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Frequently Asked Questions

This document is actively being refined and edited for mistaeks.

General Questions

Why another 3D printer?

Note

TODO This is a longer story that I'd like to get right.

Can I get a kit from somewhere?

That would be super cool, but not at the moment.

Can you build one for me?

No, but a Bill of Materials is in the final stages of verification and formatting. In addition, documentation on the assembly and configuration process is ongoing.

Will you come work for my company?

Hey, that's a cool idea. Here's my LinkedIn. Reach out and we'll find out.

Conceptual

Why so many lock washers?

A bag of 500 lock washers costs not much more than 100. A builder will need more than 100 lock washers no matter what I do, so I standardized on M5 screw + lock washer + tee nut where it is reasonable to do so.

Also, Loctite eats ABS if it's not completely dry, and there's a lot of it in this printer.

Why a V6 hotend instead of [x]?

Several reasons:

  • V6 clones are readily available and generally only differ in length with respect to compatibility
  • the mount interface can be reused for other hotends that are "groove mount" style, like the newer Dragon hotends.

Why does the Z axis not have a third driver?

That's on the todo list for the future. Given time and cost constraints, two steppers has to do for now. With silicone columns and a BLTouch for assisted leveling, it's less a problem than a "nice to have".

I have studied the RatRig design and find their three-point leveling design exceptional. Future iterations of this project may adapt a similar bearing-style magnetic mount.

Why not a larger build volume?

I strongly considered this, but settled on the Creality CR-10 form factor. Going larger starts becoming quite troublesome:

  • Overall increase in cost beyond 310x310mm
  • Power usage scales nonlinearly, as bed volume scales quadratically and chamber volume cubically.
  • CR-10 build plates are cheap and readily available. 350mm build plates (and larger) are harder to come by.
  • A 300mm^2 build plate can still reasonably be heated with a built-in DC heater. Larger areas require AC pads, which means adding a relay, a cutoff, more wiring...and more risk if mis-installed.
  • The Z volume is limited somewhat by the stepper being placed outside of the chamber. This necessarily sacrifices about 150mm of thread, and a 500mm lead screw is already hard enough to get aligned.

However, MIC-6 aluminum build plates are plentiful enough now that a future revision of this project will likely switch over to using one.

Why don't you use M4 screws?

To keep the number and type of screws down. This project is made entirely of M3 and M5 screws with the exception of the bed and PSU, which both require M4 fasteners for mounting.

Materials and Sourcing

Do I have to use the same brands for materials (e.g. Misumi)?

Most of the printer is substitutable with OEM materials. Although initial support is only provided for the BIGTREETECH Octopus MCU, a FYSETC S6 or Spider would theoretically work just as well. The only part that can't be substituted without major work is the Raspberry Pi.

There is a really good supplier that sells custom [x]. Why don't you use their product?

I'm avoiding single-source parts (Raspberry Pi and MISUMI door frame notwithstanding). Ideally this will keep costs down as well as prevent supply and sourcing issues.

Can I use Neopixels (WS2812B, 5V) instead of WS2815 (12V)?

Yes. You can even use a different driver, like APA102, as long as it uses no more than 4 wires (VCC, GND, and one or two data). The SP901E is a data repeater and compatible across a range of voltages. That said, you may see a small difference in lighting quality with a 5V LED string like the Neopixel due to voltage drop across 2 meters of wire.