Wanhao Duplicator I3 Plus Y Belt Redesign

thingiverse

This project started when I attempted to tighten the belt using a design I found that didn't quite work well. In an effort to come up with a better design, I recalled a concept I had when trying to pull a car out of a ditch as a school challenge using only a rope and the power of three people. Fortunately, someone else had already thought about this idea and shared it on their platform. I highly recommend checking out BensHacks' thing out and watching his video for a more in-depth understanding. Also, take a look at my other project, which is a redesign of the x-axis: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3528084 This upgrade is designed for those who want more control over their belt-driven carriage. There are several ways to improve the resolution of your printer from its original 12.5 microns. You can replace the pulley motor gear with a 10-toothed one, which will give you a 6.25 micron resolution but reduce the grip surfaces, making it more prone to slipping. A better approach is to use a 0.9-degree stepper motor, although this will increase the cost and retain the original design's flaws. However, you can still use 0.9-degree stepper motors as an addition to this design. The total cost of the redesign is approximately $10. Reasons to choose this upgrade: * Easy access and precise belt tensioning of the Y-belt. * Decreases belt slop - Belt springs are not required. * Stronger Y-motor mount and pulley mount. * 1:2 gearing - 160 steps per millimeter. * Compatible with 30-tooth pulley gears. * Compatible with most common NEMA17 motors. * Better Y-axis jerk settings. Reasons why you might not want this upgrade: * Your Y motor will make more noise. * Your Y motor will run hotter. * Your print speeds may decrease slightly.