Modified Wooden X-Carriage with some curves

I have not gotten around to replacing this wooden x-carriage & decided to revisit the original design to see if I could make it more curvy like my other redesigns & make it stronger in the process. Here is what I came up with. The volume of the part is 5.6 cubic cm smaller (68.2 versus 62.6) & Pronterface shows the print using 6' less filament. My 1st version of this new design just had it curved around the holes, but since the weight is really only being carried by the top wheels I decided to cut it open at the top middle to see what it would look like. I think with the ledge around the outside top should give it plenty of strength and I do not see any interference problems. I started to put another couple of holes where the belt is clamped, but thought that might take too much strength away from the design. Since the heat from the extruder probably gets a little caught under that plate, I am wondering if putting a couple of heat relief holes to each side & slightly above the bottom center wheel would be a good idea. The 2nd photo shows that idea. I could also take out those 2 bottom outer holes & slant those 2 Shelf supports inward. Originally I thought that might concentrate more heat underneath, but adding those 2 extra holes should help that. Here is a photo of the design. The top of it kind of reminds of bib overalls. Let me know if you have any suggestions about any of this.
Attachment 6258Attachment 6260

After sleeping on this idea, I made a few changes. I turned the hot end on after raising the X-carriage up a few inches to feel how much heat is under that carriage. i was surprised how cool it was. I added some holes 5mm apart on the carriage plate. I originally tried putting a smile cut there, but seemed to cut a lot of strength out of it. I also added a ledge around the bottom bolt, rounded the extruder cutout & added a couple more welds underneath. Thought about adding a couple more holes between where the belt clamp is, but not sure I should do that. In the attached photos, I show the bolts & nuts in red for reference clearance.
Attachment 6272Attachment 6273

I kind of like the look of this part even more with the smile on it. It will be kind of a hidden smile, since you don't really see it with the extruder attached. I also changed my x-belt clamp to match the contour of the x-carriage. I will probably print this today to see how it really looks and feels.
Here are a couple of photos of the new design.Attachment 6286Attachment 6287

I printed up and installed the X motor mount and X idler and have been using them for a few days. They seem to be working well, I wouldn't mind replacing the carriage also but I use auto bed leveling so I would have to have something built into the printed carriage to hold the servo assembly for the ABL. It would be pretty difficult to fit a servo in there with the curves on the lower supports though.

Thanks,
Chadd

Do you have an example of how that connects to the X-carriage. I have not gone to the ABL method yet. I could make an alternate version without the curves on the bottom fairly easily. It is easier to take the curves away than add them.

Is one of these the way you are connecting the ABL to the x-carraige?
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:336709
or
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:335632

I am using the file that Clough42 uploaded, it is the second one you linked.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PyramidDave

Do you have an example of how that connects to the X-carriage. I have not gone to the ABL method yet. I could make an alternate version without the curves on the bottom fairly easily. It is easier to take the curves away than add them.

Is one of these the way you are connecting the ABL to the x-carraige?
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:336709
or
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:335632

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Chadd,

I downloaded Cough42's stl files & overlaid the profile into my design taking out the curved edges of my design on the bottom. If this looks like what you want, I can put the STL files on my website for you to take a look at & print. I would prefer to have the design tested before putting on thingiverse. I printed the curved design today & it seems quite solid & fits on the printer. I cannot flex the plastic at all. I printed the test part with PLA at.6 infill & weighs 2.1 oz.
Here is the photo of the design with the ABL mounting holes & my printed curvy version.
Attachment 6291Attachment 6292

That would be great,

Thanks,
Chadd

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PyramidDave

Chadd,

I downloaded Cough42's stl files & overlaid the profile into my design taking out the curved edges of my design on the bottom. If this looks like what you want, I can put the STL files on my website for you to take a look at & print. I would prefer to have the design tested before putting on thingiverse. I printed the curved design today & it seems quite solid & fits on the printer. I cannot flex the plastic at all. I printed the test part with PLA at.6 infill & weighs 2.1 oz.
Here is the photo of the design with the ABL mounting holes & my printed curvy version.
Attachment 6291Attachment 6292

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Here you go. http://www.zewind.com/i3V_X-Carriage_rev19_repaired.zip
I will leave the file there for a couple of days.
It could stand to have the 2 side edges chamfered also, but I can not get to that for a little while.

I will print one up tonight.

In case you did not print that yet. I added some rounding to the sides & also put my X-axis belt clamp in the zip file. The belt clamp matches the contour of the outside of the x-carriage. I also added a version with ears on the corners to keep it from lifting off the print bed if you have that problem. The link for the download is: http://www.zewind.com/X-CarriageModified_rev20.zip
Here is a screen capture of the design showing the change.
Attachment 6294

I did get it printed out but I am going to have to reprint. It ended up being a bit weak in the thin area along the bottom edge of where the servo mounts. Going to have to tweak print settings a bit for better layer adheasion. This thing was a pretty long print.

If printing in ABS or even one of the other types, you may want to try the version with the ears that are .5mm high. You can cut them off easily with a box cutter knife afterwards. That seems to really help my prints stick, although occasionally it has not always worked. Did you test the fit of the servo with that print before trying it again or was it too bad of a print to test that?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PyramidDave

If printing in ABS or even one of the other types, you may want to try the version with the ears that are .5mm high. You can cut them off easily with a box cutter knife afterwards. That seems to really help my prints stick, although occasionally it has not always worked. Did you test the fit of the servo with that print before trying it again or was it too bad of a print to test that?

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The servo seemed to fit ok but the print cracked along a layer around the servo area.

With the approximate 16.5 deg. overhang in printing that opening, there is a little bridging involved. I did not really look at that opening that closely last night, but I have printed a completely vertical overhang before & it drooped a little at 1st but final part came out ok. That was when I did a test print of a one piece version of the LCD wood panel with the bottom LCD opening at the top of the print. If the overhang does not print well, you could try adding some support. I prefer not to print support if I can help it.

What type of plastic were you printing with, ABS, PLA, PETG, ...? I am really liking the PETG plastic.

I printed it using ABS, I had S3D generate support for that area. It was just poor layer adhesion that caused it ABS is a pain sometimes but I don't trust PLA for those type of parts.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PyramidDave

With the approximate 16.5 deg. overhang in printing that opening, there is a little bridging involved. I did not really look at that opening that closely last night, but I have printed a completely vertical overhang before & it drooped a little at 1st but final part came out ok. That was when I did a test print of a one piece version of the LCD wood panel with the bottom LCD opening at the top of the print. If the overhang does not print well, you could try adding some support. I prefer not to print support if I can help it.

What type of plastic were you printing with, ABS, PLA, PETG, ...? I am really liking the PETG plastic.

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I know what you mean. I mostly printed it PLA for testing, since it is so much easier. I had a thought using a small brass rod to give it more support from the heat of the extruder. Essentially adding a bump of plastic with a hole for the bar to go thru just behind the top of where the extruder mounts. This idea worked really well with the Y-bed design I made. Looks like there is enough room with the ABL added also. I will post a photo later when I have time to draw it up. I could add some support within openscad that might be less plastic than the slicers generate.

After looking at this design some more, I decided to modify it further. I liked CalifDan's idea of adding another triangle support to his Bull dog Lite ( http://3dprintboard.com/showthread.p...ll=1#post60903 ) & looks like I have room to put one on this carriage. I would really like to print this in PETG instead of ABS, so I am trying adding a brass rod in the design & give it plenty of spots to dissipate the heat. I kept Chadd's idea of allowing for adding an ABL on the side. I just change 1 variable in the openscad file to print that version. I added an angled Z into each side to see if that gives more support versus making those solid.
Here is a photo of what I have so far.
Attachment 6419

I took another look at CalifDan's design & realized there is not really any reason that I can see to make that opening larger where the hotend is, so I opened that up a little wider leaving 6mm of plastic from the opening to the mounting holes.

Attachment 6420