X Carriage Alignment Tool for Geeetech Prusa i3

thingiverse

Update 1/15/18 I added a version that works well in tight spaces. It should be the same height as the shorter one, but it's best to print a pair; one of the file here, and the other a mirror of that file. This Thing includes two nearly identical tools and one that fits better in tight spaces. Use a pair of one of them to set the X carriage perpendicular to the threaded rods, and parallel to the horizontal plane of the printer. One tool grips the smooth rod tighter and may be taller. Since I only used the original, I can't comment on the other two. I made these tools for a family member, but never used them at the time. I forgot about them until I recently had a reason to readjust my X carriage settings. There are several steps here. If your printer is operating normally, start at step A. If you have removed the X carriage assembly, rather than install the threaded rods into the X carriage, set them aside and insert them later. Assemble the X carriage including the smooth rods. Attach the tools to each smooth rod near the bottom. With the top plates removed, place the X carriage into position and lower the smooth rods into the hole in the frame, with each side of the X carriage resting on an alignment tool. Loosely attach the top plates, placing the smooth rod through the hole for the smooth rod. With the top plates installed, the carriage will be stable, resting on the tool, which rests on the frame base. I'm assuming the stepper motors and couplers are attached prior to the above steps, so now, the bottom coupler should be tightened onto the stepper motor shaft, and the upper coupling should be completely loosened to receive the threaded rod. One at a time, remove the top plates and thread the rod down through the brass nut until it just enters the coupling but does not bottom out. Replace each top plate. Again, it does not have to be tightened, but the threaded rod should be able to be turned by hand with the top plate in place. If it binds, add a drop of oil. At this point, the X carriage should be in-place, resting on the tools, with the threaded rod resting slightly above the bottom of the coupling cavity. The next step is to thread the rods, one at a time, down until they just touch the bottom of the cavity, and before they start to lift the carriage more than a few thousandths off the tools. At this point the top coupling can be tightened, tightly! There is more to do; the final steps will be accomplished, by restarting at step A. = = = = = = = = = = INFORMATION YOU CAN LIVE WITHOUT: When I built my printer, I eventually came to the point where you had to level the bed. At the time I thought that the word level really had nothing to do with what we were doing, but I knew what they meant, and I didn't know a better name for it. What that adjustment does is adjust the printer bed so it is parallel to the X carriage travel (however good or bad that may be). It turns out there is a better word for the procedure and it is TRAMMEL. As a noun, it can be used to refer to a tool for trammeling. As a verb, it refers to making a mechanical alignment or adjustment, which is exactly what carriage/bed leveling is all about. Thanks to GZUMWALT, Thingiverse designer extraordinaire, for introducing me to a new word. Print Settings: Printer: Geeetech Prusa i3 Pro Dual Rafts: Doesn't Matter Supports: No Resolution: 0.3LH and 0.4 nozzle Infill: Minimal Notes: No support is required if you print this with the top surface on the print bed. 1 perimeter should be adequate along with 15% infill and a minimum of 2 top and bottom layers. I like to print the infill before the perimeters. It gives a nicer looking layers because it smashes down the ends of the infill when laying the perimeter. Also, it gives the perimeters something to hang onto when printing overhangs. Post-Printing: Normal cleanup. It would be a good idea to lightly sand the top surface (last surface printed) to remove any small bits that prevent the surface from being completely flat. How I Designed This: Sketchup