connector, I opted for a lead screw integral to the motor and picked this one from Oooznest. http://ooznest.co.uk/3D-Printer-Electronic-Parts/Motors/ACME-Screw-NEMA17-Stepper-Motor Initially, I went with the standard brass nut but wasn't thrilled with it so I swapped it out for a delrin anti-backlash block. http://ooznest.co.uk/ACME-Anti-Backlash-Nut-Block?search=anti%20backlash%20nut The nut block was incredibly tight, so I screwed it onto an offcut of the lead screw and gently heated the lead screw until it ran free. Clearances are extremely tight and if you use a different solution for your sensor, you may need to make adjustments. My sensor solution can be found at https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1545576 The lead screw is on the same plane as the original Y Axis but is further away from the motor in the X Axis. To accommodate this, I had to create a slightly longer homing pad. Changes to the config file needed M569 P2 S0 ; Set Z motor direction M92 X87.4890 Y87.4890 Z400 ; Set axis steps/mm for TR 8*8 WARNING! The original Ormerod solution allowed the Z nut to pop free if you crashed the head into the bed. This new solution means that is no longer the case - all you have is the small amount of lift allowed by the rotation of the head on the rail. https://pinshape.com/items/18502-3d-printed-ormerod-2-tr8-directdrive-z-axis-redesign was a source of inspiration for this upgrade.