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I.Introduction

Final Assembly

The final assembly process puts all the parts together into the finished product. Once the machine is completed, a startup and testing procedure begins - up to the point where the automatic bed leveling is calibrated.

The modules that are assembled are:

  1. Frame
  2. Motion Axes - X axis, [2] Y axes, and [2] Z axes
  3. Heat bed holder
  4. Heat bed
  5. Extruder
  6. Control Panel
  7. Wiring

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Extruder Mounting

Step 1.1: Gather materials to connect Extruder to X-Axis�For the Titan Aero, the extruder bolts simply onto the X axis, but for the Prusa extruder - we will be gluing the extruder to the X-Axis. Doing this step first gives the glue time to dry. Find the Extruder, X-Axis and the bed holder.

X-axis Bed Holder Extruder

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Final Assembly - Extruder Mounting

Step 1.2: Prop up the X-Axis using the bed holder�Set the X-Axis on top of the bed holder so you have a flat surface. Now gravity will assist in gluing the Extruder onto the X-Axis.

Step 1.3: Orient the Extruder�Orient the extruder as shown. Notice the blue sensor points away from the long bolt you see sticking up through the motor holder.

Be confident that your extruder is facing in the correctly direction before you super glue it to the x-axis carriage.

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Final Assembly - Extruder Mounting

Step 1.4: Glue together the Extruder and X-Axis

Fill the top and bottom rows of three holes on the X-Axis carriage with a thin layer of super glue.

Firmly attach the Extruder to the X-Axis and set aside to dry.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Attach Y Axes

Step 2.1: Orient frame correctly

The left face is the one with the most holes. There should be a top and bottom hole on the front face. Place the frame so that the front face is facing you.

Step 2.1: Gather y-left-axis materials

Get the y-left-axis. Loosen the nut on the long bolt on the idler piece.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Attach Y Axes

Step 2.2: Tighten y-left-axis idler to the frame�Place the idler onto the frame such that the long bolt is going through the top right hole, when you are looking at the left face of the frame.

Attach the nut you recently removed to the back of the idler’s bolt going through the frame then use a power drill to fasten the bolt.

Left face of the frame

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Y Axis

Step 2.3: Prepare the axis to be correctly sized�This step is important for making the axis exactly the correct length so it can be fastened onto the frame.

Use a flat screwdriver as a lever to gently pop out the belt peg so you can lengthen the Y Axis.

There are two belt pegs. Remove the belt peg that does not have a belt passing through it. The belt peg with a belt passing through it should still be inside the carriage.

Set aside the belt peg for later use.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Y Axis

Step 2.4: Lengthen the axis�Grab the axis just underneath the motor holder piece such that your thumbs are prepared to push the motor holder piece out.

This motion will lengthen the axis by sliding the motor piece holder away from the idler.

Lengthen the axis progressively while checking to see when the long bolt fits into the hole on the other side of the frame.

Regularly check to make sure that the rods remain flush in the idler and that the rods are not sticking out. This happens pretty regularly. If the rods are sticking out then push them back in.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Y Axis

Step 2.5: Tighten motor screws and bolts�With the axis lengthened out to the correct length, you can now fully tighten the motor screws and bolts on the motor holder.

This will keep the rods from moving now that the motor holder and the idler are the correct length apart from each other.

Note that you must tighten all 8 bolts on the motor piece at this time - as these will become inaccessible once the axis is mounted on the frame.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Y Axis

Step 2.6: Attach motor holder to the frame�Fit the long bolt of the motor piece into the frame and tighten with a nut.

The axis should now be attached to the frame in two places -- at the motor and the idler.

Tighten each nut with pliers.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Y Axis

Step 3: Use pliers to tension the beltUsing a pair of pliers, tighten the belt by grabbing the belt end coming out of the peg - until it is taught enough to twang like a guitar string when plucked.

To tighten the belt - you can grab the belt with pliers and then twist the pliers.

It is possible to break the belt if you put too much pressure on it with the pliers, so be firm but gentle during this process.

When the belt is taught, insert the peg you had previously removed.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly + Quality Control

Step 4: Repeat steps 1-3 for the Y-Right Axis�At the end of this step, you should have 2 axes attached to the frame.

They should rest on the left and right face of the frame.

Step 5: Quality Control Checkpoint

  • Verify smooth motion when carriage is moving across y-left axis
  • Check that motor shaft it spinning
  • On the Y-Left axis, push carriage into the end stop and make sure it clicks
  • Check that the 2 Y axes are mirror images of one another with motors at the back of the frame.

Note that both of the motors are mounted at the back of the frame.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - X Axis

Sub-module Introduction�X-axis Assembly The x-axis is connected to the two y-axes carriages. When the y-axes moves, it moves the entire x-axis as well. This lets you print across the x and y directions.

Sub-module Functional Knowledge�X-axis Assembly The x-axis needs to be fastened to the y-axis in a particular order so that it can be the exact length - and tight between the Y axes so that it moves well and is not loose.

The 5 steps, which are outlined in detail in the next pages, are::

  • Tighten the idler screws: this locks the rods in place so that they remain flush to the end of the idler and do not get pushed out of the idler backside
  • Fasten the idler to the y-right carriage: this anchors the x-axis so that when the other end with the motor holder is lengthened, it has an anchor that lets you pull the motor holder across the rods
  • Fasten the motor holder to the y-left carriage. This lengthens the x-axis so that it’s the exactly length between the 2 y-axes.
  • Tighten the motor holder screws: this locks the rods in place so that now there’s a rigid line for the extruder to travel across
  • Tighten the belt: the belt needs to be tight so that the x-axis motor can grab the belt to move the extruder. It’s tightened last because the correct length of the axis must be set before tightening the belt.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - X Axis Fitting Procedure

Step 6.1: Gather materials�Get the X-Axis, which now has the Extruder attached. Add a few more dabs of glue along the side to strengthen the connection.

Step 6.2: Wrap wires around extruder �Wrap the extruder wire bundle around the extruder so wires are out of the way.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - X Axis Fitting Procedure

Step 6.3: Minimize looseness of the x-axis motor holder�Before you fasten the X axis to the Y axes, you need to make sure the X axis motor holder is tight enough for tightening a bolt into its end nut catchers -, but loose enough for the motor holder to be pulled and extended so that it is flush to the Y-Left carriage.

To do this, use a screwdriver to tighten both the [3] M6x18 bolts and the [4] M3 motor screws

Do not tighten super-tight. Instead, hand-tighten until you reach tightness, then loosen each screw by a half-turn.

At this point, both the [4] M3 motor screws and the [3] M6x18 bolts are fairly loose, and the long M6x30 bolt is completely loose.

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Final Assembly - X Axis Fitting Procedure

Step 6.4: Bolt the X Axis Idler into the Y-right carriage�Put [2] M6x30 bolts into the y-right carriage from the outside.

Move the X axis into position next to the y-right Carriage, so that the 2 long bolts coming out of the y-right axis can go into the x-axis idler.

Fasten the x-axis idler to the y-right carriage with a power drill on its low torque setting.

Note that it’s not important at this point that you get the x axis vertical - that will be a final point of adjustment.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - X Axis Fitting Procedure

Step 6.5: Prepare the axis to be extended

This step is important for making the axis exactly the correct length so it can be fastened between the Y axes.

Use a flat screwdriver as a lever to gently pop out the belt peg so you can lengthen the X Axis.

There are two belt pegs. Remove the belt peg that does not have a belt passing through it. The belt peg with a belt passing through it should still be tight inside the carriage.

Set aside the belt peg for later use.

Lengthen the X-Axis until the motor holder is butted up against the Y-Left Axis.

Note that this step should be done with the Y Carriages toward either end of the Y Axis - where the rods are most constrained. More accurate results can be obtained this way compared to doing this step with the Y Carriage at the middle of the Y axis.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - X Axis Fitting Procedure

Step 6.6: Lengthen the axis�Grab the axis just underneath the motor holder piece such that your thumbs are prepared to push the motor holder piece out.

This motion will lengthen the axis by slider the motor holder away from the idler.

Lengthen the axis progressively while checking to see when the X-Axis reaches the Y-Left Axis.

Regularly check to make sure that the rods remain flush in the idler and that the rods are not sticking out. This happens pretty regularly. If the rods are sticking out then push them back in.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - X Axis Fitting Procedure

Step 7.1: Attach the X-Axis motor holder piece very loosely onto Y-Left Axis carriage�Insert [2] M6x30 bolts through the Y-left carriage into the nut catchers of the X-Axis motor holder.

Use an allen key to secure the bolts loosely by hand, just tight enough to hold the X-Axis up so you can make adjustments to it.

Step 7.2: Fasten the x-axis motor holder to the Y Left and Y Right carriage�Adjust the X axis to vertical and then tighten both sides of the X axis with the M6x30 bolts. Use a power drill to fasten the x-axis motor holder to the y-left carriage.

At this point, you have the Y axes mounted to the frame with the X axis fastened between the Y axes.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - X Axis Fitting Procedure

Step 7.3: X-axis Quality Control Check Part 1 of 2

  • Move X axis carriage so that it travels easily along the entire X axis without binding
    • If tightness occurs because of imperfections on the rods - clean the imperfections
    • Lubricate the X rods to smooth the motion
  • Check that the X axis butts tightly to the Y axes, with no gap between the X and Y axes
  • Check that the X axis triggers the end stop on the Y-Left Axis

X-Axis tightly aligned with Y-Axis - make sure there is no gap.

Make sure the extruder carriage reaches the X -Axis end-stop.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - X Axis Fitting Procedure

Step 8.1: Tighten the x-axis motor holder bolts and screws�Tighten all bolts and screws on the motor holder hand-tight. This allows the belt to be tightened without pulling the motor piece away from the Y axis.

Step 8.2: Tension the X-Axis belt �Use a pair of pliers to tension the X-Axis belt. When it is taught, insert the belt peg.

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Final Assembly - X Axis Fitting Procedure

Step 8.3: Undo the Extruder wire bundle �Loosen the wires previously wrapped around the Extruder. �

Step 9: X-axis Quality Control Check Part 2 of 2

  • Move the Extruder mount along the X-Axis to the end stop until you hear an audible click - which is the end stop triggering. (If you don’t hear an audible click, see Troubleshooting.)
  • Move X axis so that it travels along the entire Y axis without binding
    • In case of tightness, loosen the M6x30 bolts and identify the point of tightness
    • If tightness occurs because of imperfections on the rods - clean the imperfections
    • Lubricate the Y rods to smooth the motion
  • Check that the X Axis triggers the end stop on the Y Left Axis

The previous Quality Control Check ensured that the X axis worked well, now this step is checking whether the Y Axes are exactly parallel. If they are not, then you will run into trouble with moving the Y axis during printing - especially at higher speeds when motor torque is lower.

This is because now that the x-axis is tight, it should be on the same plane as the y-axis carriages that it is attached to. If the y-axes are not parallel, then the tightened x-axis will add resistance when the y-axes are being moved back and forth. This is because non-parallel Y axes will make the X axis pull and push on the Y axes.

If it harder to move the Y Axes when they are closer to the frame, see troubleshooting.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Z Axis

Sub-module Introduction�Z-axis Assembly The z-axis holds the heated bed and rests on the front and back face of the frame.

Sub-module Functional Knowledge�X-axis Assembly Each z-axis needs to be fastened to the frame in a particular order so that it can be the exact correct length and tight so that it functions well.

The 5 steps, which are outlined in detail in the next pages, are:

  • Tighten the idler screws: this locks the rods in place so that they remain flush to the end of the idler and do not get pushed out of the idler backside
  • Adjust the length of the axis so that both the idler and motor holder screws fit onto the frame
  • Remove the z-axis from the frame and tighten all 8 bolts of the motor holder. This makes it so that the rods are locked into place.
  • Fasten the idler to the frame so the z-axis is stable
  • Fasten the motor holder to the frame so the z-axis is stable

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Z Axis

Step 10.1: Prepare to size the Z-Front Axis so it can be attached to the frame�The long bolt of the Z-Front Axis will be mounted onto the front of the frame using the nut on the bolt.

Double check that the Z-Front Axis is positioned to the right of the frame’s hole.

Remove the nut and long bolt attached to this long bolt now.��This offset to the right is used to increase the amount of printing space available to the printer.

There are two belt pegs. Remove the belt peg that does not have a belt passing through it. The belt peg with a belt passing through it should still be inside the carriage.

Use a flat screwdriver as a lever to gently pop out the belt peg.

Set aside the belt peg for later use.

There should be a nut, a long bolt, and a belt peg set aside.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Z Axis

Step 10.2: Tighten the bolts on the idler �Use a power drill to tighten the [2] shorter m6x18 bolts on the idler.

This ensures that the rods are firmly in place and flush against the back of the idler.

These bolts may already be tightened at this point, which is what is needed.

Step 10.3: Lengthen the Z-Front Axis �Push up on the motor holder with your thumbs to lengthen the axis to fit to the hole on the frame.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Z Axis

Step 11.1: Mount the idler of the Z-Front Axis onto the frame�Use the nut and the long bolt to fasten the idler of the z-front axis to the bottom of the frame’s front face.

Use a power drill to fasten the bolt.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Z Axis

Step 11.2: Attach the Z-Front Axis motor holder to the frame�Tighten the z-front motor holder to the top of the frame’s front face using a pair of pliers.

The axis should now be attached to the frame in two places -- at the motor and the idler.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Z Axis

Step 11.3: Tension the belt �Using a pair of pliers, tighten the belt until it is taught enough to twang like a guitar string when plucked.

It is possible to break the belt if you put too much pressure on it with the pliers, so be firm but gentle during this process.

When the belt is taut, insert the peg you had previously removed.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Z Axis

Step 12: Mount the Z-Back axis onto the frame�This step is identical to the z-front axis (steps 10-11), except that you are mounting the Z-Back axis onto the back face of the frame.

Mount the Z-Back axis onto the frame so that the idler piece is mounted on the bottom of the frame and the motor piece is mounted on the top of the frame.

The Z-Back Axis should be attached so that it is directly behind the Z-Front Axis. Double check that they are aligned before attaching the -Back Axis.

Follow steps 10-11 for the z-back axis.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Bed Holder

Step 13: Remove bottom long bolts on both sides of the z-axes carriages�Next, we will be attaching the bed holder to both of the Z-Axes.

Remove the bottom bolts from both the Z-Front and Z-Back carriages.

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Final Assembly - Bed Holder

Step 14.1: Attach one side of bed holder�Holding the bed holder steady with one hand, attach [2] M6x30 bolts through the Z-Front Axis into the idler piece of the bed holder.

Tighten the middle bolt on the idler with an allen wrench.

Use an electric drill to first tighten one M6x30 bolt on the Z-Front Axis. Straighten the idler, then fasten the second bolt.

This is important because the bed is preferably flat (parallel to the floor) so things can be printed on the bed. However, the 3d printer can adjust for a tilt of the bed. This will work, but it will also produce prints that are skewed. This may or may not matter, depending on what one is printing.

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Final Assembly - Bed Holder

Step 14.2: Quality control check. Idler alignment�Make sure the bed holder idler is well-aligned. It should be near-perfectly straight with the carriage piece that it is attached to.

Bed Idler Piece that is connected to the z-carriage is slightly crooked.

Well aligned.

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Final Assembly - Bed Holder

Step 14.3: Attach other side of bed holder�After making sure the idler is well-aligned, tighten the other side of the bed holder with [2] M6x30 bolts.

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Final Assembly - Bed Holder

Step 15: Quality control check. Idler tightness�See the comparison images below to ensure both the bed holder idler pieces are attached tightly to the Z-Axes.

Too loose.

Nice and tight.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Heated Bed

Step 23.1 Position Extruder against end stops �Move the Extruder so it is butted up against the end stop on the Y-Right Axis and the X-Axis

Step 23.2 Position bed to maximize print bed size

  • Place the bed onto the bed holder so that it’s resting flat on the 4 nuts of the bed holder. The nuts should be spaced apart.
  • Raise the Z-Axis so the bed is directly under the Extruder nozzle.
  • Adjust the bed so that it’s top-left corner is directly under the nozzle.
  • Adjust the bed so that the bottom-left corner of the PEI print surface is inline with where the nozzle is.
  • Check that the bed is parallel with the frame by looking from above down at the bed; the edge of the bed should align straight with the edge of the frame.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Heated Bed

Step 23.2: Mark the placement of the heated bed with Sharpie�Once the bed is properly aligned, mark its position by drawing a line on the heated bed and the rods below it on both sides.

This will let you know where to put the heated bed when you paste it to the bed holder.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Heat Bed

Step 23.3: Prepare JB Kwik Weld�Squeeze small but equal amounts from each tube onto a disposable surface, about ½ inch diameter blobs.

Step 23.4: Place JB Weld along the sides and tops of nuts to fasten to the rodDo this step and step 26.3 in less than 5 minutes before the JB Weld starts to harden.

Mix the JB Weld.

Apply JB Weld liberally onto all 4 nuts along the tops and sides and along the edge of the rod that makes contact with the nut.

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Final Assembly - Heated Bed

Step 23.5: Use gravity to fix the heated bed to the bed holder�After you finish placing the JB Weld, place the heated bed onto the bed holder so that all the Sharpie marks are aligned.

Put a heavy object onto the heated bed after placing it. Use a cordless drill or other 5 pound object.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Control Panel

Step 24: Attach control panel to frame using zip ties�Turn the frame so you can access the left face easily.

Fasten the 4 corners of the control panel using zip ties.

Position the control panel so that the RAMPS board is on the left and the power supply is on the right.

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Final Assembly - Wiring

Step 25.1: Prepare to wire up the 3D printer�On the power supply, there are 9 terminals.

The top 3 terminals are positive (+) current.

The middle 3 terminals are for negative (-) current.

The bottom 3 terminals are for alternating current to be connected to this power supply so it can turn it into direct current.

For the instructions in the following steps, you’ll be guided to clamp wires into particular terminals. These can be done in an any order just as long as positive cables still go to a positive terminal and same with negative cables.

AC

DC+

DC-

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Final Assembly - Wiring

Step 25.2: Connect RAMPS board to Power supply�To connect a cable to the power supply, you loosen the terminal with a screwdriver, insert the cable under the screw, then re-tighten the screw to secure the cable under the screw.

Connect the red wire to the 3rd terminal from the top.This is a positive terminal.

Connect the black wire to the 4th terminal from the top.This is a negative terminal.

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Final Assembly - Wiring

Step 25.3: Connect Extruder to power supply�Find the 8-inch red and black cable wire.

Attach one end to the rightmost pair of terminals on the green connector of the RAMPS board.

The black wire will go on the left, and the red wire on the right.

Attach the other red wire end to the 2nd terminal of the power supply, and the other black end to the 5th terminal of the power supply.

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Final Assembly - Wiring

Step 25.4: Add Heatbed cables to MOSFET�Use the 7 inch red-black cable and a screwdriver.

Connect the black wire to the bottom terminal of the MOSFET.

Connect the red wire to the terminal just above the black terminal of the MOSFET.

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Final Assembly - Wiring

Step 25.5: Connect Heatbed cables to power supply�Connect the red heatbed cable to the first top-most terminal on the power supply. This terminal is positive.

Connect the black heatbed cable to the 6th terminal of the power supply. This terminal is negative.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Wiring

Step 25.6: Connect Power Cable wires to Power supply�Find the 3-pronged power cable that has a green, white, and black wire inside of it.

Connect the green wire to the 3rd terminal from the bottom of the power supply. This is the ground terminal that keeps you safe by redirecting the current elsewhere if there’s a loose electrical wire.

Connect the white wire to the 2nd terminal from the bottom of the power supply. This is the neutral terminal.

Connect the black wire to bottom-most terminal of the power supply. This is the “hot” terminal which actually supplies the power.

Once power cord is connected, use one zip tie to connect it to the case so that if someone pulls on the power cord, the zip tie holds the stress instead of power supply wires breaking.

Zip tie power cord to power supply case

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Wiring

Step 26.1: Connect the X-Axis endstop to the RAMPS board�Use the 3-wire endstop cables. These have a white plug on one end and a thin black plug on the other end.

Connect the white end of the wire to the X Axis endstop, which is mounted on the X Axis motor piece.

Connect the black end to the RAMPS board on the top-most of the 3-set pins. The green wire must be on the right.

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Final Assembly - Wiring

Step 26.2: Connect the Y-Axis endstop to the RAMPS board�

Connect one end of the wire to the Y-Axis endstop, which is on the carriage.

Connect the other end to the RAMPS board on the fourth set of the 3-set pins. The green wire must be on the right.

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Final Assembly - Wiring

Step 27.1: Plug in the X-Axis stepper motor �The stepper motor wires have 4 colored strands.

Plug one end into the X-Axis motor.

Plug the other end into the RAMPS board between the top two Pololu drivers.

We have connected only the X motor at this point - and we start testing motion next.

The plugs are small. Make sure that all 4 pins are connected.

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Final Assembly - Wiring

Step 27.2: Quality Control Wiring �Plug in the power cable to a power outlet.

Plug a computer to the RAMPS board with a USB.

Once the control panel is connected to electricity and your computer, you should see the following things:

  • Green light on power supply
  • Red light on MOSFET
  • Green or orange or red light on Microcontroller.
  • Control screen is on and displays OSE D3D Printer.

Green power supply light.

Green light on microcontroller visible from top

Red end stop light on X-Axis

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Final Assembly - Motion Testing

Sub-module Introduction�3D Printer TestingTo test the 3d printer, we test each part separately, starting from simplest to test to more complex. This makes it easier to fix anything that might not be working.

Sub-module Functional Knowledge�3D Printer Testing�Each component of the 3d printer should be tested before attempting a 3d print.

The conceptual testing steps, which are outlined in detail in the next pages, are:

  • Test the x-axis motor with x-axis movement
  • Test the y-axes motors with y-axis movement
  • Test the z-axes motors with z-axis movement
  • Test the thermistor
  • Test the extruder motor

The next steps test each part of the printer step by step. Whenever unplugging or re-plugging cables on the RAMPS board it is critical that the power cable is UNPLUGGED. Disregarding this step can result in fire and damage to yourself or the printer.

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Final Assembly - Motion Testing - X

Step 28.1: Test drive the X-Axis Motor�Open Lulzbot Cura on your computer.

Download a Test Cube - you must use a print file for the control panel to appear. Drag and drop the cube STL file into Cura. Click on the Control Button at the top of the screen. Then you will be taken to the Control Panel:

Move the X carriage by hand, and verify that it can trigger the X end stop. You will see the end stop light up when triggered.

Identify the reset button on the Arduino. It is a small button on the upper left hand side of the Arduino. Test press the button to ensure that your Arduino resets.

With your finger on the reset button, hit the Home X button on the control panel. The X carriage should move either to the end stop and trigger the end stop - or away from the end stop. If the end stop triggers properly, you know the X motion works. If the motion is opposite of the end stop, you need to reverse the stepper motor direction.

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Final Assembly - Motion Testing - X

Step 28.2: Confirm the direction of the X-axis motor�

If the extruder moves incorrectly, unplug the power, flip the plug on the RAMPS board 180 degrees, plug in the power again, and then repeat the movement test.

Step 28.3: Press X Home�You should see the extruder travel to the left side, hit the end stop, move back slightly, and then retrigger. This is the desired and proper behavior. Do not move on unless you observe this behavior.

The end stop will click and light up when it is hit.

The x-axis is now correctly configured. You can press the right and left motion buttons on the Control Panel in Cura - and the X axis will move accordingly. Note that prior to homing, you would not be able to move the axis fully.

Step 28.4: Label the motor cable �Label the X-Axis motor cable with the following information:

  • “X” for X axis
  • The color at the top of the cable plugged into the RAMPS board so you know the correct orientation. Or if the plug is white, color the top edge of the plug black with a sharpie to denote the correct plug orientation.

Whenever unplugging or re-plugging cables on the RAMPS board it is critical that the power cable is UNPLUGGED. Disregarding this step can result in fire and damage to yourself or the printer.

Make sure the end stops are plugged in, with the green wire to the right.

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Final Assembly - Motion Testing - Y

Step 29: Testing the Y Axis Motors

Do only one Y motor at a time to eliminate any ambiguity regarding which motor is working. When working on one Y motor at a time - note that using one motor to move both axes puts additional mechanical stress on the XY axis assembly.

Thus, hold one finger on the reset button, press the Y Home button in Cura - and as soon as you observe the motion, hit the reset button. Correct the motion as needed, and then label the cable before moving onto the second Y motor.

Note that for the X and Y homing operation - the expected behavior is:

  • Carriage moves towards endstop
  • Carriage hits the endstop and bounces off
  • After bouncing off, the carriage hits the endstop again
    • If the bounce motion does not happen, something is wrong
    • Check wiring or replace the stepper driver

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Motion Testing - Y

Step 29.1: Plug in the Y-Left stepper motor �Plug one end of a stepper motor wire into the Y-Left motor. Remember that power must be off before you do this.

Plug the other end into the RAMPS board below the X-Axis stepper motor wire.

Step 29.2: Test the Y-Left motor�Follow a similar procedure as for the X Axis motor - where you hit the Y homing button.

Y-Homing

Z-Homing

Home all axes

X-Homing

Y-L

Y-R

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Relevant RAMPS Board Pins

Black, Red extruder power cable

Extruder large fan, heater cables

Heated Bed from MOSFET

� x-motor extruder-motor

y-left y-right

z-front, z-back

Extruder-

thermister

Thermister-

Heated bed

Exp2-cable Exp1-cable

X-axis endstop

Y-axis

-endstop

Z-probe

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Motion Testing -Y

Step 30.1: Unplug the Y-Left stepper motor from the RAMPS board �We want to test the two Y-motors independently so unplug the Y-Left motor for now while we test the Y-Right motor just like the Y-Left motor. Remember to unplug power when disconnecting stepper wires.

Step 30.2: Plug in the Y-Right stepper motor �Plug one end of a stepper motor wire into the Y-Right motor.

Plug the other end into the RAMPS board into the set of plugs to the right of where you had the Y-Left motor plugged into.

Step 30.3: Test the Y-Right motor �Test and correct the Y-right motor just like you did for the Y-Left motor.

Step 30.4: Label the motor cable

Label the Y-Right Axis motor cable with the following information:

  • “Y-Right”
  • The color at the top of the cable plugged into the RAMPS board so you know the correct orientation

Y-L

X

Y-L

Y-R

Y-R

Y-L

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Motion Testing - Y

Step 31.1: Re-plug the Y-Left stepper motor �After testing each Y-motor independently, go ahead and plug the Y-Left motor in to the RAMPS board again.

Press Y-Home in CURA to now test both motors at the same time.

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III. Instructional

Motion Testing - Z + E

Step 32: Connect the Extruder (E) Motor�Connect one end of a stepper motor wire to the Extruder motor and the other end to the RAMPS board, across from the X-Axis motor plug.

Step 33.1: Plug in the Z-Front stepper motor and test

Follow the same procedure as the Y axes, testing one Z

motor at a time. See notes on next page.

Step 33.2: Unplug the Z-Front stepper motor and label the

Z-front Wire. Test the Z-Back motor by itself and label when

done.

Step 33.3: Home the Z Axes

Reconnect both Z motors. Plug in the Z probe, with green wire to the right. Home the Z axes to make sure that they move up towards the extruder. Reset the controller when you see the axes moving as they should.

Y-R

Z Probe

Z Motor Plug

Note that the 2 z motor plugs are next to each other. It does not matter which motor is connected to which plug as long as the plug has the right orientation.

2 Z Plugs

Z

Z

E

Y-L

Y-L

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III. Instructional

Z axis motion testing notes

  1. Plug in the Z probe 3-wire connector to RAMPS with the green wire facing right.
  2. Note that Z Up in cura means the bed is moving down. This is an artefact of Lulzbot Cura assuming a printer with the Z axis lifting the print head. In the OSE case, the Z axis lifts the print bed - not the print head. Thus, Z Up refers to the bed moving down
  3. Note that the axes should drop for 1-2 seconds before beginning to move up. This is an artifact of the motion algorithm.
  4. Verify that the bottom of the Z probe blue tip is approximately 4 mm above the tip of the nozzle.
  5. Trigger the Z probe with a metal object to verify that it triggers properly - red light on top of it will light up when triggered
  6. Once both Z axes are verified for correct motion one at a time and their plugs labeled for correct orientation - home the Z axis. Make sure you move the axes so the probe is over the print bed. Once the Z homes properly, move on to the heating portion.

Note about the inductive sensor:�The z-probe sensor is an inductive sensor that uses a wire to detect a change in its own electromagnetic field when it gets close to metal. The range of this z-probe is set to send a signal when there is steel 8 mm away from it. Since the inductive sensor is less sensitive to aluminum, the aluminum sensing distance is more like 4 mm.

What is 1mm?�1mm is the thickness of a penny, or of 10 sheets of paper.

2mm is the width of a nickel.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Small Fan

Step 34.1: Connect the small (heat sink) fan �Connect the exposed ends of the small fan into the power supply. Exactly where doesn’t matter except that the fan’s red wire must go into a positive terminal and the black wire must go into a negative terminal.

Since the terminals are already all filled up, we will be doubling up on a pair of terminals by doing this (as pictured).

Step 34.2: Test small fan �Plug in the printer and confirm the fan is blowing in the correct direction, towards the heat sink.

Since the fan is connected directly to the power supply, it should always be running whenever the printer is plugged in.

It is convenient to connect the fan wires to the top-most and bottom-most terminals, where there is most space.

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III. Instructional

Extruder Connection

Step 35.1: Connect the Extruder thermistor��Make sure the printer is unplugged. �The extruder thermistor is a pair of thin red and black wires. Plug it in to the RAMPS board on the top pair of yellow pins.

Step 35.2: Connect the Extruder heater

Plug the blue wires in to the last pair of terminals on the blue plug area of RAMPS board, labeled “Heat 1”.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Heat Bed

Step 36: Connect large fan

Connect the red and black pair of large fan wires to the middle pair of terminals on the blue block labeled “Heat 2”. The red wire on the left and the black wire on the right.

This fan cools down the area around the nozzle so that the heated plastic quickly turns into solid after it comes out of the nozzle.

Step 35: Connect MOSFET signal wires to the RAMPS board�The MOSFET cables are small white cables that come out of the MOSFET.

These cables go into the left-most pair of terminals on the blue block of the RAMPS board, labeled “Heat Bed”. The left wire from the MOSFET should go into the left-most terminal on RAMPS.

Step 36: Connect heatbed wires to MOSFET

Connect the red and black pair of cables from the heatbed to the MOSFET. This is how the heat bed will receive its power.

Insert the red wire to the top terminal and the black wire to the terminal directly below.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Heat Bed

Step 37.1: Connect heatbed thermistor��Plug in the heatbed thermistor directly below the extruder thermistor - on the next pair of pins on the RAMPS board.

Step 37.2: Confirm temperature is being read on Extruder��The Control Screen should show the room temperature, probably around 25 degrees (Celsius).

Nozzle Temperature

Heat Bed Temperature

Extrude filament

Retract filament

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - Extrusion

Step 37.3: Set the temperature to 200 degrees�This tests that the extruder temperature can be increased.

Step 37.4: Prepare to extrude when the temperature is around 200 degrees�When the temperature is close 200 degrees, the program will allow you to test extrusion of filament through the nozzle.

Step 38: Feed the filament into the extruder�Press extruder button in Cura while putting the filament in. It should be grabbed and you can feel the filament moving in.

If extruder is not grabbing the filament, then press the extruder button in Cura in the other direction (retract). If the filament pulls in while pressing the Retract button - then you need to reverse the stepper motor plug.

If the filament isn’t feeding and the direction of the extruder motor is correct - then there may be a mechanical issue. Try inserting filament again after straightening the filament or cutting a narrow point on the filament.

Once filament is loaded, you are ready to test extrusion and printing.

In our experience, the Prusa i3 MK2 had persistent clogging issues - so we upgraded to the Titan Aero extruder.

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - First Print Checklist

Step 44.1: First Print Setup Checklist

At this point the entire machine has been built to a functional state. Now we itemize all the requirements for printing to achieve a successful first print.

  • Check that stepper motor cables are correctly pinned - order of wires is same on one end as the other.
    • In case the order of the wires on the extruder motor is not visible - test wire pairs and then follow trial and error to determine the proper order. In this picture, the order turned out to be Red-Blue-Green-Black for this specific motor:

    • Look at the cables you’re using to connect the components of your 3d printer. Are they all plugged in? Are 4 wire plugs plugged in correctly with all pins connecting?
    • Make sure that each cable has colored wires that are ordered in the same way for both ends of the wire. This means that if one cable end has 4 wires in the order of red, black, green, blue then the other end should be the same and not red, green, black, blue.
    • There might be a mistake from the original manufacturer where the wires are crossed incorrectly. The wires must be in the same order so that a wire connects to where it should. Printer will not move properly if this is not the case.
  • Verify that the extruder small heat sink fan is on permanently connected to power supply -- for the Titan Aero extruder, you can put your finger along the edge of the heat sink, and you should feel blowing out of the edge.
  • Verify that the print cooling fan is connected to D9
  • Connect the white heat bed signal wires to D8
  • Connect the extruder heater to D10
  • Cut excess belt lengths for all axes, leaving about 1.5 inch sticking out of the peg

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III. Instructional

Final Assembly - First Print Checklist

  • Check that you have the correct .ini file for Cura (see the last manual section, Software)
  • Verify that the extruder small heat sink fan is on permanently connected to power supply
  • When you plug in wires, first plug in those wires that are less frequently disconnected, so the wires that may need disconnecting are more accessible
  • Check the nuts under the heated bed to see that they’re all perfectly flat, otherwise the bed will be crooked
  • Move bed all the way to the bottom
    • Make sure bottom pegs are inserted equally deep, or the bed platform will be higher on one side than the other
    • Use stacked magnets or other shims to get the level of the bed equal on both sides
    • In this bed-at-the-bottom position, check if it’s level.\
  • See if the edge of the bed and the edge of the frame are parallel. This is a test for whether the bed is horizontal.
    • Do this for the front, back, left, and right sides
    • If everything is parallel, then the bed is level
    • Acceptable slant is 2 mm
  • Set up the filament spool holder so the printing filament doesn’t tangle
  • Determine the Z Probe Offset From Extruder
    • Heat bed to 50 and extruder to 210
    • Press the z-home button in Cura
    • Theated bed should move down initially for about half an inch, then starting moving towards the nozzle until it reaches the point at which it will generally print
    • Note the distance between the heated bed at its highest level and the extruder nozzle tip. This should be somewhere around 1-3 mm
    • If it is not in this range, adjust the z-probe in the sensor holder so that it’s closer or farther away from the heated bed. Make sure that the blue tip is ABOVE the level of the extruder nozzle tip
    • Based on your best approximation, enter the distance - as a negative number - into the control panel by clicking: Control -> Motion -> Z-Offset
    • Based on this adjustment, the the printer will move closer to the bed when it actually prints. This calibration is important for getting a good first layer print. A good first layer is important because it ensures that the 3d printer is printing objects on a stable foundation.
    • You only need to do this initial offset ONCE. You will fine tune this in your first test print.

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III. Instructional

Final Procedure for First Print - 1

Once all motion has been verified and a rough Z Offset was determined, it's time for plastic extrusion.

  1. Plug in the extruder motor. Try to push the filament through the extruder with your hand. For the Titan Aero, use the thumb wheel to press filament through.
    1. Filament should extrude nicely through the nozzle
    2. Set proper tension on the filament with the Tensioning Thumb Screw
      1. This allows the filament to be grabbed by the motor pulley
      2. This should not be too tight, or the filament will require a lot of force to push through
      3. This should not be too loose, or the drive gear will slip on the filament
      4. You should compress the spring in the tensioner such that the space between each winding of the spring is about the same width as the diameter of the spring wire
      5. Check that you can still turn the extrusion thumb wheel because if it’s too tight, then filament won’t be able to pass through
  2. Continue to test extrusion in 3 ways:
    • Manual feed: push the filament through the nozzle with your hand
      • Press down on the tensioner so that you release the filament - otherwise you will be fighting against the drive gear
      • You can still rotate the drive gear if the motor is not engaged
      • If the motor is engaged - you won’t be able to make the drive gear rotate, so the only way to push filament through manually is by releasing the drive gear tension by pressing down on the tensioner
    • Thumb wheel feed: use the black thumb wheel to pass filament through the extruder.
      • Turning the thumb wheel in one direction extrudes filament, and turning it the other direction retracts the filament
    • Use Cura to press the extrude button and watch the filament flow out
      • You can extrude and retract via Cura�

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III. Instructional

Final Procedure for First Print - 2

Once proper extrusion is tested, you can do your first test print.

  • Test direction of extrusion in Cura. Hold the filament with your hands above its entrypoint and see which direction it goes in when you hit the Extrude button in Cura. If the extruder is extruding in the wrong direction, reverse the plug and try again.
  • Run Cube test print. During this step - you will obtain a final Z Probe Offset value, which allows you to print reliably from there onwards
    • Plug the USB cable to the 3D printer
    • Open Cura, and drag-and-drop the Cube into the Cura window
    • When preparing the print in Cura - use 20 lines of Brim (see Software section of Manual)
    • Press Control -> Print in Cura and let the cube print
    • The printer will go through its bed leveling procedure and start the print
    • Once the print starts - you can do real-time adjustment of the first layer:
      • In the Tune menu of the LCD screen - select Babystepping for the Z axis
      • Adjust up or down until the print is clearly adhering to the print surface
        1. Note that we selected 20 lines of brim so you have ample time to adjust the initial layer height until you see it is correct
      • Observe the Babystepping value that you ended up using
      • Go back to the Control menu on the LCD and add the Babystepping value to your Control-> Motion-> Z Offset value as the Test Print goes to completion
      • Go back to the Control menu and hit Store Memory to save your new Z offset value while the print runs
  • Now your printer has a fine-tuned Z Probe Offset - and you can print reliably from here on.
  • Observe the first finished print. If print is satisfactory - the bottom layer will be smooth after print is finished. That marks the correct Z probe offset.
    • If you are not satisfied with the result - redo the Cube test print. Adjust Babystepping and add the new Babystepping value to your Control-> Motion-> Z Offset just like before.
  • If the cube tests successfully, move on to cable routing -- your printer is not complete until the wires are out the way because they can jam proper motion and eventually they’ll get worn down from abrasion during long prints. For cable routing, we need the cable chain - the next section.

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IV. Troubleshooting

Tight Motion - Explanation

This procedure applies to any tightness of motion - with specific emphasis on the Y axis where tight motion is especially problematic.

One of the most common issues is Y motion tightening up because the X axis wasn’t fit correctly. This will be an issue most likely near the ends of the rods. In the middle of the rods - the rods can bend and allow motion to happen. But towards the end of the rods - the frame constrains them and prevents them from flexing. If your Y axes bind up - go back and redo the X axis fitting procedure carefully. Also loosen the screws going into the X axis nut-catchers to determine if the X axis is pulling excessively on the Y axes. Here are 5 issues and their solutions:

  1. Y axes are not parallel - The worst case scenario is where the right and left sides of the frame are not parallel - because the frame was not built correctly. You can measure distances between the sides to verify this point. You need to be within about 1-2 millimeters of parallel for smooth motion to occur. The good news that you can correct completely for an un-parallel frame either by shimming or by allowing one side to remain slightly loose. To shim the frame - put a washer or spacer under the motor or idler piece such that the Y axes attain parallel orientation to one another. One shim should suffice. You can also make one side loose. Note that for perfect Y motion to occur - only one of the Y axes is sufficient to provide perfectly constrained linear motion. You can keep the other side loose - by either loosening the M30 bolts going into the nut catchers - or loosening the linear bearings. We put tape around the linear bearings to make them tight - and this tape can be removed - but on one Y side only so that the other Y side provides the perfect linear motion.
  2. Obstructions on rods - rods may get rusty, or get weld spatter, solder, or other damage on them. Inspect them and sand or grind them if needed, then apply lubricant. Diesel works well as a lubricant.
  3. Other obstructions, such as cables pulling - make sure that cables, plugs, cable ties, or other artifacts are not interfering with axis motion
  4. Overtightened bolts - Note that idler plastic can deform and pinch the idler bearing or belt if overtightened. Note also that if the carriage is overtightened, the plastic linear bearings can deform inside the deformed carriage. It is also possible that over-tightening the motor piece can cause similar damage. All of these cases can bind up the motion and cause skipped steps.
  5. Linear bearings are tight or broken - Balls can fall out of metal linear bearings, and plastic bearings can deform by overtightening. Bearings can get dirty or damaged, and can lock up if something falls inside of them and jams them. Check that your bearings are in good condition and that they slide smoothly on your rods.

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IV. Troubleshooting

Motion Testing Troubleshooting

  • If motor chatters instead of moving, verify that all 4 pins of the stepper motor Dupont connector are inserted onto the motor headers
  • If motor chatters instead of moving, verify that the wiring order is the same on the stepper and the RAMPS connection
  • Trim off excess belts tod 1” sticking out of belt peg
  • If x motor doesn’t move, check the following:
    • Shut down and restart CURA
    • Check that power supply is working, use a voltmeter
    • Check that power to RAMPS board is working w/ voltmeter
    • Check that cable is correctly set by unplugging and replugging
    • Check if x-driver is broken by using the Y driver for X motion
      • Home Y and move the X motor
      • If this works, then the X driver is probably broken
      • To do a reality check, switch x and y drivers and see if the x-motor moves in the x-position with what was previously the y-driver.
    • Check that cables are correctly pinned
    • Eliminate the possibility of broken cables
      • Test 2 wire ends for continuity using a voltmeter
      • Check for shorts by testing one wire at a time on one side and all wires individually on the other side
      • Or simply check that wires are working by using wires on a working printer
  • If x motor is moving but doesn’t bounce against endstop.
    • Consider whether it’s a bad driver. Get a new driver and try again.

In this process, what enables motor movement is electricity and signal. The power supply provides electricity. That provides power to the RAMPS board. Through diagnosis, isolate the specific issue and fix the issue.

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IV. Troubleshooting

Belts, Motors, and Axis Motion

If your axis motion is tight, there are several things you can do:

  • Take the tape off the bearings.
    • That will loosen up the bearing in its carriage, releasing tightness
    • Remove tape on one side only - as the other side is still required to constrain the motion tightly for accuracy
    • Liekly to be tight on the ends - where the rods can bend less
    • Open up the y-right carriage and remove the tape.
    • You can loosen just one side because the other side will keep it exatly parallel.
  • Test for axis freedom:
    • The ultimate test for freedom of motion isIf you can print at 400% of 50 mm/s (or 200 mm/s) without skipping steps.
    • This is a high speed - if attained - then you know that your axes can move freely
    • Turn the knob on the LCD to 400% on a sample print and observe if motion skips steps
  • If Y axes do not move freely over their entire length - then they are not parallel. You will need to shim them.
    • Put a shim under one side where the Y axis separation is lower.

IF motors do not have enough force, get too hot, or make a humming noise:

  • Measure the voltage setting of the stepper drivers.
    • Put the black probe on the leftmost power terminal of the RAMPS, and the other probe on the adjustable screw on the Pololu drivers
    • Adjust the screw up or down until you get a voltage of about 0.7V

If Belt is Too Short and you cannot tension it

  • Remove the belt and use a longer one
    • Use masking tape or another kind of tape to connect the 2 belts together for easy threading through the axes.
    • Tape 2 belts prior to removing the belt that is too short
    • Pull the belt through the motor half piece and the idler piece
    • Remove the old belt, and tension the longer belt as needed

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IV. Troubleshooting

Fixing Bed Mounting

If the heated bed is not JB-welded on properly, it can come off or be uneven. Unevenness can occur when the supporting rods are slanted or uneven in the idler pieces, so they must first be loosened from the idler pieces.

Step 1: Loosen the bed rods from the Z axis by loosening the idler bolts

Note: this method only works when there’s 1-2 nuts that are unattached or not 100% flat on one rod. If you have nut(s) that are incorrectly attached on both rods, then you need to use sandpaper to detach the heated bed completely and start from scratch.

  • Turn the frame on its side, so you can see the heated bed facing you
  • Turn the frame around so you can use a drill . At this point, the the heated bed perpendicular to the ground. Loosen the rods with a power drill so that there’s enough flexibility to even out the bed rods
  • Turn the frame upside down. You can get a good look at the bed, which you will be using clamps to connect the bed to the nut. By using clamps, you don’t have to take apart the 3d printed bed.

Step 2: Prepare for JB KwikWeld.

  • Buff the underside of the bed with sandpaper so that the glue will stick.
  • Use vice grips to hold bed to the nuts by clamping over the PEI surface on one ide and over the rod on the other side
  • Prep the JB weld.
  • Put on as much goop as the nut the will hold, so that it’s secure.
  • Wait until the JB KwikWeld dries for 5-10 minutes.

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IV. Troubleshooting

Clogs

Filament Feeding Clogs always happen when using small nozzle sizes (0.5 mm or lower). It’s not a question of if, but how often. There are 4 basic steps for unclogging that you can do rapidly:

  • Take the extruder to working temperature, and pull out the filament. Observe the filament and its tip to verify if it does not have a visible bump preventing proper feeding. Snip off the end until you reach virgin filament, and re-feed through the extruder until you can see manual extrusion. If you have trouble getting to manual extrusion - straighten the filament or cut a point on it and re-feed.
  • Use a stiff wire, such as welding wire, to poke through obstructions. Possibly increase the temperature and turn off the extruder cooling fan - but note that you can melt the extruder if you disable the extruder cooling fan. Thus, disable the cooling fan only if you know what you are doing. The purpose of increasing temperature is that if solidified plastic is giving trouble above the melt zone - then adding more heat may melt or soften that plastic and allow it to be extruded.
  • If you can feed all the way up to the nozzle but no further, then your nozzle may be clogged. Use an acupuncture needle - 0.4 mm for a 0.4 mm nozzle - and insert it through the hot nozzle aperture to give it an enema. Try feeding manually again. You can tell how far you are able to reach with a filament by comparing the inserted length to the length of the extruder pathway.
  • If you cannot poke the needle through the nozzle - try a cold pull. For a cold pull - heat up to working temperature and melt plastic up to the nozzle - then turn off extruder heat. When temperature drops to 120C for PLA - pull out the filament. This will hopefully pull out any debris or stuckage together with the semi-melted filament. Test if extrusion happens, then try again.

That’s it for easy steps. Next you will need to use vice grips and a wrench to take off the nozzle. Stuckage may occur anywhere - so in the worst case, you may need to take the entire extruder apart.

  • First, remove nozzle and see if plastic feeds easily with the nozzle removed. Clear or replace nozzle.
  • If you need to go deeper - disassemble the extruder. Look for where there might be stuck plastic. Poke out with welding wire or drill out with small drill bit.
  • Use a heat gun to heat up the heat sink, neck, or nozzle where the plastic is stuck. But be careful of caramelizing the plastic, as a heat gun doesn’t have temperature control.
  • Ideally, you can heat up the nozzle with a heat gun - then you can test manually that you can feed plastic through the nozzle to test that the nozzle is unclogged.
  • If you still can’t feed through the nozzle when hot and when extruder is taken apart, then replace the nozzle.
  • You can submerge the nozzle in acetone in an attempt to unclog and reuse the nozzle

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V. Completion Checklist

Final Assembly

  • Snip-off excess belts so that no more than 1.5” is sticking out
  • All axes move smoothly
  • All end-stops and the Z probe trigger
  • Z probe offset is set
  • Both bed and nozzle temperature show the correct value on the LCD screen
  • Bed and nozzle are heating properly
  • Printer works with SD card inserted, without connecting to computer
  • Extruder cooling fan is on whenever the printer is turned on
  • All wires are labeled for their respective axis and for correct orientatio
  • Z offset has been set and adjusted through Babystepping.
  • Correct Z offset was saved
  • Printer prints test cube reliably every time

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VI. Design Considerations

Final Assembly

Design of 3D Printer

The 3d printer has a stationary bed (moves only in Z) as opposed to the bed moving in the Y direction like most hobby printers. A bed that is moving in the Y direction cannot support tall, thin prints, which would break off the printplatform during printing. To achieve industrial performance, the OSE stationary bed allows tall and thin geometries to be printed at high speed - for example, panels of glazing printed in the vertical orientation on the print bed.

Power supply size�The 3d printer only needs 12 Volts to operate, so why is power supply so big?

Because of its safety features - as a lot of the circuitry revolves around safety features. Complexity could be reduced by using a breaker instead of advanced safety features. 360W for the current power supply is 3 Amps of 120 AC. You can be safe, avoid complexity, and mill a version with the circuit mill if you simply include a breaker instead of all the safety circuitry. It’s $20 so not expensive but it’s large in size.