Printi4 – Large Scale CoreXY Printer

thingiverse

This is a CoreXY large scale printer design that focuses on three main objectives: Maximizing print area with given physical dimensions, eliminating wasted space; Creating an affordable build under $300; Printing all parts on small (14cm x 14cm) and inaccurate printers. I'm tired of seeing printer designs that utilize 500mm extrusion rods but only have a 200 mm^2 print area. I'm fed up with waiting hours to print bulky parts that require 8 or more units. This is why I designed Printi4. Key dimensions: Underbed size: 400 mm x 380 mm; Effective printing area: 280 mm x 290 mm x 260 mm; Physical dimensions: 490 mm x 495 mm x 445 mm; Extrusion length: 400 mm; Smooth rod lengths: 400mm (x & y) and 420 mm (z). One design goal was to convert metric fasteners to imperial units where possible. In Canada, there's a 150% tax on all metric bolts, making it expensive for locals. A small-town shop sells M4 screws for $2 each while eight 8-32 screws cost only $3.50. This way, both imperial and metric users can benefit. Another objective is upgradeability. Typically, you'd replace parts when upgrading, resulting in waste. Printi4 avoids this issue by using cheap printed components that are easy to update or replace. You can initially build your Printi4 with a cantilevered bed and printed Z-stage support before upgrading it later. Most of the designed parts are made with inaccuracy tolerance, making them printable on small printers like those with DVD drive capacities. Printi4 features a non-recommended but included cantilevered bed design for compatibility. You can use this to print other non-cantilevered parts. The printer has undergone every design iteration and was physically built and tested before publication. Current changes and updates are visible in OnShape's project documentation. Key components: NEMA 17 motors; 10-24 threaded rods; 8mm smooth rods; E3D v6 (clone or original) hotend; GT2 belt. Electronics include: 400W ATX Power Supply; RAMPS 1.4 with A4988 drivers; Orange Pi as Octoprint Server (compatible with Raspberry Pi); Webcam. Recommended Print Settings: Resolution: 0.25 mm; Infill percentage: 50%. Print well with PLA; ABS can provide better results due to increased infill. You'll rarely need supports, except for nut holes in the XY Coupler and parts of X Carriage. Changelog (as of Oct 28, 2015): Oct 28 - I received a flex shaft from Dremmel. I'm going to adapt it to my X Carriage by creating a quick-fit mechanism. For now, I've included quick-release X-axis smooth rod couplings for adapting the toolhead independently without implementing any changes. The updated parts include Quick Release XY Coupling Bottom, Updated XY Coupling Top, and new attachment ring components with zip tie functionality. List of essential materials needed for BOM (not an exhaustive list yet): – Aluminum extrusion 400mm, x12 – Smooth rods (8mm x 400mm) and extra long smooth rods (for cantilevered bed version), x4 and x4 – SK8 Shaft support and SHF8 Shaft support, both x4 for every setup, as they vary between models. – Bearings, stepper drivers, Nema 17 motors, and Arduino board, using RAMPS electronics, x1 set (to start with) Recommended items: Aluminum extrusion; ATX Power Supply Please note that BOM details will evolve as development continues