JBFromOZ
Contents
What is RepRap?
I found out about reprap in August 2012, within a month I had a range of parts coming to me to commence my first prusa mendel build.
I found a Fabster3D Ramps LCD and PCB heater on ebay, ordered that and within a few days that was at my door! I also received a set of opto endstops with that first shipment.
I bought an ABS prusa mendel kit from dcolj, the parts were good quality, came with LM8UU's and also arrived quickly.
a set of smooth rods, and a bunch of stainless M8 rods and nuts and bolts, and a hobbed bolt later and I had the start of my build.
i paid too much for my steppers, but also got a T2.5 belt and pulley set, and an acrylic Y bed.
I eventually managed to get something resembling a print, [1]
The prints just kept getting better! before too long i had a puddle of goo that looked a little bit like a fan holder [2]
What followed was a whole range of steep learning curves, adding a cooling fan to make the plastic stay where it was put
I have just achieved my first prints from my i3 single plate build, and decided to use the following configuration:
GT2 belts and pulleys,
MGS nema17 extruder
0.9 degree steppers on X and Y axis
M10 stainless threaded rods for Y carriage assembly.
Ramps 1.4 with 4988 gadgets3D pololus
PCB mk2 heat bed
I also ended up with a wiring kit from reprapdiscount, and a fan extender (highly recommended)
JBFromOZ's recommended i3 Build
Single Sheet Frame Style
http://www.flickr.com/photos/prusajr/8107645350/in/photostream
Parts to be Purchased
BOM
There are a number of variants of i3 single plate.
The original Prusa variant BOM is located at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Aga03tFhujeidDJzR0ZJNFZQYkhXTXlWd1BLRkN4Nmc&usp=sharing
The rest of this section is for the EiNSTeiN variant BOM, which uses 608 bearings and no M8 threaded rods.
EiNSTeiN VARIANT
to build an Einstein variant (M10 for both Y axis, 608 idler bearings) you will need the following hardware:
- 34 x M10 washers (y frame)
- 34 x M10 nuts (y frame)
- 4 x M10 x 210mm threaded rod (y frame short)
- 2 x M10 x 380mm threaded rod (y frame long)
- 3 x M8 x 30mm bolts ( x y and z idlers, X idler may need head ground off, a screw cap hex bolt will fit without modification)
- 3 x M8 washers (X Y and Z idlers)
- 3 x M8 nylocs (X, Y, and Z idlers)
- 8 x M3 x 8mm socket cap bolts (6 for Z motor mounts, 2 for Y motor mounts)
- 16 x M3 washers (6 for Z motor mounts 2 for Y belt mount, 8 for bed mount to PCB)
- 4 x M3 nyloc nuts (bed mount to PCB)
- 4 x M3 x 20mm (bed mount to PCB)
- 5 x M3 x 10mm socket cap bolts ( 3 for X motor mounts, 2 for Y belt mount)
- 2 x 8mm x 320 smooth rods (Z smooth rods)
- 2 x 8mm x 350 smooth rods (Y smooth rods)
- 2 x 8mm x 370 smooth rods (X smooth rods)
- 2 x M5 x 300 threaded rod (Z axis)
- 2 x M5 nuts (Z axis drive nuts)
- 4 x M3 8mm standoffs (bed spacer above Y carriage to bed)
- 10 x LM8UU bearings (or equivalent) (3 for Y carriage, 3 for X carriage, 4 for X ends)
- 2 x M5 internal clear tube couplers for Z axis ( i used beer line)
this does not cover:
- cable ties - 2.5mm wide ones to fit through all the fixings
- RP parts - see images and links to sources below
- aluminium single plate frame with Y carriage - reprapsource.com, hotends.com, norcalreprap.com
- hardware for extruder, eg. the Metal Gear System Metal_Gear_System_Extruder kit from reprapsource includes all extruder hardware and mounting hardware)
- (Note that MGS files in Sound's i3-underwelt branch is stl's with T2.5 belts assumed)
- steppers - depending on whether the extruder uses a nema 17, 4 or 5 nema17 steppers.
- electronics, psu, pcb heat, belts, pulleys, the reprapdiscount and fabster3d ultra/ultimate kits are a good all in one source for ramps, PCB heater, LCD, GT2 belts and pulleys, thermistors, endstops, wiring (approx $200 inc shipping on ebay)
- hotend (J-heads are a good start, also arcol, magma, ceramic, prusanozzle, all are good options)
- PSU (either a modded ATX or dedicated 33A switchmode supply (approx $40 inc shipping on ebay)
Rapid Prototype Parts
Description | Qty | Image |
RP Parts | located in Prusa/single_plate folder | |
z-axis-top.scad preview | 1 | |
z-axis-bottom.scad preview | 1 | |
y-motor.scad preview | 1 | |
y-idler.scad preview | 1 | |
y-corners.scad (M10 x 1 M8 x 2 holes) preview | 4 | |
y-belt-holder.scad preview | 1 | |
x-end-motor.scad preview | 1 | |
x-end-idler.scad preview | 1 | |
x-carriage.scad preview | 1 | |
magnetic-holder.scad (used for hall effect sensors / endstops) preview | 2 | |
fan-mount.scad preview | 1 | |
belt-guide.scad (suit 623 bearing) preview | 4 | |
Extruder options | not complete documentation at this stage | |
gregs-wade.scad (in box_frame/extras folder) preview | 1 (???) | |
greg-adapter.scad (in mini/extruder/greg-wade folder) | 1 (???) | |
dual-extruder.scad (deprecated - experimental) | 1 (???) | |
compact-extruder.scad (experimental - likely to be replaced by nema17 extruder) | 1 (???) | |
EiNSTeiN branch | master branch of i3 single-frame parts by EiNSTeiN: master at https://github.com/EiNSTeiN-/Prusa3/ | |
platter.scad (EiNSTeiN variant) single plate for i3 | 1 | |
compact-extruder.scad (EiNSTeiN variant) dual extruder in build log images below | 1 | |
MGS Extruder | MGS parts at https://github.com/alexrj/Prusa3/tree/i3-unterwelt (as pictured) also MGS parts available at https://github.com/Joaz/machine_parts/tree/master/mgs_prusa (not pictured) | |
mgs-body.stl | 1 | |
mgs-groovemount_ABS.stl | 1 | |
mgs-idler.stl | 1 | |
mgs-mount.stl | 1 | |
x-carriage.stl | 1 | |
Single-Frame i3 | Aluminium 6mm plate 370mm x 370mm | |
Prusa3ALU-FREZOVANY-v4.dxf | 1 |
Note:
The Prusa3 repository (below) includes frames for both aluminum and laser cut wood (sized for 6mm thick) for both the "single_plate" and "mini" variants. The wood frame files include two gussets, which stabilize the frame from flexing. Photos of each can be found at:
"single_plate": http://www.flickr.com/photos/sbgraber/sets/72157632513929965/with/8378333341/
"mini": http://www.flickr.com/photos/sbgraber/sets/72157632518684272/with/8379471692/
The Prusa3ALU-*.dxf and Prusa3WOOD-*.dxf feature y-carriages that use zipties to fasten three LM8UUs to the underside. Prusa3_SC10UU-*.dxf has mount holes for SC10UU linear bearing blocks. Use whichever carriage fits your need.
File Sources
Github:
https://github.com/josefprusa/Prusa3 - Josef Prusa - main development repository
https://github.com/alexrj/Prusa3/tree/i3-unterwelt - Sound MINI repository, MGS extruder repository (files for parts shown above)
https://github.com/EiNSTeiN-/Prusa3/ - EiNSTeiN - 608 bearings, compact dual extruder repository, note that Y ends for M10 not M8 rods
https://github.com/Joaz/machine_parts/tree/master/mgs_prusa - Joaz - MGS extruder repository (parts not shown above)
Other Build Documentation
Single plate build pics: http://www.sub-design.co.uk/i3build/
Prusa i3 Frame Kit Build Manual by ReprapUniverse.com:
http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/femvh8j5njf4sag/prusa_i3_frame_kit_build_manual.pdf
Build Documentation:
http://78.47.92.212/i3_documentation_pics/
Build Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NixSNAUPciQ
JBFromOZ - notes preparing to build an aluminium frame prusa i3.
Prusa i1/i2 smooth rod lengths should be usable for an i3 single-plate reprap.
Instructions on the github say to RP each part in the single-plate folder. I believe this instruction applies to the box frame version only, some items need more than 1 copy.
Build instructions of singe plate as an interactive animation:
As a Linux binary
As an online tool that works in Windows and OSX.
New Design complete laser cut kit assembly:
[3]
Extruder Discussion
It is not yet 100% clear which extruder to use, there is a dual extruder and a compact extruder in the branch though neither looks complete. there is also a Greg's adapter in the /mini/extruder/greg-wade folder, it uses the nuts_and_bolts.scad which needs to be copied to the openscad library folder.
I am planning to use a MGS extruder with a Nema17 stepper, designs from Sound are shown from his i3-unterwelt branch
Build photos from EiNSTieN's build record, including some additional reference to his edits for 608 bearings, GT2 belts, dual extruders etc.
Build Instructions (With Pictures!)
Description | Image |
build Y assembly using 4 x corners (RP), 1 x Y motor mount (RP), 1 x Y Idler mount (RP), 4 x M8 prusa and sound's repo (M10 einsteins repo) threaded rod short 2 x M8 sound's repo (M10Prusa and Einstein repos) threaded rod long, 2 x M3 x 8mm cap head bolts, (10mm perhaps with M3 washers) 34 x M8 nuts (see notes later), 34 x M8 washers (see notes later), 1 x stepper. Note that there are the following variants. Prusa's master branch has M10 2 x 380mm (12 nuts and washers) and M8 4 x 205mm (22 nuts and 22 washers) (210mm for nyloc) Sound's repo uses all M8. Einsteins Repo uses all M10. be aware which corners, idler and motor you print, as these are all affected!!! | |
Clean and de-burr aluminium 6mm plates., tap holes as required | |
Cable tie LM8UU's to Y carriage, and attach 1 x Y belt connection (RP), 2 x M3 x 10mm cap head bolts, 2 x M3 washers, 3 x LM8UU bearings 3 x cable ties, 1 x aluminium Y carriage. | |
Another way of fixing bearings to the y-axis carriage (this way there is no risk of the ends crashing the vertical plate). | |
Attach Z mounts to Aluminium plate. 2 x upper Z mount (RP), 2 x lower Z mount (RP) 10 x M3 x 10mm (mounts to ali plate) | |
Attach Z steppers and smooth rods. , 6 x M3 x 8mm Z motor to mounts (with 6 x M3 washers). Install LM8UUs into the X Carriage (not onto rods as pictured) | |
build X carriage and attach to ali plate | |
attach Y assembly to ali plate | |
attach and tension Y belt. | |
Attach and tension X belt. | |
Attach Heated Bed. | |
build extruder assembly (dual extruder based on EiNSTeiN's branch as per above in these pictures) | |
Attach Ramps (standoffs etc as shown) | |
Complete all wiring! | |
Attach Extruder | |
Dual Printers! | |
Dual Extrusion! |
Further specific details refer to wiring diagrams and other construction references on this wiki.