Gathering information for DIY Large Printer build - any help much appreciated!

[MystiqueEngineer]

Hello everyone!

I am going to build a large format 3D printer, and I have some questions that maybe some of you have the answers to. So any help is much appreciated!

The size of the print-area will be 1600x600x800mm. I have built a printer before out of a parts kit from china. It was fairly large, with a print-area of 310x310x420mm. Needless to say the Chinese seller didn't speak much English, and their "technician" wasn't much more knowledgeable than I was after a week with Google - so I ended up using a new Marlin software, and editing it until it functioned with my printer.

My printer ended up functioning quite well. But being a open frame design, I wasn't able to use any of the ABS I bought with it. (I wasn't read up properly on the needs of ABS.)

Since then I have been employed for a while as a CNC-machinist, and the need for a printer for prototyping disappeared. However, now it would be very nice to have a 3D printer again at home for easy prototyping of designs. If my build succeeds, and it can give pleasing results, then my employer wants me to build one or two at work for the same use.

I'm going to use 80x80mm T-Slot extruded aluminium for the frame, as this is easy for me to cut and assemble accurately. The table will be mounted into the frame. The table will be screwed down to a welded and end-machined frame, with PEEK spacers in slots underneath the table. This is to allow the heated 15mm grinded aluminium table to move the small distances it will do due to heat distortion. The plan is to utilize a pre-grinded aluminium plate, which is treated from the manufacturer in such way that gives minimal tension in the material, and also as little heat distortion as possible.

The printer will have 4 extruders, mounted on two custom machined water-cooled blocks in aluminium or copper. The printer will get a fully heated enclosure, so water cooling is necessary. All movement will be with ballscrews, and linear rails like SBR-20 or HGR-20. I plan on keeping the X, Y and Z -axis assembled in the back of the machine, so that I can keep all high precision movement parts cooled down, without affecting the 3D printing in the enclosure. The open space between the two will be separated by bellows.

All movement will be controlled by servos, and not steppers. I know this is a controversial thought for a 3D printer, even though it has been done already. I've done some research on the subject, and I know that steppers are good enough in most scenarios. However, I want to make sure the printer is not able to skip steps, and most importantly; I need it to be quiet. The prototype for this machine will be placed right next to me by my computer. And I want to make sure that I can remove as much noise as possible. I figured the best way to start would be to replace the steppers with servos. I am not really worried about the cost of servos over steppers. I am more than willing to spend 1000 to 1500 USD on servos with encoders if that is what it takes. But when it comes to the process of making a 3D printer controller normally using steppers, to utilize servos instead, I'm not sure where to start.

Here are some questions I am hoping we could discuss:

1. What would be the best controller for me to use for a build like this?

2. How would I go about using servos with encoders to control movement from a controller normally using steppers? Would the best way be to make a 'translator' with Arduino?


Thank you for reading! Right now I'm doing design and research, but I promise to post progress when the building is commencing!

PS: Sorry for the very, very simple models I have attached pictures of. I've only been designing it after work on a couple of days to start somewhere. I need to have a plan for servo-drives etc before I continue.