Belt Driven Z Axis for the Ender 3 and Aquila style printers!
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- Опубликовано: 9 июл 2024
- Modify your Ender 3 or Voxelab Aquila to a belt driven z axis! A dual z axis can fight against a sagging hot end, bent lead screw, and banding. This modification should help with increased print speeds and offer stability across the entire X axis. This mod is designed and released by the wonderful Kevin AKA Sam!! Check out their website for a thorough installation guide, then jump to their Discord to ask questions or find out what other customization options they have coming in the future!!
kevinakasam.com/
KevinAkaSam Discord:
/ discord
Kevin also has links to all the kits you can buy or you can check out my parts list below-
Motion kit:
dfh.fm/products/beltdrivenend...
Fastener kit:
dfh.fm/products/fastener-kit-...
Belt mod linear rails:
dfh.fm/products/beltdrivenend...
~~Like what you see and want to help the channel grow! Join my Patreon~~
/ printsleo3d
For more information, example configurations, copy and pasteable code, and much more visit my website:
www.printsleo3d.com/
The following is the links to products as I sourced them (through Amazon). Double and tripled check all these listings because sellers will sometimes change contents without warning:
Main drive belts (a single roll to cut):
amzn.to/3SqKGMI
Small closed loop belt (need to buy in bulk):
amzn.to/3ExUZJb
20Tooth pulleys:
amzn.to/3IQJAH1
16T pulleys:
amzn.to/3m5qYKc
Lower Bearings:
amzn.to/3IPjgwH
608 Bearings (common):
amzn.to/3xQFgB4
Extension Cable I used (check the wiring still!):
amzn.to/3Zjx5Je
The screws are harder to source because you only need a few of certain sizes, and buying online will likely have you buy an entire kit (of sizes). If you have a local hardware store try there first, otherwise this is how I would break it down (That being said it's always good to have a kit of extra screws handy):
M5 30mm and 40mm screw kit:
amzn.to/3KHuOn0
M5 8mm screws:
amzn.to/3m0J8gg
M3 screw/nut/washer assortment:
amzn.to/3ItkiNv
Note: As an Amazon Associate, whenever you purchase through one of my links I earn a small commission at no additional costs to you! I only link brands/providers I have purchased myself unless otherwise noted.
°°°Join the Discord °°°°
/ discord
For more Articles, Models, Firmware, and even Printer Profiles check out:
www.printsleo3d.com/
Interested in some upcoming Projects? Follow on Instagram to see what I’m working on!
@PrintsLeo3D
*3D Printer*
Direct through the Voxelab website:
www.voxelab3dp.com?aff=29
Voxelab Aquila : amzn.to/3JO0fJr
Voxelab Aquila S2: amzn.to/3gz1PoG
Ender 3 Pro : amzn.to/3JGTyZr
*Filament*
Polymaker PolyLite ABS - Lime: amzn.to/3EAKCo1
Overture ABS - Blue : amzn.to/3YWCRAT
*Models*
All 3d printed modification parts by KevinAkaSam:
kevinakasam.com/
4040 extrusion cover by Robert: www.printables.com/model/2974...
Side Spool Holder by boothyboothy:
www.printables.com/model/1691...
Ender 3 satsana(remix) with 5015 shroud by Mstar365:
www.printables.com/model/2117...
Michaelangelo articulated toy by LaCalavera3D:
/ la_calavera_3dprint
Rail Inserts by PrintsLeo3D:
www.printsleo3d.com/models
*Music*
Intro/Outro : Bomber (sting) - Riot
****Buy Me a Coffee (not necessary but
appreciated!)****
www.buymeacoffee.com/PrintsLeo3D
Check out some tips & tricks, and support the Channel!
Printsleo3d.com
*More Content*
Website: Printsleo3d.com
Instagram: @PrintsLeo3D
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Twitter: @PrintsLeo3D
Etsy: www.etsy.com/shop/PrintsLeo3D
Thingiverse : www.thingiverse.com/printsleo...
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:40 - Preamble and What are we doing
04:22 - Begin Install
20:58 - Belt portion of install
34:20 - Outro
** All video editing done through DaVinci Resolve. This video editing software is
available for free, as well as a paid premium version
www.blackmagicdesign.com/prod... ** 
Наука
Even with dual Z lead screws, the carriage can float left-right due to the runout of the lead screw. This belt solution is great!!!
Jonathan!! This is a marathon of comments you left and I LOVE IT!! I am so sorry it took me this long to respond to them lol This belt setup is my favorite of the 3 ways I have set up the dual z axis. I am going to wrap all these dual videos up with a comparison and I'll keep your comment in mind when I do! Thank you!
With belt deformation, elasticity and vibration, how would a little runout on high speeds be worse?
LOVE IT!!!! this and the great documentation by kevinakasam made this mode a breeze and a great upgrade!!!
Kevin's documentation and website is so good, halfway through this video I wasn't even sure it was necessary lol I know people love watching it all happen though so there was no turning back! Trevor thanks for watching and commenting, and I am glad you got this mod working it's really a nice experience!
Just the right amount of detail. Love the pauses that show you doing each step after you describe it. Makes it much easier to follow. This is a really great video ❤
Thank you so much !!! It's tough to balance pertinent information with timing, as a lot of my videos can be pretty long. So I'm always looking to strike the right balance, and I appreciate you giving some feedback on that, so I know what works! Thanks again!
Excellent as always Leo. Thanks for all you do.
Kev thanks for watching and for always dropping some kind words on me. I appreciate you commenting to let me know, means a lot to me!
Thanks Leo, another awesome video with great instructions from start to finish. Sharing in group of course
MrsZoomy you're the best!!! Thank you so much for always showing support and being one of the first to watch and comment! Can't wait to see what you printing(and painting) next!
@@PrintsLeo3D 😆 I'll have to share my looong post in your Discord.
Really cool build Thanks for sharing it
You're welcome!! It's a fun one to build to so I was happy to share ! Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment!
Waiting for the parts to come in and already printed out the other parts needed. Can’t wait to finish this mod this week.
That's awesome! Rex I would love to have you stop by the Discord and share the final results!, Always love seeing another awesome build in the wild! Thanks for watching and good luck with the build !
The explaination are precise and clear. Thx.👌
Thanks, I'm glad it was helpful!
Mate, this is brilliant. Thank you.
Thank you very much I'm glad you enjoyed it!! Cheers!
This is hands down the best mod for these printers. SOLVES SO MUCH.
Kevin is the one to thank for that! It took a lot of time and effort I'm sure to get this right for all of us to use! I'm just happy so many people are seeing this mod and able to benefit from it!
@@PrintsLeo3D it and the Voron design of belt driven is the way to go, lead screws are just not precise enough.. and it really shows, Kevin's design rules hands down.
Absolutely correct! I'm planning on doing a Voron style conversion on one of these printerers soon. I can't wait !
@@PrintsLeo3D lead screws suck, very least need a fixed lead screw w/o coupler
Thanks for that video! I finally get rid of elephant's foot on my original Ender 3. Belt driven dual z was my first project like that and i really loved it :)
Yea this is one of my favorite projects. KevinAkaSam is an awesome designer and all his kids are a great time . Thanks for watching and commenting!
I really appreciate your videos! I think I'll probably do this mod myself.
Thanks Brandon! I appreciate you taking the time and effort to comment, it may seem like a small thing to do but it means a lot to me! Good luck if you end up trying this mod out, and if you have any issues just let me know!
I really wanted to do this mod but honestly the parts list (as a kit) was quite a bit more expensive that a dual z lead screw solution so I went with the latter. I may still experiment with the belt driven Z at some point - but it's tough to justify since it would cost about ~$50 for me to order everything. Maybe if you live in a country where metric hardware is easily available? Where I am metric hardware is pretty expensive so you have to order it.
No you're right about the cost. Those dual Z kits can even go on sale sometimes and get under/around $20! Having to buy the metric screws in bulk is the toughest part. The one caveat is if you're looking to do multiple printers than the price is 'technically' less per printer, but it doesn't help the initial shock your wallet is going to feel. Maybe weeks or months down the road you can look around your extras pile and see if you can cobble together enough spare fasteners to make this more affordable, because it's fun! Thanks for watching and for commenting !
Thanks for the video. Going to try and tackle this on a few ender 3 size machines and maybe a cr10s pro size machine.
Thanks for the comment ! This is a fun build and it is a really nice system that Kevin designed. I don't know if there's an 'official' design for the CR sized printers but some people from the community have made the design worm for their CRs, you can find those parts here:
www.thingiverse.com/thing:4243512/makes
Thanks again!
Thank you Leo. Nice and usefull video.
Very welcome, I'm happy to share! This is a fun build and being able to give your printer a little character while also increasing performance is always nice!
Appreciate the time you have taken to detail this mod step by step. Easily the best video on it. I'm having some trouble with fit on some of the parts, such as getting the M5 nuts to fit in the recesses of the left and right plates. Also my transmission and the motor mount plate are tight where yours move freely. Any suggestions on printing tips or adjustments I could make in the slicer? Using SuperSlicer and printing with Polymaker PETG.
First, thanks for the kind words I really appreciate it. I take a lot of time trying to get these videos just right, and it's nice to hear positive feedback.
As for the fitment it sort of all starts at your base calibrations. Have you calibrated your E-steps? Have you calibrated your flow ? Those are the building blocks of all our prints, and getting those correct will help going forward. Apart from that all the normal recommendations apply: make sure the bed is level, adjust your z offset correctly, make sure the x axis is level to the bottom extrusion (meaning make sure both sides of the x axis are the same distance away from the bottom feet). Let me know if you need help with any of these calibrations or if you want you can send me some pics of your prints and we can go from there.
This is a excellent video. Now I'm wondering if I should upgrade my Aquila.
Thank you so much!! It's a really fun mod, of course like anything else there's going to be some tricky aspects, but overall one of my favorites! I appreciate you leaving a commenting and watching!
Great video, and a great mod. I did mine long ago and have loved it ever since!
Thanks Steve! This is the second modded printer for me, really love the design and the look it gives the printer. It's been great for me on both printers and I've logged 100s if not 1000s of hours with it. I appreciate you commenting to let me know your experience!
👍 This video is the second best thing I watched today. Puppy Bowl #1
Thanks Patrick!!! I always appreciate it when you stop by to watch and leave a comment, especially when it's taking you away from the puppy bowl 😂😂 thanks!
Im loving that 3D printed Magneto !
lol Yea I wonder who designed that... and also the TMNT figures on the front of the thumbnail!! Awesome work
I wish all RUclipsrs took tips from you ...
Your videos are fantastic and show the time you dedicate to them.
Another thing is that you aren't constantly shoving some brand bias down my throat.
This is my first time giving money to a RUclipsr..(never thought I would)....keep up the great content!
Oh wow so kind of you! Not only the tip, which means a lot, it's gonna make my week :) but also the kind words. I definitely put a lot of time and effort into these videos to try and get them as packed full of info yet streamlined as possible. I'm always improving (the content and the production) and it's because of comments and kindness like yours that make me want to improve and keep spending all my free time doing this. Thank you so much, it really means a lot to me !
this is an awesome tutrorial
That you so much! The modification itself is so fun, so it lent itself to a nice video! Thanks for watching and taking the time out of your day to let me know it helped !
Really interesting video and maybe one day when my ender 3 isn't my only 3d printer I'll try a big modification like this, but I watched a video a while ago about replacing the z axis rollers with linear rails and I cannot stop thinking how fast the z axis could be on a measly ender 3 if you replaced the z axis with both linear rails and making them belt driven can't stop thinking about what it could do with those two mods and he'll how it would do with a whole suite of linear rails for the XY and Z axis and this belt drive mode, kinda fun just imagining it
Yea those linear rails do look really sweet on these older Enders! I wish the rails were a little cheaper because it would be a great video to do. I think I saw your handle pop up in our Discord recently, so welcome to the club and I hope to talk to you more!
I'm about to do this mod to my V2. Super essential IMO.
I'm slowly but surely moving most of my printers to this mod. I love that Kevin is making constant updates too. The version I installed last June is way older looking than this most recent one. Thanks for watching and commenting!
@@PrintsLeo3Dhow do you solve Z dropping when the printers are powered off?
Great video! I did this mod more or less when it came out and it looks lime they made quite a few refinements since then. I think it would have been cool if you had also explained the advantages this belt-driven mod has over dual-Z with lead screws.
Thanks! I also did this mod for the first time last year and the look between the first version and this most recent one is like night and day. The newest version looks nice and streamline, while the old is a little boxier. I am going to have a comparison video between the two previous dual Z methods I tested, all compared side by side. These videos are so long , I am trying to break them up a bit lol thanks for watching and thanks for commenting!!
That's a nice looking mod. I wanted to convert another machine to belt but was thinking of a worm gear. In my first I kept the rod. But instead of lifting, it pulls a belt. I don't use the back plate and the front is mounted to linear rails. But I use the pulley wheels to capture the nut that pulls down the belt to lift the gantry. Sounds messy but actually works amazingly good. But clearly over engineered.
Over-engineering is usually the reason most of us enter this hobby lol! Would love to see this thing in action!
Excellent tutorial. That being said, do you think it's worth the hassle or should I just go buy a nicer printer? Right now I've got a basic Ender 3 with BL Touch running Marlin FW
Awesome!
Yea this is a really cool modification that performs well. Thanks for watching it and taking the time to leave a comment.
that's pretty cool.
Yea this is a funny one. Being able to add some cool/unique/soothing/accent colors makes the printing experience more enjoyable.
Awesome Video !!
I take it that this mod would also work on an Ender 3 Max ??
Does it allow you to print faster and more accurately ?
I am thinking of also going Direct Drive, would this fit in as well with your mod ?
very cool mod man! i have a 3v2 and was just about to buy a kit for a double z axes mod, but i was wondering what you thought about it. which one would you say is better between the two?
I like this belted Z better. I have 2 other videos, one with two lead screws, one with a timing belt, and this is my favorite. They've all been pretty trouble free for me, but I'd say the belted Z is probably a few percentage points better than the rest. It's fun to build, you can customize the colors, and I find it just keeps up better with my Klipper printers. Let me know what you end up doing and if you have any other questions.
Thanks!
Kevin thank you so so much!! This means a ton to me, that people are getting enough out of these videos to share some of their time (and resources) to let me know it's of value to them. So thank you very much!
This is an awesome video and mod. I am going to attempt it on a Homers/Tevo Tarantula. I will also be upgrading the extruder, at the same time, to a Sailfin direct drive, with a Hero Me Gen7 hot end mount kit. This way the direct drive extruder is not sagging the arm. This is a lot, but just owning and operating a Tarantula is not for the faint of heart. I am currently modding the z-roller plate stl files to fit the Tarantula. Everything else should just work. One thing that I am planning on doing is to route the z axis stepper wire through the slot in the 2020 extrusion at the top, and through the one of the slots in the front of one of the 2040 extrusions. And then to hold the wire in place with the extrusion plastic dust caps. And finally, I am going to attempt to place some fishing sinkers in the back slots of the 2040 extrusions, supported by connectors to the belts, to use as counter weights. The counter weights will remove the z axis downward force due to the weight of the x-axis and extruder components.
Sounds like you know what you're doing! Definitely going to be an intense mod, considering some of the adjustments you'll need to make, but it sounds like you're well suited to get the job done ! Let me know how it goes and if you want to share those files for the 🕷️ z plates I can forward them to Kevin Aka Sam !
This is amazing
I knew you'd like it !
@@PrintsLeo3D you know me so well :D
Many thankssssssss!
You're welcome!! I hope this helps you out and you enjoy it. Happy printing !
Does it keep the same z steps setting or do you need to change the steps per mm
Even though this is now a geared setup, you will continue to use the same steps and you won't need to make any adjustments.
This is quite a review, I should say! I think belts are better than installing the second spindle. Next you should install additional interchangeable hotends to the top, and print in multicolor or multimaterial = )) Belt will allow quickly move carret to the top, switch the toolhead and get back to print. = ) I hope that Creality Ender 3 V3 created because of this idea, but who knows, will they do this, or not.
Practice shows that printer producers takes ideas from community = )
Great video Leo. Thanks for sharing! How much did it cost you all around for this mod?
Hey Abdul, that's a really good question and one that I meant to talk about and then forgot when it was time to film lol the first time I performed this mod it cost about $90. The worst part was the screws, having to buy large kits of screws that had the ones necessary. That being said it's always good to have a pack of extra screws hanging around. Also because I purchased on Amazon I had to buy all the pieces in multiples. So when I performed the mod a second time I had so much extra pieces I only spent around $12 for the second install. That being said Kevin has now created specific kits that have the parts you'd need, I haven't compared prices but that's likely a good option.
Edit: also Abdul thanks for the compliment and the comment !
This is very interesting. I have 2 Cr6 machines and they do great but still suffer some z banding from time to time. I may try this on my secondary printer to see if it can improve things
This is a tremendous mod, I have it on 2 printers now. It's fun to put together and sometimes even if this specifically might not help your problem, breaking your printer down (especially the Z axis) and then building it back up again may. So I'd say it's a worthwhile endeavor if you have the time!
Cool video, I enjoyed it a lot even though I don't own an Ender 3. Could you tell me what's the filament brand/color name for the fluorescent yellow parts? This info is missing in the video description
Yea sorry, I usually have all my info in the description but I uploaded this before vacation and I didn't have the time to add certain information. The greenish/yellow parts are PolyMaker Polylite ABS , and the blue parts are printed in Overture ABS. Thanks for reminding me, time to update the description! Thanks!
awesome video. is this set up still compatible with multi material units like the one made by prusa?
Thanks! That's actually a great question, and not one I'm too sure about. I know KevinAkaSam has their own Discord, I'd probably ask in there as they have the most day to day change experience. Sorry I couldn't be more help but thanks for watching!
You think this can be done with the Microswiss NG?
this is awesome. How much improvement in Z artifacts ? could we have some info on vase tube for example ?
A few other people had asked for a printed part as an example of what the mod could do, and I am sorry I didn't provide one. At the time I modified this printer, it was printing pretty well already, so I don't know what percentage improvement you would see. I can Print some objects with it set up now if you'd like to see how it performs post-mod?
Thanks for giving a much more in-depth tutorial on installing the belt-mod by KevinAkaSam. I personally appreciate it. Would you be interested in doing a KlackEnder tutorial as well? Thanks and keep up the good work!
I was going to do a Klack Ender set up ! I love my Klack Ender I just haven't found the time to devote to it yet. I think I still might though because it's an awesome modification that works well, looks cool, and sounds really awesome when the magnets are doing their thing!
@@PrintsLeo3D oh for sure, not only the magnets but also the speed of the bed probing..i never knew my OG ender3 would be able to go that fast and have an accurate map of the bed. Looking forward to the video!!! Much love and support from ON, Canada.
Yea the speed and accuracy is insane!! From New York I appreciate the support!
8:22 idk how that works, it came loose when I let off some tension, am I suppose to super glue the nut/threads?
When you thread the screw onto the nut you can hold the nut in place with your hand. This way it stays inside it's 'well' while the screw is threading through it. If the nut and screw assembly pops out after you thread it don't worry. At the end of if the build when you actual thread the handle onto the transmission body it will make a tight fit and the screw/nut will have nowhere to go and won't fall out.
So how much faster is it with these modifications compared to a stock Ender 3?
Hey Leo, would you say this is a worthy upgrade over dual z lead screws? My anycubic vyper is undergoing a huge overhaul so wondering if this is worth upgrading while im at it or just keep the 2 z steppers in parallel with 2 lead screws
To be honest when I compared this setup to my other methods of dual z (2 screws + 2 motors, 2 screws + timing belt) I didn't notice any significantly measurable difference. They all require a little bit of calibration and overall they all performed well. Over a long term experiment I wouldn't be surprised if the method in this video showed to be a benefit over the other methods , but based on the prints I have accomplished with all of them they seem to be all about equal.
not even planning to do this but i just watched this entire video out of curiosity
I really appreciate that! This is a really cool modification and I'm glad I was able to hold your attention for the whole video, makes me feel like I'm doing something right. So, thank you!
Is there any tuning you had to do for your z axis motor mine is functioning backwards for some reason
No there should be no tuning required. It's possible the wiring to the stepper motor could be backwards which is causing they behavior. If you are using Klipper an easy fix is to just ad an exclamation point (!) to the direction pin in your printer.cfgif you aren't using Klipper you'll need to sort out the wiring and get the wiring in the correct order.
Did you have to make any changes to the firmware?
Is there anyway to prevent the hotend drop due to electricity problem, you know living in small country like mine, power goes off very often.
Firza, while you're printing the steppers should hold a charge and not drop. When the printer powers off it's possible there could be some droppage. What you can do to mitigate this is make sure the eccentric nuts (these adjust the wheels) on the inner wheels of the X axis are tight. You can also adjust the small looped belt at the top of this mod, that's driven by the stepper, so it's a little tighter and holds the tension.
Just found your channel the other day. You have good content. I do have a question what is the rack that is behind you? I have been looking for something like it.
Thank you very much and I'm happy you found me! It's called the RepRack by Repcord. It's an awesome (mostly) 3d printed storage option. I have a RUclips short (ruclips.net/user/shortsd4taCB5R6o4?feature=share) about it as well as an article that goes over how to install it (www.printsleo3d.com/reprack) hope you like it !
@@PrintsLeo3D sorry I should have been a little clearer I meant the rack/shelf's the printers are on. It looks deeper than most I have found. The reprack looks good too.
Lol sorry. They are Whalen Shelves I got from Costco. They've gone up tremendously in price since I got them for around $60. I couldn't find them from Costco but Amazon has them. Price is ridiculous but here's the listing (shelves are great by the way, could be a little sturdier but overall very nice) :
Whalen 5-Shelf Heavy Duty Steel Shelving Unit, 48" W x 24" D x 72" H, Black a.co/d/aKEync5
I installed POM t-nuts and Z-sync mod, connecting both sides to each other. Calibrate with dial gauges and you are done for the next year. The reason for z-wobble and elefant foot are the cheaply machined brass nuts. It's so wobbly, my first layers never were the thickness I picked (tested z movement with dial gauge), on fast prints it will introduced small layer shifts. Z hardly moves compared to X or Y, so wheels will work, linear rails still superior. Not sure about this mod, may not be sturdy enough. What about vibrations?
I have this mod on 2 different printers and as far as vibrations go there wasn't any added vibrations that I could tell. My layers looked as consistent as ever and the motion system is doing a great job. Everything is synchronous now as well, and it's easy to level the gantry each side of the x axis is the same. Everyone's mileage may vary on this but it's been one of my favorites!
Hey, thanks for the great videos. I really like your Ender 3 bowden setup (w/klipper). I think a lot of people underestimate bowden setups as inferior to direct drive.. If not using flex or other special filaments, a bowden setup with low mass can be very good. Will you share with me what hot end shroud/cooling setup that you use? Thanks so much for making excellent videos
Yea I have used Bowden for years and they always have performed excellently for me. In this video I believe I have the shroud linked in the description. And off the top of my head I can't remember exactly what hot end this is but it is most likely a stock hot end with an aftermarket (copper) heat break, or it's a Gulf Coast Robotics all metal hot end.
Excellent video, everything is perfect but the z axis when I turn off the printer goes down to the heated bed, it does not hold when the stepper motor is free, I have linear rails. any solution ?
Vladimir, what I've done in the past is to tighten up the printed gear at the top of the assembly. It doesn't take a lot of extra strength, maybe just a quarter turn or two and my gantry never had any dropping issues. Let me know if this helps.
soooo i have some PLA, u think i can give this a go? (solid infill)
PLA, or even better PLA+, is a strong and importantly stiff material. The issue with PLA is if you plan on enclosing your printer. The heat that an enclosed printer produces is enough to cause the PLA parts to no longer hold their shape or stiffness. So if you don't plan on enclosing your printer then I'd say Rock on, but if you are going to be enclosing your printer at any time then you should consider PETG, ABS or ASA.
What screwdriver set are you using? Did you need both the motion kit and the fastener kit? Or does the motion kit have it all?
That's a great question I should link this in the description. The set I'm using in the video can be found on Amazon:
Eventronic 132 in 1 Screwdriver... www.amazon.com/dp/B08SQ8BVPY?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
It's good. I've had it for about a year and the worst that has happened is that the front tip has come about a few times. Not game breaking but slightly irritating.
As for the parts I bought them about a year ago from Amazon. Because you need so many small screws, I had to buy a few different screw kits, which brought the price up for me but gave me a lot of extras when the job was done. As for Kevin's kit, you'd need to buy both to have the complete parts list. I might round up what I bought from Amazon and add it to the description soon, I just worry about the contents changing over time and it not working out for people. I hope this helps!
I see there is instructions for Klipper, do we need to change steps or any other settings in Marlin for this mod?
No not at all! The settings for Klipper are there for clarity but don't provide any change in movement. As far as Marlin goes you don't need any firmware change, or change to your slicer! This keeps the same gear ratio as before. Hope this helps, and thanks for watching!
I thought this was the most "direct to the point" video about this mod, thank you. I followed it to modify an Ender 3 Max (which did need a few mods to some of the printed parts), Anyway, when I got the belts attached the x gantry really picked up resistance and friction, much more than just the gantry alone on the wheels. The wheels do kinda suck, movement isn't smooth, but I don't think this is the main problem. Anyone have tips on reducing friction/making it easier to move?
Thanks for the compliment on the video ! Now the Max upgrade you did, was it just modifying the printer in the Z direction, correct? I don't know why there should be added resistance to the X gantry from it. Have you tried adjusting the eccentric nut on the bottom of the X gantry to loosen up the printhead?
@@PrintsLeo3D Yes, did just this belt drive mod on Z, to test I completely loosened the 2 eccentric nuts on the Z rails, it's slightly better but not really usable. I guess I'll troubleshoot every piece of this thing, try to isolate the problem. I am using the original leadscrew, maybe a solid shaft would be better.
I'm going to be doing this mod, however I have linear rails for all my axes, will this specific mod work with the different x brackets I have?
Chris, this mod is also available for a printer equipped with linear rails. If you go to Kevin's website and follow his walkthrough, one of the options will be a linear rail equipped printer. Following that path will lead you to be able to download the correct models for your printer! Good luck and have fun.
i subscribed on patreon and tried going to chep club to gget the cura profiles, but it says access denies?
Probably a question they could answer on Chep's RUclips or website. I think you may be looking for the wrong creator here lol I'm PrintsLeo3D not Chep. I appreciate the confusion, it would be awesome to be that successful lol but I don't think I can be much help! Thanks for reaching out though
Does it print as good or better with the belted Z? I have a CR-10 and am in the process of converting. Is a belted Z as accurate as the ACME lead screw? Great video.
When trying to compare quality when upgrading is difficult, because I was getting really nice prints before and after the modification. It 'feels' like it prints better when I print at the higher end of speeds, and especially when I employ z-hop while I'm printing. As for the accuracy, this has been as good or better than my dual Z rod and dual z motor setup, and I think calibrating this version is much easier too.
so what's the secret for the transmission ans 80t gear files?
David, of you go to Kevin's website (kevinakasam.com/)
And select the belted Z mod. You can walk through the set up of your printer (Bowden or direct, linear rails or v wheels , etc) and at the end of the walkthrough there will be a link to download parts from Kevin's GitHub. This is the webpage I ended up on with my set up in the video.(kevinakasam.com/snvb623-2/)
If you're not finding the trans files still let me know and I'll look into it.
How to prevent dropping when the printer is turned off?
It's common for this setup to allow the axis to drop a little after powering off, and that sort of droppage shouldn't cause an issue, but if the axis drops and continues to fall then that will be a problem. You can start by looking to slightly tighten the eccentric nuts on the z axis. Those are the nuts attached to the inner wheels that ride up and down the Z axis extrusion. You don't want to over tighten them, but snugging them up a little will help. Then what has worked for me was to tighten the smaller looped belt a hair. Again, you don't want to overtighten this, but adjusting it in small increments should help.
Awesome video! I like this mod, but....I think its more worth it just to convert it to coreXZ at that point. Just take some files from switchwire conversions, add them to the E3, and boom, a coreXZ machine made to do z-hopping at 6k acceleration.
Colten, you're way ahead of me lol!! Don't push me just yet, but upcoming I will in fact be doing a Switchwire (or similar) conversion. I agree though I love this mod, and it can be a stepping stone in someones journey to keep tinkering lol Thanks for watching and contributing, and hopefully you'll stick around for when I get around to the Switchwire mod!
@@PrintsLeo3D I most definitely will be around :)
Interesting project. I am not sure if it would benefit me though as I already have synchronized dual lead screws using dual stepper motors and a synchronizing belt on top. Though it would allow me to put my power supply back on the frame. Would this speed up the Z axis?
Dual Z steppers are better than all the belts. Thing of it as a more direct drive, where the smallest movement of the stepper immediately moves the screw and z-axis. No belt flex or tension issues. There are a lot of prints that can allow you put the powersupply under the printer, arguably where it should be anyway for a much cleaner look.
@@broderp I was kind of wondering about that. As for the power supply I don't need to put it on the printer anymore as I have an enclosure now. I just need a bracket to mount it to the extrusion of the enclosure.
Hey ZK! Right now I am running this dual belt setup (on 2 printers), a dual stepper, and also a dual Z with timing belt setup. The first thing I would say is if you're running two stepper motors you shouldn't need a timing belt to keep those screws in sync. That being said converting from two screws to thos setup really may not have much difference for you. I noticed the difference as I printed faster using z-hop. I was just getting more consistent layers, and the faster printing speeds didn't seem to mar any quality I was having. If you printing at normal to slightly higher speeds (especially without z-hop) I don't know if moving from dual lead screws to this setup will show much, if any, improvement. Thanks for watching and for asking a question! Helps the channel get better. Thank you!
Where can i get the stl files for the belt drive ? Would be nice to get everything printed before i order the belts and bolts
Rob, you can find links to the printed and non printed parts in the description. The parts can be found through KevinAkaSam's website, where you will go through a 'choose your own adventure' style path to make sure you're getting the correct parts for your specific printer . Good luck , it's a fun build !
Wow that's great! What is the new Z axis resolution for this mod? It's 0.04mm on my E3V2 with the stock screw. I just saw a core XY using belted Z. Been thinking about this.
Hey bill, thanks for stopping by, watching, and asking a question. To be honest I'm not sure what ultimate z resolution turns out to be with this mod, I haven't done any intense testing in that regard. I have been suggesting Kevin's Discord (in the description) to people with questions like this because they have a lot of brains over there that have many hours with this mod. I love this mod, and for me there was a noticable difference in quality, especially over longer and taller prints. The difference is just my opinion though, I can't say any one specific thing other than an overall nicer quality. I know not a complete answer to your question but I hope it helps somewhat. Thanks for watching and commenting!!
Assuming no losses due to belts, flex and friction then the resolution should not change. The truth is you will have some of those losses with this mod over a dual or single screw and stepper with no belts. How much they impact the print quality is based on parts tolerance, assembly and belt tension and wear over time.
How that’s cool. May I know any settings for the firmware required? Belt & screw pitch same? Thanks for sharing 💕
Hey Jimmy! For this modification there are no firmware or slicer changes you need to make! While I am using the old lead screw (so same pitch) you technically don't need to use a threaded rod at all. With the belts there are no step adjustments or gear ratios that need to be changed.
Is there a way to get the belts to sit centred on the pulleys ? Mine seems to sit on the edge
Did you place the belt on the pulleys while the pulleys were loose? This way you can bring the gantry up and down through the range of motion and the belts will slide to where they naturally want to travel, and then you can tighten up the pulleys .
I did this upgrade... but one Z motor does not like to run.
Is this design better than dual z axis using lead screw using only single motor.
I have ran three different styles of dual z (the one in this video, the one motor and timing belt, and the dual motor), and I have to see I don't see any significant difference between the models. I think the method in this video has the easiest technique to level the gantry which is a big selling point for me. It also feels like it has smoother movement along the Z axis. Ultimately whichever one of these works for you and your setup (time, money, experience, etc) will do just fine.
excelente video que configuracion utilizas para que no le quedn ninguna linea?
Hola Carlos, gracias por mirar. ¿Qué configuración estás buscando?
@@PrintsLeo3D veo que en su impresión no se notan las líneas de impresión , que altura de capa y que velocidad utiliza ?? Para klipper
Great video, did you manage to check what difference this mod made to your prints?
I never got around to running an in-depth 1:1 test, but for all the printing I have done, I never saw a distinguishable and consistent difference in Z quality between any of these 3 setups. The only thing I did notice was for the belt driven dual z I needed to make sure the belt kept itself in proper alignment from time to time. Other than that all seemed to print just as well.
@@PrintsLeo3D I have nearly completed the mod. I was hoping to see significantly better results for z banding etc..
Socket cap screws would be fine too, button or socket (I find socket to be more versatile so prefer buying kits of those)
The reason I recommended button cap for this particular mod was because they looked cleaner by sitting closer to the parts and the extrusion. You could definitely use whichever you prefer, especially if you have other projects on the horizon and prefer one type over the other.
Great video, what is the length of the belt used in the reduction mechanism? 150mm?
I'm sorry but I don't remember the exact length. I believe it was somewhere near the 200-220mm length but that's a guess. I specifically didn't mention the size of my belt in this video because I wanted everyone to measure the belt for themselves as that's the most accurate way to size the belts. Sorry for not being able to tell you the exact length but thanks for watching!
@@PrintsLeo3D Already helped, even with approximate measurement, thanks for answering.
Anytime! Good luck with this project .
How did you get the v slots with designs in them like the look
Hey John, I printed these with my Bambu Labs X1 carbon using the AMS system to print it in 2 colors. I used Bambu slicer to 'paint' the second color onto the v slot covers. I should still have the 3mf files if you want to have them
how much you charge to make some gold and black
Hey John, if you want to email me (printsleo3d@gmail.com) we can talk about it!
I just looked at the bottom idler plate and my 20 tooth idler has to large a diameter to fit in the plate. I see you can also use a F623 bearing, but I don't like the smooth surface running on the belt. I also don't like removing the flanges on the 20 tooth idler. What are your opinions on this feature.
Keith to be honest I don't mind the smooth bearing on the bottom pulley. I thought I might at first, but the teeth on the top two gears that drive the belt haven't given me trouble at all. I would say it's preferred to have a toothed pulley at the bottom but I don't think it's necessary for our use. I've ran two systems with the smooth bearing and haven't had an issue yet
Thanks for the reply. I already have the toothed pulleys. I am going to redraw the plates to accommodate the toothed pulleys. I started to draw yesterday and the power went out, so I think I lost what I did. It is still out after 24 hours, so just waiting to get back to it.
Oh hope all is well by you, power loss is no fun. Whole om editing or making something I obsessively click Ctrl+S everytime I make any additions lol I'm so forgetful I know if I don't do it that way I'll never do it. Good luck with the power and let me know how the project goes.
Great video but help. So many files and options how and which do if need for an older ender3
Yea Kevin offers a wife assortment which can sometimes be confusing.
Here is a link to the STLs for an ender 3, that is using the stock Bowden extruder, and still using v rollers (not linear rails). If you need some more personal help just email me (printsleo3d@gmail.com)
kevinakasam.com/snvb623-2/
@@PrintsLeo3D
Thank you very much for that link it clarified a lot
Great! Hope you enjoy the mod!
How much did you pay in total? I’m only able to self source the parts for around $50 minus a few parts I already have.
When I self sourced the first time, it cost me about $90 I think (maybe $80). I sourced everything from Amazon and in some cases I had to buy in 'bulk'. What hurt me was the screws, I had to buy 3 different kits to make up all the M3 and M5 sizes. The good part was I had enough partseft over for almost an entire second build (had to buy another set of 20T gears and idler bearing). So at this point I would say each build cost me about $45 if that makes sense lol
I printed out all the parts, but am missing the Motor Tensioning Block and Knob for low profile mount. I downloaded all Thingiverse and Github files but I still can't find the files. Can someone steer me in the right direction or point me to the files? Thanks
Hey Keith! Email me so I can send you what you need, or point you jn the right direction. I'd like to exchange some photos of the models with you so I know exactly what you need! printsleo3d@gmail.com
Hope to hear from you !
@@PrintsLeo3D I found the files yesterday on GitHub under the voron folder. I 'm still printing out the needed parts now. Sorry I thought I posted this yesterday. I will probably need more information as I progress. Thanks for responding.
Keith sorry for this later reply, RUclips marked your reply as spam(?) and I didn't see it. Whenever you need more info just let me know!
it´s the same for an CR10 V3?
I would double check Kevin's website because there are some parts that need to be downloaded for specific printers for clearance. Other than that this should work just as well, but of course the belts will have to be longer.
Going to start printing the parts out. Do I need to scale to 100.5% to print from abs?
In my experience I didn't. I printed everything at 100 scale using all ABS, and from two different (Overture) spools. I didn't have any issues so I would expect you to not encounter any as well. Probably for the best to print a couple and just check them dimensionally, if only very quickly, before you print the entire set en masse.
@@PrintsLeo3D appreciate the quick response. I will get my polymaker and hatchbox filament out and print a couple of parts from each just to make sure.
Yea that's probably for the best, just to be safe, but like I said I think it'll be all good! Glad you're giving this a shot, let me know how it works out!
Do you have a rough length for the belt for typical ender 3 height?
Judd, I don't have an approximate length right now. I'm not at home with my printers(😭) I'm away on vacation, but when I get home in a few days I'll measure mine and give you a rough estimate. Thanks for watching and leaving comments on both videos!!
Judd I just took a soft measuring tape to the belt and I would say it is approximately 91mm long. Hope it helps!
Hello Mate, 2 questions here, will it fit on my ender 3v2 and can i print the parts in PLA?
Im rellatively new to printing tho :>
Helmut, yes this mod will work with the Ender 3 V2!
As for printing the parts in PLA, you certainly can. For most of the parts PLA is fine, the top and bottom mounts, the X plates, they should all hold up printed in PLA because they won't see any heat. The transmission body that is holding the stepper motor may see some heat, and it's likely the tensioner plate that gets attached to the stepper will see some heat (due to the motor heating up while printing). I think the Z stepper is the least likely motor to heat up, but if it does it's possible the PLA parts could warp. So if you had no other option than you should be able to use PLA but be cautious. If you could print only a few parts in something like PETG, then I would print anything that is close to the stepper motor due to possible warpage.
Also if this printer is in an enclosure, you should only print it in ABS.
Hope this helps, if you have more questions please let me know.
ABS 필라멘트 채움 몇%인가요?
I did this mod. I had issues with the gantry not holding its position every time I powered off. So I had to re-tram each time I started again. Did you run into this situation?
Hey Manny! After I finished the mod on this particular printer I was getting the same issue. I went back and readjusted the inner eccentric nuts, but also I tightened the pulley around the small closed loop belt. Tightening that small belt helped a lot and my gantry stopped moving. Did you end up removing the mod ?
That is interesting. I've had this setup for over a year and I have had no issue with it moving up and down. I wonder what is different in my setup. I also have linear rails all around now but I had this belt drive for both the v-wheels and for the linear rails with-out a problem.
@@PrintsLeo3D didn't remove the mod yet as it produces great prints, but having to retram each time is a pain. I also have linear rails on this one.
Have you tried tightening up the tension on the looped belt? If you really can't find any fix I'd try going to KevinAkaSams discord and see they have had similar issues, and maybe a solution.
@@PrintsLeo3D everything is tightend. It's like the motors forget where they stopped before I turned it off. The belt is smooth as well as the linear rails. It's weird. Perhaps it's not enough juice?
I wish someone offerd a all in one kit
There are companies that Kevin has been working with that offer all in one kits for a lot of his modifications.
dfh.fm/search?type=product&options%5Bunavailable_products%5D=last&options%5Bprefix%5D=last&q=kevinakasam
I would double check everything you need is in the kit before buying. There are different setups depending on your printer (i.e. linear rails, dual z motor, etc) so just double check on Kevin's website and you should be good to go from there.
kevinakasam.com/
What hotend shroud are you using?
This is a Satsana fan shroud modified to fit a 5015 fan, and it also includes a cool vent for the front (for aesthetics). When I released the video I didn't have the link I used, and I am currently out of the country, so I don't have it. I am going to update the description with the correct model link sometime next week.
@@PrintsLeo3D Awesome thank you! It's just what I'm looking for I think.
This mod can be use in an Ender 3 S1?
Nice video!
Hey Jose, I thinks it's possible but requires a slightly different mounting along the top. I dont have an S1 so I can't confirm but from what I read on KevinAkaSams Discord, one person they knew installed the mod but I believe there was some extra work needed to get there. I know Kevin is making improvements to this mod, and I thought I remembered that they were working on a mod specific to the S1 (but I could be wrong). I would say the best info you can get is by joining his discord and asking around, there's a lot of good info to be had there , especially from people who have done this mod. Sorry for the unsure answer but it's the best I got lol thanks for watching!
Can this be done on an Ender3 S1 ?
Hey Wayne! Sorry for the late reply I was on vacation and had no service. From what I understand (from Kevin's Discord) this has been performed on an S1 but I believe there was some extra work that was needed to make it work. So I don't know if 'out of the box' this will work so easily. Kevin is constantly improving this design and so it may just be a matter of time until the S1 is fully supported. That being said I would think jumping into Kevin's Discord and asking around is the best option. Kevin is always active and if there is someone who performed it they will be able to help you. Sorry for the late reply but thanks for watching and commenting! If you end up trying this mod in the future good luck and let me know if you need any help!
Why not just use a coreXZ system if you're going to use belts on the z axis anyways?
CoreXZ is an option but they are overall different modifications. I really liked this design and found the process to be simple enough to understand, making it a good entry way mod. The CoreXZ mods out there do look really cool and can probably provide a similar or better benefit, so it's something I'll look into for the future. Thanks!
Won't the belts stretch over time?
Diana, it's definitely a possibility, Based on others experience with this mod (and mine as I've had at least one version of this running for over a year) it hasn't been an issue that has caused any significant problems. Every few months or so I would just recommend rechecking the belt tension and adjusting if necessary.
I cannot find the same closed-loop belt
Hey check the description out! When I got back from vacation I added links to all the products I got from Amazon and the closed loop belt is on there. You have to buy more than one at a time but it's not all that expensive. Let me know if the link works !
188 size
Leonard was my favorite 🐢
Same! I had an inherent bias because of my name, and the fact that blue was my favorite color as a kid lol the older I get the more I understand Raphael though lol.
@PrintsLeo3D I play the game on nes and just loved leonard and his weapons was the best imo
Donatello had that range though lol
Fantastic install vid, but you did not cover removing vertical extrusion on the old extruder rail. That was a PITA .
Hey Mark! Nice to hear you got this setup, but what part of the vertical extrusion did you need to remove? Kevin's old build required you to remove the top rail but for the newest version you don't have to which is a huge benefit.
anyone got a link for that PSU mount?
The mount can be found through Kevin's GitHub. Might have to do some jumping through folders but it can be found there. If you still can't find it I can try and share it.
@@PrintsLeo3D nevermind foundt it. thanks
Perfect! I've also used this model as well
www.printables.com/model/139612-ender-3-pro-power-supply-holder
cant you use a single long belt?
You can use a single belt (two actually) to drive the Z axis, but that would be a different setup. Take a look at the Ender Switchwire modification to check it out. Very cool stuff and a great project!
I m really interested in this mod. Have you tried to mesure the accuracy of the Z movement?
Eugenio, to be honest I didn't both getting into the nitty-gritty of measuring the movement. I tested various prints for dimensional accuracy, and those printed at or better than they did before this mod. After that I upped my speeds and printed and haven't looked back lol Thanks for the question!
mechanically its the same. I've been running this just after kevinakasam released it. I have about 1700hrs on one printer and 900hrs on a second. This mod eliminates all z banding, allows for accurate and repeatable z hop, and is extremely accurate. 20mm print, threaded rod: 19.96mm, belted: 20.00mm. 100mm print, threaded: 99.80mm, belted 99.98mm. 220mm print, threaded 219.56mm, belted 219.94mm. These were from when I first installed and I questioned the accuracy of my printed gear. You could always go with a metal gear. please print transmission housing and x motor mount out of abs or petg, pla wont hold up with these, all other parts are fine pla. you dont need to adjust any z steps either
imo z belt printers run with the problem with belt stretch more over time because its having to hold weight of the Z tram, buuuuut it could jusr be adding to thw tension of the belt and not actually an issue. id have to see. even if it doesnt, its not like a counter vallence for the Z axis movemeny couldnt be made.
You're absolutely right about the stretching. It's something I was interested in tracking myself, and so far for me it hasn't been an issue, and I have a lot of printing hours on this machine. That being said it's only my experience so take it for what it is. I thought there was talks of someone trying to create an addition to the mod that looked to help curtail that issue, but I don't know if it got off the ground with more than just talk. All in all this has been a solid mod for me, and it's great to look at, which makes me want to print with it more if nothing else. I appreciate you adding to the conversation.
@lightshow366 You can always add a keybak to help balance the load, which is what the Ender Switchwire conversion uses. I haven't found the weight is really significant enough to stretch the belts in this set up, but possibly small adjustments might be needed over time, but that is true with most moving vomponents.
This looks like a great mod!
I feel like with the gantry being supported entirely by the belts you would have some belt stretching and wear over time? And since the belt isn't entirely supported by aluminium but now by 3d printed plastic, wouldn't it warp over time?
Also I'm worried that if you power down the machine, the transmission ratio between the motor and the lead screw is not enough to prevent the printhead from just crashing down onto the bed?
I'd love to see a further update on your experiences with this.
Hey Bami! Whenever we move to a belted system like this there's always the potential for wear and then slack, and especially if you're printing in an enclosure. I haven't had any belt issues yet, and I have a lot of print hours on this, but it's always smart to be constantly checking them.
While the printhead can dip a little when the power turns off I have never had the printhead travel all the way to the bed and crash, so I wouldn't worry about that. So far this has been an awesome mod for me and I haven't had any issues from it. Hope this all helps!
💕👍
Thank you again!! I appreciate the engagement, it helps the channel and it helps me, because it means I'm doing something right! Whether it's a comment, question, or emoji anytime someone takes time to engage it's so appreciated! Thank you!
or, just get an extension cable.. those are 1 to 1 pinout and wont fry any stepper, cause they will just extend your already existing working pinout
I'm assuming you mean something like this:
FYSETC 3D Printer Vorn 2.4 Stepper Motor Extension Cables 2PCS : XH2.54-4P 2M/78.7inch Female 4P to Male 4P Motor Extension Wire White Terminal Connector Cable for Voro 2.4 3D Printer Accessories a.co/d/hkj4Sp6
Not a bad idea at all, I would still double check wire orientation to make sure they are uniformed before using. Great suggestion!
every extension cable using a plug and a connector matching whatever stepper motor you have ( or the equivalent on the board side) would work..
on my neptune 3 i have a 4 pin on the board and a 6pin on the stepper, a 4pin extension using the jst plug i have there works perfectly and would only cause issues if it was defective ( aka put together wrong, in the factory)@@PrintsLeo3D