80/20 followers have always been giving us
great ideas.
This month we are going to take a look at
a developing technology that's popular in
both business and home hobbyist.
It's one that's frequently requested, the
3D printer frame.
Now when it comes to 3D printers, there's
no better word to describe them, than Custom.
Custom projects, custom size, custom parts,
custom programming, the list goes on.
So, we've chosen the design and layout of
our 3D printer, including all of the components
such as the circuit boards, rollers, nozzles,
and extruders, based on our needs.
You'll start by deciding exactly what your
purpose is.
There's a lot of great resources out there,
such as eBooks and forums that can help you
hone in on exactly what components and size
you are going to need for your objectives
and space.
So from here, let's take a look at the one
thing that all 3D printers need, and that's
a durable, rigid, and sturdy frame.
This is what makes 80/20 the perfect choice
for a printer frame.
It allows you to custom tailor your frame
to your exact sizing needs, and also gives
you peace of mind that your frame will be
strong and rigid enough to hold up to repeated
use.
So what does our 3D printer frame look like?
For this design I wanted something that was
really sturdy.
What many people find out is that when their
frame isn't sturdy enough, you'll end up spending
a lot of time to relevel and adjust your frame
in between every printing job.
Now for my frame, I went with our 10 series
profile.
This profile family is smaller, which will
allow me to design a frame that will fit nicely
on a desk.
It also allows me to use the T-slot channel
to easily mount components precisely where
I need them along the profile.
I also want to point out that with the T-slot,
it also gives me the flexibility to easily
change out, clean, and adjust my parts.
And I can easily add-on or expand the printer
in the future.
Prebuilt "off the shelf" printers won't give
you this level of flexibility.
For my fastening method, I went with a combination
of flat plats on the outside and gussets on
the inside corners.
The combination of these two fasteners working
together help prevent any movement in the
profiles over the course of multiple print
jobs.
Next I wanted to make sure to inhibit vibration
in my frame while it's printing, so I'm going
to use leveling feet.
I went with a threaded stem foot that features
a swivel and rubber base.
The rubber base will help prevent vibration,
while the combination of the swivel foot and
threaded stem allows me to keep my frame level.
Now depending on your unique needs, you can
add-on to this frame, or there's also an "H"
configuration or an "L" type design that are
also popular.
You could also use 80/20 to build a custom
stand for your printer, or even an enclosure.
Now this is just one example of a 3D printer
frame.
Aspects such as size, style, profile series
and color, can all be designed to your specific
needs.
3D Printing is all about custom designs, and
no one knows custom designs better than 80/20.
Hopefully you found this edition of Xtreme
DIY helpful.
If you want to download design files, the
project plan, or get started designing your
own custom 3D Printer Frame, please visit
8020.net.
But until next time, make it a great day.
