# 3D Printer Bolt on mod for my Castcnc



## bloomingtonmike (Dec 13, 2011)

I built a 52X62X8 CastCNC Joes 4X4 Hybrid R&P with welded base, vrail, and 2.2kw water cooled chinese electrospindle with Hitachi VFD.

Now I am attempting to bolt on a QU-BD MBE dual extruder. I will be adding another G540 to my existing machine. Plan to use a 8"X8" heated bed and Nuri's GNEXLabs GECS2TC1 and GECS2TS1 boards to control the temp monitoring and DC DC relays to the 12VDC to power them. Everything will be DIN mounted in a 16X14X8 Hoffamn steel enclosure..

OK, had a little shop time today.

Some parts:




























Dug out some DIN components I had too.











Here is the Z mount, plates, and 1530 mounted. This will get a Drop plate and the eventual extruder mount.



















I cut some DIN rail and mounted it. I also figured out my PS arrangement. Made sure fans and most vents were open.










Next up I will cut the hole for the G540 and some connectors.


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## Garyk (Dec 29, 2011)

I have no idea what you are talking about but it sure sounds impressive. lol Maybe I should spend more time on the CNC forum to educate myself.


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## bloomingtonmike (Dec 13, 2011)

An airsaw, drill, tap later here is what I have.


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## geotek (Mar 4, 2012)

It will be interesting to see how it works out. Frankly, I would think that the gantry of a CNC router whould be much too massive for the very fast starts, stops, and turns required for 3D printing. As I recall, my Thing-O-Matic runs about 50mm/S over short distances, so there is quite a high acceleration factor. The filament from the extruder is only 0.4mm in diameter. It takes a lot of that fine filament to cover even a few square inches. If the gantry is a problem, you could always run the table on x/y, like the Thing-O-matic. You could get by with lightweight components because there is no tool pressure on an extruder.


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## bgriggs (Nov 26, 2008)

50mm per second is only 118 IPM. I regularly run my machine in the 300-600 IPM cutting speeds and rapid movements at 1200 IPM.

Bill

http://www.makermasters.com/inexpensive-3d-printers/


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## bloomingtonmike (Dec 13, 2011)

If it does not work I will rebuild a seperate machine. Controller is designed so I can move it somewhere else.

Drilled out a few more holes, used a greenlee 7/8 BB Knock Out Punch, and a rattle can of Rustoleum Hammered Black and BAM.

Thank you to Andy at UgraCNC for the switches.


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## geotek (Mar 4, 2012)

bgriggs said:


> 50mm per second is only 118 IPM. I regularly run my machine in the 300-600 IPM cutting speeds and rapid movements at 1200 IPM.
> 
> Bill
> 
> Inexpensive 3D Printers -


I just guessing because if he is using a Gecko G540, the stepper motors are probably pretty small. The G540 is limited to 3.5A drive. This does not necessarily limit top speed, but it has quite an effect on acceleration. Since most work done in 3D printing is small excursions, the ability to accelerate very quickly is key to filament lay-down speed.


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## bloomingtonmike (Dec 13, 2011)

geotek said:


> I just guessing because if he is using a Gecko G540, the stepper motors are probably pretty small. The G540 is limited to 3.5A drive. This does not necessarily limit top speed, but it has quite an effect on acceleration. Since most work done in 3D printing is small excursions, the ability to accelerate very quickly is key to filament lay-down speed.


From what I have read 99% of folks DIY'ing 3D printers run an arduino based RAMPS controllers with $15 Pololu drivers from what I have read and use nema17 motors and most use belt drive. The G540 is 4 drives each rated at 50V at 3.5amp nominal. The pololu is rated 1amp (and can max at 2amp if you super cool them) at max 35V. 

Where again is the G540 and nema23s with R&P a step in the wrong direction?


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## bloomingtonmike (Dec 13, 2011)

My version of Turkey day. The boards traveled 5767 miles. These are my temp control boards from Nuri at GnexlabStore.


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## geotek (Mar 4, 2012)

bloomingtonmike said:


> From what I have read 99% of folks DIY'ing 3D printers run an arduino based RAMPS controllers with $15 Pololu drivers from what I have read and use nema17 motors and most use belt drive. The G540 is 4 drives each rated at 50V at 3.5amp nominal. The pololu is rated 1amp (and can max at 2amp if you super cool them) at max 35V.
> 
> Where again is the G540 and nema23s with R&P a step in the wrong direction?


In a Thing-0-Matic, for instance, the build platform is moved in X/Y. This section that is being moved only weighs about 4 to 6 ounces. How much does your gantry weigh? When Makerbot redesigned the TOM and created the Replicator, they changed to a fixed platform (in X-Y) and designed a super lightweight gantry which probably weights half of what the TOM platform weighs. Remember, the extruder produces zero tool pressure, so it can really be optimized for high acceleration. A laser engraver with flying optics is similar. On a router or milling machine, you want strength and stability. If the router system is not rigid, poor and inaccurate cuts will be made.


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## bloomingtonmike (Dec 13, 2011)

Add in a few feet of wire.....


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## bloomingtonmike (Dec 13, 2011)

Moving a bit slower. Started a new position at work and it is kind of draining my energy. 

Extruders are here.
Ultimachine 1.75PLA filament is here.
Harry's drop plate arrived today.
I have 33' thermocouplers coming from Minnesota. 
I have another thermister PID replacement board on its way from Turkey (I have a bad LED on my 1st one) along with some of nuri's thermocouplers. 
Ordered a new MBE QU-BD extruder mount plate (makergear one) that will be easier to adapt to my CNC I think and also ordered some other extra accessories (tape, shrink, insulation, etc ane the new nozzles they have for sale.

Its coming together.


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## bloomingtonmike (Dec 13, 2011)

Tonight I solder up a Homann G540 resistor/POT DB9 connectors to the G540 end of one of Ahrens 20' cncrouterpart cables (afetr cutting off his connector). His cables are nice but the 3.5K ohm resistor was not right for the 1.2amp nema 17 motor on my extruder. I hooked that connector up to my multimeter and dialed in 1.2K ohms of resistance. Then put it in a DB9 shell.

Then I cup soldered up a male DB9 connector to the nema 17 motor and alo put it in a shell.

I hooked both up to my existing G540 to the Z axis and did a test drive. Worked perfect.

Tomorrow I will hook the 2nd controller up and jog it as a 5th axis or attempt too 

The 30' thermocouplers came in today too and I played with them. They will get connected to the amphenol ecomate connectors tomorrow. 

Also need to drill out my drop plate.


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## bloomingtonmike (Dec 13, 2011)

Drop plate done. I can now adjust it up and down through foru access holes. Easy enough to move it up out of the way when not in use. 



















Nema 17 DB9 solderd up and one of Ahrens cncrp cables with the end changed for a 1.2K resistor. 










Harley sign for a customer










Clean up!


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## bloomingtonmike (Dec 13, 2011)

Also made a video tonight of getting the two G540s working in Mach. Also shows movement of 4 axis on one computer through two parallel ports.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlRwirsfRVc


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## Noob (Apr 18, 2009)

Wow, this is very impressive, please post a vid of it creating something once it's complete.


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## bloomingtonmike (Dec 13, 2011)

So got the signs done and shipped. Went back to the printer.

Also decided to build a standalone printer as well as the add on. Choose an Ord Bot Hadron kit and got that ordered. Also will drive it with a RAMPS 1.4 controller, Pololu motor controls, an Xteeg digital display and SD reader when they ship (backed the Kickstart), and 12V 30amp power supply. Will not require a PC.

Here are the latest pictures. Got one extruder assembled. I changed to a Maker Bot Gear and the ball bearing Minimalistic MK7 Replacement tensioner for the filament. Hot end has a heater cartridge and a Thermister for now. 

Also worked on the RAMPS 1.4 (Chinese version) and Pololu A4988s and got those all soldered up. I loaded Marlin firmware on the RAMPS. It is a shield for my Arduino Mega 2560.


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## bloomingtonmike (Dec 13, 2011)

Merry Christmas!

Got the extruder mounting bracket built out of some 1/8" thick 2" Angle Alum. 
Here it is mounted - Lowered and Raised.


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## bloomingtonmike (Dec 13, 2011)

Got the top half of the extruder wired up. Made it pluggable to make it easy to remove. Wired a 4 conductor cable, a thermocoupler, and the 9 pin serial cable to drive the stepper motor. Next up - wire the controller for the wires coming out of the E chain. Won't be long before I see what this extruder can do.


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## bloomingtonmike (Dec 13, 2011)

I fixed the triplicate picture issue on the last post. 

Last night I wired up the control box with the amphenol ecomate plugs. The heater cartridge 12V positive is switched by one of the 25amp rated 12Vdc relays. That relay's control coil is switched by the 12v out on the gecs2tc1. Then I also wired 12V negative for the heater coil. I also passed unswitched 12v positive and negative on pins 3 and 4 of the ecomate plug. This will drive the fan on the extruder heatsink. In the future that may also drive a 2nd fan on the hot end or I might just rebuid the extruder and incorporate a water cooled hot end.

Since I decided to run the thermocoupler (green wire at the hot end on the extruder) straight through to the gecs2tc with no plugs at the hot end (thinking that might make it more accurate??) I did not hook it up to a ecomate plug at the controller either. I used a 3/8-1/2 nomex connector to fill one of the plug holes and the thermocoupler wire will just pass right into the box.

For the heated bed connector, I wired switched 12V positive through a second 25amp 12Vdc relay. That relay's coil is switched by a different card - a gecs2ts1. That card uses thermisters for monitoring temp and heated beds mostly have thermisters. The gecs2ts1's relay output switches the heatedbed 35amp relay coil. The connector also gets straight through 12v negative. I went and wired the thermister input to conductors 3 and four as well on that connector as all the thermisters you solder on your own wires anyway. This way the heated bed is completely monitored, powered, and pluggable through the one connector.

Tonight I will add the plugs.


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## bloomingtonmike (Dec 13, 2011)

Getting very close.

First off today I fixed my software errors from yesterday. Also made a mm profile so I can play with speeds on some kind of level ground with other printers.

I got the plugs installed and the rest of the wiring done the other night. SSRDs need to be wired very specifically. 

Then today I built a ball bearing filament spool holder. I used on of Ahren's plates again and drilled and tapped it for some 3/8-16 all thread. Also cut some T bushings for the filament spool. Each side had a different size hole. I used some V bearings I had laying around. I test fit the setup then took the cups off and primed and painted the MDF. Used the hammered black. 























































Then I prepped the machine and warmed it up.



















Still have a lot to play with but it is extruding!



















Mikie


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## bloomingtonmike (Dec 13, 2011)

Some updates to my ORD Bot build. Wiring is buttoned up. Need to mount the heated bed (Helios) and mount the power supply better and install a nicer power switch. Coming right along.


My ORD Bot 3D Printer Build - Quick Jog - YouTube


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Hi Mike.

That is a great project. I would like to ask however, if there as a real $ saving in building your own, or is it a satisfaction thing?


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## bloomingtonmike (Dec 13, 2011)

jw2170 said:


> Hi Mike.
> 
> That is a great project. I would like to ask however, if there as a real $ saving in building your own, or is it a satisfaction thing?


BOTH 

The fully assembled Ordbot is more than double what I have in it.


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## Noob (Apr 18, 2009)

Congrats on a beautiful machine and an awesome build! Even the wiring is clean, my hats off to ya.

Not exactly sure what kind of critter you made, but it looks like your machine is working good.


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## bloomingtonmike (Dec 13, 2011)

First completed print on my ORD Bot. - YouTube

Click the link ABOVE


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## bloomingtonmike (Dec 13, 2011)

MVI_2357 - YouTube

Latest print on the Ordbot. An $800 whistle  Printed the ball on teh inside at the same time. When it was done I stuck a pick inside and "plink" it was loose


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