Prusa i3 MK2 / MK2S Z-Axis vibration damper

thingiverse

When my original Prusa i3 MK2S reaches a z-height of about 30 mm, the threaded z-axis starts to touch slightly the original "Z-axis-top-part" made from ABS. This contact generates an annoying vibrating noise during printing. Many users on Thingiverse and the Prusa forum agree that the threaded Z-axis should move freely. To eliminate this irritating noise, I designed a damper that absorbs vibrations when printed in flexible filament. The damper's wall is only 0.4 mm thick, allowing the z-axis to wobble slightly while still fitting snugly into the hexagon-shaped recesses of the z-top-parts. I printed a set of dampers using TPE with a shore hardness of 45D. Each damper has a mirror image on the opposite side and is labeled L or R to ensure correct installation. After installing these dampers, I noticed no negative impact on print quality. Now it's time to see how long they will last. The final photo shows the threaded z-axis touching the damper at 30 mm height, while other photos demonstrate that the z-axis moves freely within the z-top-part with the damper in place.