“DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

CHAPTER 3

DESIGN, SPECIFICATIONS &

MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 37

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

CHAPTER 3

DESIGN, SPECIFICATIONS &

MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER

This chapter includes the manufacturing procedure of 3D printer through the designing

point of view. It consist of selection criterion for parts such as linear bearing, design

calculations of parts such as shaft, frame, motor, lead screw and their respective design

procedures.

3.1. METHODOLOGY:

Project objective was to study, design and fabrication of a 3d printer. We studied the

history, different printing methods and overview of the past research in the previous

chapter. This chapter includes the description of various different components used in the

development of the system project. It is really very necessary to describe the features of the

components that are used in the designing of the system.

3.2. VARIOUS COMPONENTS OF 3D PRINTERS:

Parts to be manufacture:-

1. Frame

2. 3D printed parts

1) X-axis idler

2) X-axis carriage

3) X-axis end motor mount

4) Extruder body

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 38

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

5) Extruder cover

6) Z-axis top idler

3. Spring

Part to be purchase:-

1. Smooth rod
2. Lead screw
3. Stepper motor
4. Acrylic bed
5. Heat bed
6. Linear bearing LM8 UU
7. Flexible coupler
8. Pulley GT2
9. Fan & fan shroud
10. Nozzle
11. Heater block & heater
12. Heat sink
13. 608 Bearing
14. Nut & bolts (M8,M3,M4,ø3,ø4)
15. SMPS( switched mode power supply)
16. Drive board(aurdino mega)
17. Screen
18. Wires
19. Connectors
20. Sensors
21. Limit switches
22. Firmware (Marlin)

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 39

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

3.3. FRAME:

When it comes to 3D printers, layout refers to the way the printer is designed to move in

three-dimensional space. That movement can be achieved in different ways, but the most

common of those is the Cartesian style. These printers are named after the Cartesian

coordinate system, which is the most basic way to define a point in 3D space. Cartesian 3D

printers use the same basic principle to move the tip of the hot end to a specific point. They

have mechanisms to move in the X axis, Y axis, and Z axis, allowing them to position the

hot end anywhere in 3D space. Despite the simplicity of the way Cartesian 3D printers

handle positioning; their actual construction can be quite varied on the basis of:

i. Cost

ii. Print Quality

iii. Printing Speed

iv. Estimated size of Printer

The X, Y, and Z movement is only how the hot end moves relative to the print bed. The

parts that are actually physically moving can be completely different between printers. We

decided to construct a printer having the print bed move in the Y direction, and the hot end

move in the X and Z directions [24].

3.3.1. Frame Structure:

 Rigidity, Flexibility and Reliability are the three main aspects in frame construction.

 Essentials of a Good Frame Structure:

i. Design of Frame

ii. Connections between Frame Components

iii. Frame Material

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 40
 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

Fig 3.1.CAD model of Frame

3.3.2. Specifications:

Table 3.1.Specification of Frame

Size 400×400×400 mm.

Mild Steel.

Material  Square hollow pipe of 2mm thickness.

 Size of square pipe - 20×20 mm.

3.4. PRINTED PARTS OF 3D PRINTER:

1) X-axis idler

2) X-axis carriage

3) X-axis end motor mount

4) Extruder body

5) Extruder cover

6) Z-axis top idler

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 41

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

1) X-axis idler:

Fig 3.2.X-axis idler

Table 3.2.Specification of X-idler

Layer Thickness 0.15mm

In filled Percentage 60%

Weight(gm) 38.97 gm

Fillament Used(Length) 12961.9mm

2) X-axis carriage:

Fig 3.3.X-axis carriage

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 42

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

Table 3.3.Specification of X-axis carriage

Layer Thickness 0.15mm

In filled Percentage 60%

Weight(gm) 34.47 gm

Fillament Used(Length) 11463.5 mm

3) X-axis end motor mount:

Fig 3.4.X-axis end motor mount

Table 3.4.Specification of X-axis end motor mount

Layer Thickness 0.15mm

In filled Percentage 60%

Weight(gm) 56.53 gm

Fillament Used(Length) 18802 mm

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 43

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

4) Extruder body:

Fig 3.5.Extruder body

Table 3.5.Specification of Extruder body

Layer Thickness 0.15mm

Infilled Percentage 60%

Weight(gm) 38.97 gm

Fillament Used(Length) 12961.9mm

5) Extruder cover:

Fig 3.6.Extruder cover

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 44

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

Table 3.6.Specification of Extruder cover

Layer Thickness 0.15mm

In filled Percentage 60%

Weight(gm) 38.97 gm

Fillament Used(Length) 12961.9mm

6) Z-axis top idler

Fig 3.7.Z-axis top idler

Table 3.7.Specification of Z-axis top idler

Layer Thickness 0.15mm

In filled Percentage 60%

Weight(gm) 38.97 gm

Fillament Used(Length) 12961.9mm

3.5. SPRING:

A spring is an elastic object that stores mechanical energy. Springs are typically made of

spring steel. There are many spring designs. In everyday use, the term often refers to coil

springs. When a conventional spring, without stiffness variability features, is compressed

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 45

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

or stretched from its resting position, it exerts an opposing force approximately

proportional to its change in length. The rate or spring constant of a spring is the change in

the force it exerts, divided by the change in deflection of the spring [25].

Fig 3.8.Compression Spring

3.5.1. Specifications:

Table 3.8.Specification of spring

Wire Diameter (WD) 0.8 mm

Outer Diameter (D) 8 mm

Free Length (L) 30 mm

Material Steel

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 46

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

3.5.2. Spring design (Compression spring round section): [26]

Terminology:-

F = load on spring N (Kgf)

D = pitch diameter or mean diameter of spring in mm. = 4.2mm

τ = shear stress

K = stress concentration factor

c = spring index

G = modulus of rigidity=81370 N/ mm2

δ = deflection

1. Torsional moment produced in spring

1
T= FD
2

F = (max. part wt.+ bed wt.+ nut / bolt wt.) × 9.81

= (8 kg + 60gm + 10gm) × 9.81

= (8070 gm) × 9.81

= 79.166 N.

1
T= ×79.167×4.2
2

T = 166.25

2. Shear stress due to torque only

8FD
τ=
d3

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 47

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

8  79.167  4.2
τ=
 (0.8)3

τ =1653.72

3. Shear stress in helical spring

8FDK
τ=
d3

1653.72    (0.8)3
K=
8  79.167  4.2

K = 0.999

4. Diameter of wire

8FDK
d 3


8  79.167  4.2  0.999

d= 3
 1653.72

d = 0.8 mm

5. Spring index

4.2
C=
0.8

C = 5.25

6. Stress concentration factor

4C  1 0.615
K= 
4C  4 5.25

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 48

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

(4  5.25)  1 0.615
K= 
(4  5.25)  4 5.25

K = 1.29

7. Spring rate

Gd 4
K=
8D3 N

8PD3 N
δ
Gd 4

8  79.167  4.23  N
5=
81370  0.84

N = 3.55 ≅ 4

81370  0.84
K=
8  4.23  3.55

K = 15.84

3.6. LEAD SCREW:

Lead screws come in all kinds of sizes to suit the requirements of the machine being built.

They come in various diameters and pitches (metric and standard) with one start threads,

two start threads, or even more. The diameter is factor in the strength and stiffness of the

lead screw and can help the smooth rods constrain movement to a single axis. The thread

pitch determines the mechanical advantage of the drive, because it is what controls how far

the nut is moved per rotation of the lead screw [24].

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 49

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

Fig 3.9.Lead screw [27].

3.6.1. Specifications:-

Table 3.9.Specification of lead screw

Outer Diameter 8 mm

Pitch 1.25 mm

Length 430 mm

No. of start 1

Material Composition of stainless steel

3.6.2. Design Calculations: [28]

Terminology:-

P avg = average pressure on the thread surface

Q = pulling force (Kgf)

T = pitch of thread (cm)

d = pitch diameter of thread (cm)

H = height of thread (cm)

L = length of nut (cm)

Z = number of start of thread

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 50
 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

=maximum shearing stress in the screw

[τ]= permissible shearing stress of the screw material

= Torque.

µ=coefficient of friction

= Yield stress for mild steel. (314 N/ )

K = Coefficient which lies between 6 &7.

∆t = change in pitch of the screw thread

dm =minor dia of thread

1. Design of Resistance:

Pulling force (θ) = load on ‘x’ axis = 6470.07 gm.

= 0.647 kgf.

= 6.34 N

Pitch thread (T) =1.25 mm.

Pitch diameter of thread (d) = 8mm.

No. of start (Z) = 1.

Height of thread engagement (From table) (H) = 5 ×

=5×

= 3.125.

Length of Nut (L) (Width across corners) = 14.38 mm.

Permissible average pressure on thread surface (P avg) =

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 51

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

= 0.2249

= 0.00701 N/

=1.40× N/

2. Design for strength

Where,
≤ [τ]
σ= =
= √
= 0.17 N/

τ=

Where,

×
τ=

τ= =

= 0.0698 N/ .

√ = 4.22 N.mm

= 0.109 N/

Permissible shearing stress ( ) =

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 52

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

= 44.85 N/

3. Design of stiffness:

∆t ≤ [∆t]

Change in pitch due to pulling force

∆

= 1.085× cm

Angle of twist due to torque

= 0.0203

Shearing Modules of screw (G) = 80 KN/

= 815772.97 kgf. /

= 3.26

Change in pitch due to torque )

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 53

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

= 6.58× cm.

3.7. SMOOTH ROD:

A smooth rod is a metal rod usually used on the axis for components such as the X-carriage

or print bed of a RepRap to slide on. The most commonly used diameter is 8 mm, but

10 mm and 12 mm are seen in more rigid designs as well. Stainless steel is pretty hard

steel, and doesn't rust, making them ideal to slide bushings on. (A smooth rod can be seen

as a kind of cut-to-length construction material) [29].

Fig 3.10.Smooth rods

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 54

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

3.7.1. Specifications:

Table 3.10.Specification of smooth rod

Diameter 8mm

Length 450mm

Material Stainless Steel

3.8. STEPPER MOTOR:

Fig 3.11.Stepper motor [24].

With all of this motion happening, there has to be some kind of electric motor involved to

actually make things move. There are many types of electric motors that are technically

capable of providing this motion. However, there is one type in particular that is perfectly

suited to the task: a stepper motor. The key characteristic of a stepper motor is its ability to

rotate very precisely. A plain old electric motor will simply rotate when electricity is

applied, and will rotate faster as the amount of electricity being applied is increased. This

simplicity means that a regular electric motor is very efficient, but it also means they’re

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 55

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

difficult to precisely control. This is what stepper motors were created specifically to

address. A stepper motor is a type of electric motor constructed specifically to allow

precise control. That precision is important for producing accurate and detailed prints.

It does this by rotating in a series of steps, instead of just rotating continuously when

electricity is connected. A common stepper motor, like what is used in most 3D printers,

can have 200 steps for every complete rotation of the output shaft. Because the stepper

motor can move a single step at a time, that means it can rotate the output shaft precisely

1.8° for each step (for a 200-step motor). Additionally, a technique called micro stepping

can be used to reduce each step even further. Micro stepping is handled by the stepper

motor controller, and many controllers are capable of 1/16 micro stepping. That means

each individual step can be broken up into 16 micro steps. At 16 micro steps on a 200-step

motor, the output shaft is capable of being positioned at 3,200 individual places per

rotation. That’s one position every .1125°, an incredible level of precision that simply isn’t

possible with any other kind of electric motor. This high level of precision is what makes

stepper motors ideal for machines like 3D printers. Even without using micro stepping, the

accuracy is very high. If a full rotation of the stepper motor output shaft moves an axis

1mm, each step will move it .005mm. That means each axis of the 3D printer can be

positioned anywhere within a tolerance of +/- .0025mm, and that can be made significantly

more accurate with micro stepping [24].

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 56

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

3.8.1. Specifications:

Table 3.11.Specification of Stepper motor [30]

Step angle 1.8°

Voltage (V) 8

Current (A) 0.5

Resistance (Ohms) 19

Inductance (mH) 32

Holding Torque (N.m) 0.07

Control Wires 4

Ambient Temperature -20°C~+50°C

Temperature Rise 80°C Max.

Radial Play 0.02mm Max.

End Play 0.1-0.3mm

Fig 3.12.Mechanical Dimensions of stepper motor [30]

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 57

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

3.8.2. Hybrid stepper motor selection:

Lead screw pitch: 1.25 mm.

That is 1 rotation is equal to 1.25 mm.

Pulse need:

A) How many pulse need to move 1 mm

(Used drive 200 pulse)

=1mm×

= 250 pulse.

Can our controller handle that?

That’s why drive of productivity 400 pulse is used.

B) Positioning accuracy

= 6µm.

Need less revolution → Use 0.5 pitch lead screw and decrease stepper drive pulse /
revolution.

Need more revolution → Increase stepper drive pulse / revolution.

Torque calculations:

For lifting the load,

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 58

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

Load (w) = 16.51N.

Diameter (d) = 8mm
Mean diameter = d – 0.5 (Pitch)
= 8 – 0.5 (1.25)
= 7.375mm
Coefficient of friction (µ) = 0.08
Number of shaft = 1
Angle (θ) =
Length = 2P = 2×1.25 = 2.5 mm

= 0.1079

μsecθ =

= 0.0826

= 0.0117 N.m

Efficiency of acme thread:

= 0.56

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 59

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

= 56 %

That’s why NEMA 17 (Range – 0.07 to 0.46 Nm) selected.

3.9. ACRYLIC BED:

Acrylic bed is mainly used for support for heat bed, it is mounted on plain shafts with 3

linear bearings. Above Acrylic bed a heating bed is mounted by using four springs &

screws which move in Y direction [31].

Fig 3.13.Acrylic bed

3.9.1. Specifications:

Table 3.12.Specification of acrylic bed.

Material Acrylic

Dimensions 350×350mm

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 60

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

3.10. HEATING BED:

Heated beds, as the name implies, keep material warm. A heated bed works pretty similarly

to a hot end in principle: a thermistor measures temperature, while resistive heating is used

to get the bed hot. In this case, though, the entire bed is a big resistor that heats up instead

of just a small heating element. Conventional heated beds are large printed circuit boards

(PCBs) specifically designed with large copper traces that act as a very low-ohm resistor

.When voltage is applied, this draws a very large amount of current. With all of that power

flowing through what is basically a resistor, the heated bed gets hot —anywhere from 60°C

to 120°C is common. This, in turn, heats up the build platform. And just like with the hot

end, the 3D printer monitors the temperature using the thermistor and adjusts the voltage

going to the heated bed to keep the temperature steady. One of the benefits of a heated bed

is reduction in the warping of a part. A heated bed can help combat this problem by

keeping the part warm as it is being printed. For some materials, like ABS, a heated bed is

basically a requirement. Other materials, such as PLA, don’t need a heated bed but can

still benefit from one [24].

Fig 3.14.PCB Heated bed

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 61

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

3.10.1. Specifications:

Table 3.13.Specification of PCB heated bed

Active heated area 200 mm x 200 mm

Centre-to-centre mounting holes (outside the

209 mm
active area)

Total PCB size 214 mm x 214 mm

ABS temperature range 100-110°C

PLA temperature range 50-70°C

3.11. LINEAR BEARING LM8 UU:

As far as mechanical components go, bearings are some of the most fundamental parts in

use; in fact, they’re almost comparable to fasteners like nuts and bolts. Anytime there are

moving parts, bearings practically become a necessity. The purpose of a bearing is simply

to reduce friction between moving parts. There are two basic types of bearings:

 Solid bearings (usually called bushings)

 Roller bearings.

The primary advantage of solid bearings has traditionally been cost. Because there are no

small moving parts, they’re inexpensive to make, which reduces the overall cost of the

machine being built. They were also the first type of bearing used, before the Industrial

Revolution made roller bearings feasible. Even now, solid bearings are still the most

common type of bearing in use.

But when a mechanism needs to have as little friction as possible, roller bearings are the

answer. These types of bearings, often called ball bearings, usually have three components:

an inner sleeve, an outer sleeve, and a number of small balls between the two. As one

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 62

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

sleeve is rotated, it rolls on the balls. For linear ball bearings, the shaft itself acts as the

inner sleeve and the balls roll between the shaft and outer sleeve.

LM8UU linear bearings are the most common type of bearings used in RepRap/ Mendel /

Prusa. The prefix "LM" denotes that the bearing is intended for linear motion,

distinguishing it from rotation ball bearings. The number refers to the diameter of the shaft

that the bearing will fit on. The suffix letter appears to refer to the design of the bearing. V

and U appear to refer to types of bearing seals (V indicates a non-contact seal, and U

indicates a contact seal), whereas Z indicates that the bearing has been shielded instead of

sealed. Single letters indicate that the bearing is single sealed/shielded, whereas double

letters (for example, "UU") indicate that the bearing has been double sealed/shielded [24].

3.11.1. Specifications:

Table 3.14.Specification of LM8UU bearing

Bearing type Linear Bearing (LM8UU)

Internal diameter 8 mm

Outer diameter 15 mm

Length 24 mm

Fig 3.15.Linear Bearing [32]

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 63

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

3.11.2. Selection of Bearing: [33]

Bearing selection on basis of:

1. Setting Condition:

 Stroke length: 250 mm.

 Magnitude of the applied load (Dead weight): 800 g.

 Required service life: 1000 hours of prining.

 Environment: to .

 Accuracy: ±40 micron.

2. Examine strength of the shaft:

 Shaft diameter: 8 mm.

 Shaft length: 450 mm.

 Method of fixing the shaft: Zip lock tie.

 Displacement of the shaft: 250 mm.

Selected bearing:

LM8UU (Company – Hiwin)

 24 mm long × 15 mm (OD) × 8 mm (ID).

 Dynamic load rating: 260 N.

 Static load rating: 400 N.

 4 Ball races inside.

 2 Grooves with 14.5 mm OD.

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 64

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

3.12. FLEXIBLE COUPLER:

The job of the coupler is rather unspectacular: it’s just there to connect one shaft to

another. However, various kinds of couplers exist to serve all sorts of specific purposes.

There are couplers designed to flex and others that are designed specifically to minimize

flex. Some couplers are supposed to be springy to absorb shock in the shaft, while others

designed to avoid this. In the case of 3D printers, which type of coupler is ideal depends on

whether lead screws or threaded rods are being used. If a lead screw is being used, it’s

reasonable to assume it is both very straight and very stiff. If that’s the case, the coupler

should be solid and stiff as well, so that movement is smooth and constrained to that

rotational axis. The coupler itself can be made from a variety of materials and in a variety

of styles. Aluminum, steel, and brass are all popular materials, and types of plastic can be

used as well. Designs can be a simple straight tube, can be cut in a helix to absorb forces

along the rotational axis, or can be cut with slots to absorb forces perpendicular to the

rotational axis. Most will have some sort of set screw or clamping apparatus to lock the

coupler onto both shafts, but even that may change in some specific circumstances [24].

Fig 3.16.Flexible Coupler [34]

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 65

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

3.12.1. Specifications:

Table 3.15.Specification of flexible coupler

 Flexibility of this coupler removes stress between motor and

driving component

 Compatible with NEMA 17 stepper motors (for 5mm shaft

diameter)

Dimensions 19mm x 25mm

Net weight 15g/pcs

Material Aluminium alloy

3.13. BELT & PULLEY:

Belt and pulley systems are one of the oldest mechanical systems in history and have a

wide range of uses. Aside from simply transmitting motion from one pulley to another,

they can be used to reduce a drive system to gain mechanical advantage. In its most basic

setup, a belt and pulley system is very simple. One pulley is driven by a motor of some

kind, and a belt connects it to a second pulley to transmit the rotation of the first pulley to

the second. If both pulleys are the same size, the drive system has a 1:1 ratio and the

purpose of the system is simply to transfer power. Mechanical advantage is achieved when

the pulleys are of different sizes. If the first pulley (the drive pulley) is smaller than the

second, the resulting output has more torque but less speed. When the system is reversed

and the first pulley larger than the second, the output has greater speed but reduced torque.

Belt and pulley systems are great for horizontal movement (the X and Y axes), where the

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 66

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

belt doesn’t have to bear any weight. All it has to do is pull one way, and then back the

other way [24].

Fig 3.17.GT2 Belt & Pulley [35]

3.13.1. Selection Belt & pulley:

For best performance you want at least 6 teeth in contact with the pulley at any given time.

That minimizes the chance of the belt slipping, and helps reduce backlash even further. In

practice that means you want a minimum of a 12 tooth pulley, and I usually try to get at

least 18 teeth. Beyond that minimum, fewer teeth are generally better than more teeth,

since a smaller pulley gives both more torque and more resolution. You get more torque

because the longer your "arm", the less torque you have (Imagine the load is mounted on

an arm the length of the radius of the pulley, the shorter that arm, the easier it is to lift the

load), and you get higher resolution, since you have a fixed number of steps per revolution,

and a smaller pulley moves a shorter linear distance per step.

The GT2 timing belt is a possible replacement for T2.5 and T5 timing belts that some

believe may cause backlash. The GT2 series of belts are designed specifically for linear

motion. They use a rounded tooth profile, with 2mm pitch, that guarantees that the belt

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 67

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

tooth fits smoothly and accurately in the pulley groove, so when you reverse the pulley

direction, there is no room for the belt to move in the groove [24].

3.14. NOZZLE:

Fig 3.18.Brass Nozzle (0.4mm) [36]

A fine and accurate 3D print nozzle. The brass is a great conductor for heat which ensures

that your printing head will reach the required high temperature and provide you a great

printing with different materials. A nozzle with smaller diameter will give better accurate

prints compared to a nozzle with bigger diameter. Whereas a nozzle with bigger diameter

will give faster print times. We carry wide range of nozzles diameters and you may choose

a nozzle according to your print needs. These nozzles keep getting clogged with use and

we suggest you to buy a few more than required and stock up on them if you print

regularly. The nozzle screws onto your extruder and is quite simple to replace it [37].

3.14.1. Specifications:

Table 3.16.Specification of Brass Nozzle [37]

Filament Support 1.75mm

Material High quality brass
Colour Brass colour
Nozzle Accuracy 0.4mm
Screw outer diameter M6

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 68

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

3.15. HEATER BLOCK & HEATER:

Fig 3.19.Heater block & nozzle assembly [38]

Insert the Heater Cartridge with the leads exiting the block the same side as the thermistor.

Centre the cartridge in its hole in the block. Tighten the clamping portion of the heater

block around the heater cartridge with the M3x10 screw. As in the photo below you should

be able to see very slight deformation of the heater block clamp as it wraps around the

cartridge for maximum thermal contact [39].

3.15.1. Specification:

Table 3.17.Specification of Heater block [39]

Material Aluminium

Size 20×20×10mm

Net weight 6g

Inner hole for set screw M3/M6

Inner hole for heating tube 6mm

Inner hole for

3mm
thermocouple

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 69

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

3.16. HEAT SINK:

Fig 3.20.Heat Sink [40]

Heat sinks are thermally conductive objects placed on a circuit board to help cool it. In

conjunction with a fan, a heat sink prevents overheating. In the RepRap community, heat

sinks are most commonly attached to stepper drivers. This is done with a thermally

conductive adhesive or a drop of screw lock glue [41].

3.17. 608 BEARING:

Fig 3.21.608 bearing [42]

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 70

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

Single row deep groove ball bearings are used in a wide variety of applications, they are

simple in design, non-separable, suitable for high speeds and are robust in operation, and

need little maintenance. Deep raceway grooves and the close conformity between the

raceway grooves and the balls enable deep groove ball bearings to accommodate axial

loads in both directions, in addition to radial loads [43].

3.17.1. Specifications [44]:

Table 3.18.Specification of 608 bearing

Bore Diameter [d] 8.0 (mm)

Outside Diameter [D] 22.0 (mm)

Width [B] 7.0 (mm)

Ball Complement [Z] 7

Static Load Rating [Cor] 1368 (N)

Dynamic Load Rating [Cr] 3297 (N)

Material Chrome Steel

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 71

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

3.18. SMPS (SWITCHED MODE POWER SUPPLY):

Fig 3.22.SMPS [45]

A switched-mode power is an electronic power supply that incorporates a switching

regulator to convert electrical power efficiently. Like other power supplies, an SMPS

transfers power from a DC or AC source (often mains power) to DC loads, such as a

personal computer, while converting voltage and current characteristics. Unlike a linear

power supply, the pass transistor of a switching-mode supply continually switches between

low-dissipation, full-on and full-off states, and spends very little time in the high

dissipation transitions, which minimizes wasted energy. Ideally, a switched-mode power

supply dissipates no power. Voltage regulation is achieved by varying the ratio of on-to-off

time. In contrast, a linear power supply regulates the output voltage by continually

dissipating power in the pass transistor. This higher power conversion efficiency is an

important advantage of a switched-mode power supply. Switched-mode power supplies

may also be substantially smaller and lighter than a linear supply due to the smaller

transformer size and weight [46].

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 72

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

3.18.1. Specifications:

Table 3.19.Specification of SMPS

Input 100-130 VAC

Output 13.8 VDC

Amps 30 Amps

Fuse 8 Amps

Weight 4.5 (lbs)

Weight 2.04 (kg)

Dimensions 8.19 x 7.28 x 2.4 (in)

20.8 x 18.5 x 6.1

Dimensions
(cm)

3.19. DRIVE BOARD (ARDUINO MEGA):

Fig 3.23.Aurdino MEGA [47]

In order to monitor and control those end stops and all of the other components of a 3D

printer, a control board is needed. The control board is a small computer that’s essentially

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 73

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

the brain of the 3D printer. It is responsible for both interpreting commands from the

slicing software and signals from the 3D printer’s sensors and using that information to

control the operation of the printer. Control boards come in a variety of different types and

styles from many different manufacturers. There are open-source boards meant to work

with various types of 3D printers, open-source boards meant to work with specific 3D

printers, and proprietary boards that only work with the particular printer they were

designed for. But they all tend to work in roughly the same way, with similar inputs and

outputs. Every control board needs to be able to do basically the same things:

i. Take the commands outputted by the slicing software and use them as

instructions for operating the 3D printer

ii. Monitor and heat up the hot end (and probably a heated bed, too)

iii. Simultaneously control four or more stepper motors—one for each axis,

and a fourth for the extruder

iv. Monitor at least three end stops

Doing all of this requires processing power, of course. But more importantly, it requires a

lot of inputs and outputs. Every component on the 3D printer needs to have its own input

or output (depending on its function), and they all have to be controlled or monitored at the

same time. For this reason, Arduinos are a popular choice as the base of most open source

control boards. Arduinos, by their very nature, are very well suited to this task. They’re

programmable, have onboard processing capabilities, and have native support for many

inputs and outputs. When used for 3D printing, Arduinos are generally equipped with a

shield that provides all of the connections for the steppers, hot end, end stops, and so on.

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 74

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

Or, in some cases, the Arduino and connections are all integrated into a single circuit board

for simplicity and ease of use [24].

3.19.1. Types of Aurdino Boards:

1] Aurdino UNO

2] Redboard (Sparkfun)

3] Aurdino MEGA

3.19.2. Specifications:

1] Aurdino UNO [48]:

Table 3.20.Specification of Aurdino UNO

Microcontroller ATmega328

Operating Voltage 5V

Input Voltage (recommended) 7-12V

Input Voltage (limits) 6-20V

14 (of which 6 provide PWM

Digital I/O Pins output)

Analog Input Pins 6

DC Current per I/O Pin 40 mA

DC Current for 3.3V Pin 50 mA

Flash Memory 32 KB (ATmega328)

SRAM 2 KB (ATmega328)

EEPROM 1 KB (ATmega328)

Clock Speed 16 MHz

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 75

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

2] Redboard (Spark fun) [49]:

Table 3.21.Specification of Redboard

ATmega328 microcontroller with

Microcontroller Optiboot (UNO) Bootloader

Operating Voltage 5V

Input Voltage (recommended) 7-12V

Input Voltage (limits) 6-20V

Digital I/O Pins 14 (of which 6 provide PWM output)

Analog Input Pins 6

Flash Memory 32 KB (ATmega328)

Clock Speed 16 MHz

3) Aurdino MEGA [50] :

Table 3.22.Specification of Aurdino MEGA

Microcontroller ATmega2560

Operating Voltage 5V

Input Voltage

(recommended) 7-12V

Input Voltage (limit) 6-20V

54 (of which 15 provide PWM

Digital I/O Pins output)

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 76

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

Analog Input Pins 16

DC Current per I/O Pin 20 mA

DC Current for 3.3V Pin 50 mA

256 KB of which 8 KB used by

Flash Memory bootloader

SRAM 8 KB

EEPROM 4 KB

Clock Speed 16 MHz

LED_BUILTIN 13

Length 101.52 mm

Width 53.3 mm

Weight 37 g

Our 3D Printer required more than 50 pins for connections, hence Aurdino MEGA board

is selected.

3.20. RAMPS:

Fig 3.24.RAMPS 1.4[51]

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 77

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

RepRap Arduino Mega Pololu Shield, or RAMPS for short. It is designed to fit the entire

electronics needed for a RepRap in one small package for low cost. RAMPS interfaces an

Arduino Mega with the powerful Arduino MEGA platform and has plenty room for

expansion. The modular design includes plug in stepper drivers and extruder control

electronics on an Arduino MEGA shield for easy service, part replacement, upgrade-ability

and expansion. Additionally, a number of Arduino expansion boards can be added to the

system as long as the main RAMPS board is kept to the top of the stack. [52]

3.21. SCREEN:

We will have to connect 8 pins on the arduino to the LCD display. After that we need to

configure Marlin to use the LCD display [53].

The following table show the pin assignments we are going to use:

Table 3.23.Specification of Screen [53]

RAMPS pin LCD PIN Purpose

GND 1

5V 2

3 (10K trimpot) Contrast

D16 4 RS

GND 5 R/W

D17 6 Enable

7 Data 1

8 Data 2

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 78

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

9 Data 3

10 Data 4

23 11 Data 5

25 12 Data 6

27 13 Data 7

29 14 Data 8

15 Backlight +

16 Backlight -

3.22. SENSOR:

Fig 3.25.Inductive Proximity Sensor [54]

Proximity sensor that detects nearby metal, including aluminum foil; a great solution for

heated bed calibration. The proximity sensor will detect large metal fields at 8mm distance

with great precision. This allows you to accurately measure the distance to an (aluminium)

heated bed .The sensor is equipped with a small red detection LED, indicating a nearby

object. The sensor has an M18 threading and includes a nut for easy mounting to your 3D

printer. The Proximity sensor is a PNP Normally Open (NO) type of proximity sensor.

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 79

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

This means that the signal lead will output a positive voltage (same as the input voltage)

when a metal mass is detected. When nothing is detected, the signal is equal to ground.

Most modern 3D printer firmware has some sort of auto bed levelling procedure available,

but it will need to enable it. You can use this sensor as the z min end stop. Most firmware

will also use the min end stop as a probe, but some allow a separate probe to be defined.

This sensor operates at 6-36V, so as the signal voltage is the same as the input voltage, also

the signal will be 6-36V [55].

3.22.1. Specifications:

Table 3.24.Specification of Inductive Proximity Sensor

Dimensions

Length 70 mm

Outer diameter 18 mm

Wire length 100 cm

Electrical specifications

Operating
6-36 V
voltage

Current 0.3 A

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 80

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

3.23. END STOPS:

Fig 3.26.End Stop [56]

An end stop is a small and simple component with one very specific purpose: to tell the 3D

printer when it has reached the end of each axis. This is a very important function, because

it’s the only way the printer can know where the zero point of each axis is.

Without end stops, you would have to manually position the hot end each and every time

you used the printer, which would be especially difficult for the Z axis (which has to be at

an extremely precise height above the bed). With such an important job to do, you might

think that end stops would be expensive components. But in reality, they’re actually

generally very cheap parts. That’s because they’re simply switches—just very sensitive

switches. The key traits of an end stop switch are sensitivity and repeatability. They need

to be triggered by the faintest touch and at exactly the same distance every time.

This is usually done in one of two ways:

i. Mechanically

ii. Optically

Mechanical End Stops:

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 81

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

Mechanical end stops are the simplest, cheapest, and probably most reliable type of end

stop. They are, quite literally, just a physical switch that is triggered when each axis gets to

its zero point. The switch consists of a small arm that sticks out from the body of the

switch. When the extruder carriage, build platform, or Z assembly reaches the end of its

axis, it pushes on the arm to temporarily trigger the switch. The switch is either open or

closed in its normal state, and the control monitors what state it’s in. When contact is made

on the arm, the state of the switch is reversed. So if it was open before, it’s switched to

close. If it was closed before, it’s switched to open. When the control board sees the state

change, it knows that particular axis is at its zero point [24].

3.24. FIRMWARE (MARLIN):

Firmware Info [57]:

Details Description

Name: Marlin

Author(s): Erik van der Zalm: Active as of February 2014; Bernhard Kubicek: Active as of

November 2011

Status: Active as of June 2014 Development on this firmware appears to be very active.

Forked from Sprinter and Grbl.

Features

• Look ahead (Keep the speed high when possible, High cornering speed.)

• High step rate

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 82

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

• Interrupt-based temperature protection

• Interrupt-based movement with real linear acceleration

• Preliminary support for Matthew Roberts' advance algorithm. (For more info see: this

reprap-dev mailing list message).

• Full end stop support

• SD Card support

• SD Card folders (works in Pronterface)

• LCD Support, graphical and character-based (Ideally 20x4, but 16x4 also

supported.)

• LCD menu system for autonomous SD card printing, controlled by an click-

encoder.

• EEPROM storage of configurable settings (e.g. max-velocity, max-acceleration,

etc.)

• Arc support

• Temperature oversampling

• Dynamic Temperature set pointing aka "Auto Temp"

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 83

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

• Support for QT Marlin, a very beta GUI for PID-tuning and velocity-acceleration

testing.

• End stop trigger reporting to the host software.

• Includes a customized SD Card Lib supporting long filenames

• Heater power reporting. Useful for PID monitoring.

• Core XY support.

Compatible Electronics

• RAMPS

• RAMBo

• RUMBA

• Sanguinololu

• Ultimaker's Electronics version 1.0-1.5

• Generation_6_Electronics

• Generation 7 Electronics

• Duemilanove 328P

• Melzi and Melzi v2.0

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 84

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

• Azteeg X1, Azteeg X3, and Azteeg X3 Pro

• Megatronics (Megatronics 1.0, Megatronics 2.0, and Megatronics 3.0)

3.25. ASSEMBLY OF PRINTER:

Fig 3.27.Assembly of Frame

Fig 3.28 Assembly of heat bed, bearing, acrylic sheet, bed

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 85

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

Fig 3.29 Assembly of lead screw, support shaft, motor, extruder

Fig 3.30 Electronic Connections

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 86

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

Fig 3.31 Final Assembly of Printer

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 87

 “DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF 3D PRINTER”

3.26. COMPARISION:

Comparison of our 3D printer with Prusa i3 MK2 3D Printer kit:

Table 3.25.Comparison of printers [58]

Prusa i3 MK2 3D
Sr.No. Description EOTF 3D
Printer kit
1 Technology FDM FDM
2 Type Material extrusion Material extrusion
3 Mechanical arrangement Cartesian-XZ-Head Cartesian-XZ-Head
4 Printable materials ABS, PLA ABS, PLA
5 Filament diameter 1.75 mm 1.75 mm
6 Print size millimeters (xyz) 250 x 250 x 250 mm 200 x 200 x 200 mm
7 Accuracy 6 Microns 5 Microns
8 Feeder system Direct Direct
9 Extruder type Single Single
10 Nozzle size 0.4 mm 0.4 mm
11 Max extruder temperature 280 °C 280 °C
12 Max heated bed temperature 80 °C 120 °C
13 Frame Mild Steel Aluminum
14 Bed leveling Fully automatic Fully automatic
15 Display LCD LCD
16 Firmware Marline Marline
17 Connectivity SD SD/USB
18 Input 110 – 220 V 110 – 220 V
19 Price Rs.42,280 Rs.26,000

DEPARTMENT OF PRODUCTION ENGINEERING [DYPCET] Page 88