90% done modeling the Eustatios in Solidworks (making slight changes as I go). I am just passing the time while I wait for my steppers to arrive from china to build it. Every nut, bolt, and fitting will be included when I am done. I am using it as a project to learn BOM and print making functions of Solidworks. Once I get completed I can post in multiple formats (step, stl, sketchup, spaceclaim). Let me know if anyone is interested.
Just for clarity if anyone doesn’t know Eustathios is a @Jason_Smith design not mine. I am just making a few mods and he designed it in Sketchup which I have never had much luck with so I decided to model it in the software I know. I only started using solidworks recently… so I can use the practice.
I see you are moving away from the COREXY. I am wondering about one smooth rod per side on the Z but i see a lot of other people do this. On my 12x12 i am using 2 Z rods bot on one side only. On my 24 i am using 2 Z rods per side so iam interested to see how this work’s out for you. How do you get a accurate measurement for the closed belts. I have found that a 4 point bed leveling system is far harder to level than a 3 point
@Wayne_Friedt for belts I use the belt function in solidworks. You can either define the belt length and components (with degrees of freedom left in the model) will move to the proper location, or fully define the locations and it calculates the belt length. I am not moving away from corexy. This is just my 2nd printer. I liked Jason’s design so much I had to build it. My 24x24 not is still corexy.
Urhg, that sounded a bit negative, not intended to be. I really like the overall design and it’s great to see it in a better cad format. Nice work @Eclsnowman
@Tim_Rastall bed plate is just a mockup for now. It looked close to the bracket and this plate is acting as my heat spreader for the silicone bed. So I mocked up some holes to increase surface areas to dissipate heat… Where a better solution is to move it away from the bracket.
On a side note I am torn on the extruder carriage. Seems like there are a lot of variation on the design with the ingentis versions out there.
I am actually contemplating a modular design where I could run Bowden for speed 90% of the time. But for flexible filament or slower speeds a pg35l geared stepper could mount for direct drive (kind of like the zortrax printer). I am having trouble visualizing the design while keeping it compact and balancing the weight. I would love some ideas if anyone has some.
I’d avoid pg35l if I were you. Been there, killed 2 of them. You’d be better off with a geared down Nema 14. I’d been working on a variant of the airtripper that uses a small closed belt and printed gt2 wheels. I’ll dig it out.
I’ll definitely have a look at it in SW14 if you make it available. My day job is about 90% SolidWorks, so if you have any questions, go ahead and ask.
Do you plan to print ABS? One thing I’ve been wondering about with this recent crop of largish T-slot printers (since Ingentis, really) is why they are large enough to be enclosed for ABS, but I don’t see that inherently in the design. I see corner brackets used on T-slots in these designs, but wouldn’t polycarbonate side panels for an enclosure do the job better?
@Dale_Dunn I will be enclosing it also. I did that with my corexy. I figure with the corner brackets + panels it will be bullet proof. I have always built things BT asking the question “could I park a car on it”
But I don’t want to count on the panals for all the strength. My corexy has the panels mounted with wing nuts on the outside, and slot nuts with studs in the extrusion. IMHO ease of maintenance and accessibility is king.
My enclosed corexy reaches thermal equilibrium of 55C in the enclosure when the bed is 110C. This is about perfect for ABS.
@Tim_Rastall love to see the design of the direct drive ingentis carriage. I am thinking of making it 2x8mm rods horizontal per axis on the gantry if I go direct drive (ala the zortrax design). This is to add rigidity for the added weight on the extruder carriage from the stepper.
