Delta 3d printer based on MPCNC Z-Axis

Uh, couldn’t you just drill the holes and not have to reprint?

As for why I didn’t drill.

The pictures attached here are the before (pink corner)

After (brown corner) with the M8 rod down it, but with out the bearing yet.

Top of the carriage with the M8 rod in it.

Bottom of the carriage with the M8 rod out of it.

Hand turning it to make sure its aligned and thread is not binding.

I plan to put a bearing in the top (and other places) on the M8 Rod with a lock collar/washer to take some weight off the vertical shaft, and to keep it aligned. Now need to design a M8 lock collar (like a M8 drill stop/guide - but in plastic with nuts and M3 bolts).

Why re-invent the wheel trying to figure out where to drill for alignment?

I was wondering why you didn’t just cut the threaded rod to 1m, but your method works too.

Found a recent addition to thingi, drill stop that I can use as lock nuts on the threaded rods.

you can just see the bearing under the lock nut.

okay - took the cross braces apart so I could work on each pylon more easily.

Still need to tighten the pineapple.

Still need to finish the other 2 and align them side by side.

Still need to design a variable end stop mount.

But getting there.

Okay. 3 motors attached to the base of each pylon. Attached to the threaded rods via MPCNC pineapples.

That is an interesting way to do the Delta. I worked on a design using rollers along the outside of 4 vertical 1/2" EMTs, but never finished putting it all together as I got side tracked on other projects. I did the design for several variations using either 1/2"EMT, 3/4"EMT or 1/2"PVC. Here is a link to the STL & openscad design files on Github if anyone is interested.

I have not abandoned this.

I needed to order some proper couplers (the printed ones didn’t work to well) and order some end stops.

Here are the Endstop mounts I designed. still need to drill out 2 holes in it, and make some thumb wheels for the top, but then its ready to attach to the top mount.

The micro switch lines up with the Z carriage top.

Pictures are from top and bottom.

I need to drill out the holes for the verticle bolts, so the Hex head can sit in flush.

Yet another step closer.

Been a while since I have posted an update.

Got the endstopped installed properly (you can see the cabling for the stops from the top), and got proper couplers for the motors/rods.

I was worried about the stability of the frame, as it did wobble. So I realized that adding diagonal braces to 2 of the sides (in a X see attached) if they were all the same size, would make it not only stable, it would also make it square.

I also made a 5th diagonal (in first picture) the same size, as a travel brace (on the front) and also as a quick check/lock on the front (to make sure everything is square).

You’re going to have issues with those braces. Your z carriage will run I to them on larger prints. Or you’re going to have to constrain your prints smaller than the printer is capable of.

Maybe instead of an ‘X’, you can do an ‘L’. With the L a rigid square.

Sorry its been a while. Real life has got me swamped so I haven’t had time to work.

With regards to X or any sort of bracing:

  • Yes the bracing is going to potentially be a problem for any large print that goes out that far. But conside. the parts of the X that are closes to the bottom are farthest from the center and will not be in the print radius or impact the effector. While the part that is closest to the center (at the middle X part) is half way up.. And if the print is so big that this is a problem.... Then make a bigger printer (serious), given the Triangle parts that make up the edges are currently 30cm long, and these were cut in half from original 60cm long, it is easy to resize.
  • As for L - I might consider that eventually, but I wanted a quick easy design for initial setup, and an X is the easiest to cut/drill and mount.
Anyway - I have wired it up finally, (stock wires, so they 1m lenght is really to short - so testing is as you see it, until I make some extensions) and you can see the move/End stop test works fine.

Off camera after this test I also check the move test and confirmed 10mm in control via the LCD moved 10mm on each Z axis.

Here is the video of the homing test.

So still to do: https://youtu.be/qjqupjduvNg

  • make a print bed (will cut this on the CNC) and mount it.
  • modify the effector to take a hot end and print it.
  • Calibrate the correct settings/lengths
  • Look at getting auto bed leveling working.
  • Setup a bowden stepper/tube
  • Finally do a calibration print (and get the correct column angle off set working.)
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