2- Z Axis (0.8.4 Kit)

1.5mm Allen Key

2.5mm Allen Key

3mm Allen Key

5mm Allen Key

6mm Allen Key

• Gather

Lay the frame on its back, propped up with the back feet.

Lean the linear rail into the frame against the arm base plate. It can help to lean the rail against a box.

Take one of the M6 x 20mm screws and lift up the end of the linear rail that is against the base plate.

• Align the holes in the rail with the group of four holes in the base plate and loosely thread one of the M6 bolts in to hold the rail in place.

Take the threadlocker and put a dot on the end of another M6 x 20mm screw

Repeat with the other screws, finally removing the first screw you put in and putting threadlocker on it.

• Tighten all four screws with a 5mm Allen key.

You can now stand the printer upright again.

• Gather

Notice that unlike the base plate, the top plate is the same on both faces, so it doesn’t matter which side is up.

Take the 19 tooth pulley and put it on the z axis motor shaft.

Push the pulley down until the set screw is just above the bottom of the flat face of the shaft. Tighten the set screw with a 1.5mm Allen key.

Take the top plate and put the slotted hole over the pulley.

Attach the motor to the top plate with the four M3 x 10mm screws. Leave them not fully tightened for now.

• Gather

Taking the ball screw, spin the nut on it until it is at about the halfway position on the screw.

Take the rubber washer and slide it up the ball screw to where it is positioned under the ball nut.

Take the Proximal mount and slide the large hole in it onto the ball screw against the rubber washer.

Take the four 25mm screws and put a drop of threadlocker on the ends.

Attach the ball nut to the proximal mount with the four 25mm screws.

These screws do not need to be very tight, just tighten enough for them to be secure.

With the ball screw from the previous step, gather the arm base top plate from earlier in this section and the 60 tooth pulley.

Insert the end of the ball screw with the longer taper through the round hole in the top plate.

Put the 60 tooth pulley over the end of the ball screw with the set screw side of the pulley facing the end of the ball screw.

• Don’t push the pulley all they way up to the threads on the ball screw, leave about 5mm of space between the pulley and the threads.

Tighten the set screw with a 2.5mm Allen Key.

Gather

Insert the washer into the divot in the arm base plate.

Take the 10 T-slot nuts and insert them into the top rails on the tree accessible T-slots the base plate is attached to.

• Three on each of the shorter lengths of T-slot, and four on the longest section.

• Look at the top plate and try to get them generally spaced out how they are on the plate.

• Gather

Insert the M4 screw through the ball screw support

Note the orientation of the top Z axis plate in the picture, this piece is directional.

Attach the ball screw support to the threaded hole on the top Z axis plate.

Insert the hook of the spool holder into the cutout slot in the Z axis top plate. Note there is nothing holding this part in plate yet other than friction, try to keep it from falling out.

• Gather

Lift up the ball screw assembly over the printer and slot the cutout in the base top over the linear rail.

Take the 75 tooth belt, and while lifting up the ball screw assembly by the proximal mount, loop the belt around the two pulleys.

Let the ball screw down and insert it through the thrust washer in the base plate. Keep a hand on the ball screw.

Open

take the four pillow blocks and insert two on each linear guide, with the threaded holes facing the front of the printer. let them slide to the bottom for now.

Take the top Z axis plate and put it on top of the linear rail. The hook of the spool holder that is around the plate should go in the hollow part of the linear rail, and the ball screw should go in the screw support.

• Attach the Z axis top plate with two of the M6 x 20mm screws in the back two holes. You don’t need to fully tighten them at this time.

• Now the ball screw is secure.

Gather 12 M4 x 10mm screws.

Lift up on each side of the base top plate. Look at the T-slot nuts on all four sides and line them up with the holes in the plate.

While it’s still able to move around, take the wire from the Z-Axis motor and run the wires through the hole in the top plate to the side of the motor and through the frame out to the square hole in the back.

Start attaching the base top plate with the M4 screws. While doing so pull forward on the plate since the belt tension will be pulling it back.

Open

• Once done, fully tighten the 12 screws with the 3mm Allen key.

• Gather

Place the Z carriage plate in front of the Z bearings.

The top and bottom sets of holes are for the bearings, first hold the plate in plate by attaching one M8 screw each to the bottom two bearings, then pulling up the other two bearings while you attach them.

Finish attaching the plate with the other four screws and fully tighten them with the 6mm Allen key.

Lift up the carriage to just above the proximal mount.

Take the now threaded T-slots and attach them with the M6 x 20mm screws to the Z Carriage plate. Fully tighten them.

Now raise the carriage up to where you can look under the T-slots. Take the six M4 T-slot nuts and insert them into the bottom slot, three on each.

Lower the carriage to just above the proximal mount and align the six T-slot nuts with the holes in the proximal mount.

Attach the proximal mount to the carriage with the six M4 x 10mm screws.

Before fully tightening the six screws, look at the top of the Z axis and the support block. The screw should be centered in its support and should not be pressed into any side. If it is currently pressed into the front or back, shift the proximal mount forward or backwards to center the ball screw in the support.

Lay the printer on its back.

You can now access the Z-Axis motor through the hole in the base plate.

Look at how level the belt is between the two pulleys, if it is at an angle, loosen one of the pulleys and shift it to level the belt.

Pull the motor up to help tension the belt and tighten the two top screws on the motor.

Next tighten the bottom two screws on the motor.

• The belt should now be tensioned. Turn the pulleys by hand to make sure the Z axis moves smoothly, if not the belt may be over tightened.

Gather

Remove the top Z plate for now.

Insert one of the M4 screws into one of the holes in the support bracket

Loosely thread the T slot nut onto the screw.

Slide the T slot nut down the side slot in the Z axis to the top base plate.

Use another M4 screw to attach the bracket to the base plate.

• Tighten the screw in the T slot nut.

Repeat on the other side of the Z axis.

Gather

Insert the two screws into the holes in the filament guide.

Attach the filament guide to the top of the Z axis through the front two holes on the top Z axis plate.

• Tighten the four screws on the Z axis plate with the 5mm Allen key.

• The Z Axis is done, Congratulations!

• When you are ready, let’s continue to the Toolend Assembly.