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Re: The State of the Gear

Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2017 3:27 am
by quaver
The M4 concept would be great. Our office is presently looking for an FDM machine and we have determined this is the sweet spot for size. As for suggestions, a means to rigidly lock X-Y-Z would be a big help when attempting to remove a part from the print bed. Keep up the good work.

Re: The State of the Gear

Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2017 3:50 am
by zemlin
quaver wrote:As for suggestions, a means to rigidly lock X-Y-Z would be a big help when attempting to remove a part from the print bed. Keep up the good work.
Personally I don't think that would be a wise practice. Better to remove the bed so you aren't stressing any of the drive/support components while removing the build.

Re: The State of the Gear

Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2017 2:39 pm
by 3dPrintingMD
zemlin wrote:
quaver wrote:As for suggestions, a means to rigidly lock X-Y-Z would be a big help when attempting to remove a part from the print bed. Keep up the good work.
Personally I don't think that would be a wise practice. Better to remove the bed so you aren't stressing any of the drive/support components while removing the build.
Zemlin is spot on, the constant removal of parts from the bed will without a doubt wear out the carriage on the Y axis. After just one year of bad practices, my carriage was well worn and there was significant slop. I changed it, and it was amazingly tight.

Always remove the bed from the printer when removing parts.

Re: The State of the Gear

Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2017 1:06 am
by Extruder
MakerGear shipped my M3-SE today (June 14th) and it is scheduled for delivery on Friday (June 16). I ordered it on May 4th. If you have simple questions that I can quickly and briefly answer about the M3 then feel free to let me know. Please keep in mind that it is my first 3D printer.

Re: The State of the Gear

Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2017 3:56 am
by quaver
3dPrintingMD wrote:
zemlin wrote:
quaver wrote:As for suggestions, a means to rigidly lock X-Y-Z would be a big help when attempting to remove a part from the print bed. Keep up the good work.
Personally I don't think that would be a wise practice. Better to remove the bed so you aren't stressing any of the drive/support components while removing the build.
Zemlin is spot on, the constant removal of parts from the bed will without a doubt wear out the carriage on the Y axis. After just one year of bad practices, my carriage was well worn and there was significant slop. I changed it, and it was amazingly tight.

Always remove the bed from the printer when removing parts.
The locking mechanism I am suggesting would isolate the guides and related drives from the loads associated with removing an object from the print surface. If it did not/could not provide this function, it couldn't be called a locking mechanism.

Re: The State of the Gear

Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2017 11:29 am
by zemlin
quaver wrote:The locking mechanism I am suggesting would isolate the guides and related drives from the loads associated with removing an object from the print surface. If it did not/could not provide this function, it couldn't be called a locking mechanism.
I'd be interested to see your concept drawings for this mechanism.
Locking & Isolating the table from the near-zero clearance guide rails seems like a tricky proposition.

Re: The State of the Gear

Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2017 7:47 pm
by sthone
Just saw on Reddit people are starting to get their M3's...

Remember we want to see some better pictures. (especially that new bed fan setup) :D

Noticed a few new things in the pictures posted.... New top plate (think that was mentioned before) can't see any limit switches on the top plate either (wonder if it's in the box at the end of the rail now?), and the filament drive is new too... bearing and tension screw is on the left side now. (I think because of the new fan mounts.)

Re: The State of the Gear

Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 12:24 am
by owenwp
I am very curious about how the new trademarked bed leveling works, and the network connectivity options.

Re: The State of the Gear

Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2017 6:45 pm
by 3dPrintingMD
Agreed on the bed fan, I'm really hoping its something that can be 3d printed and used on the M2.

Re: The State of the Gear

Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2017 7:10 pm
by sthone
From what I read the leveling software prints some kind of zigzag pattern in the four corners and ask whether you can peal it off in a single piece or strands... I guess this is how they tell if its too close or too far away. (no more feller gauges I'm guessing) The person who tried it though thought the leveling was all software controlled but they didn't have to adjust anything and they didn't see any leveling screws on the bed. I'm guessing you still have to adjust the four corner screws though because they are still there from what I've seen.

As far as the fan goes the new fan shroud is a printed piece (and weird looking I might add) but it mounts to an extended version of the hotend mount so it's not going to work on the M2's without making you own mount or buying the M3 mount piece. Here's a picture. I'm not so sure about it though I like to be able to see the hot end and it looks like it blocks the view pretty good... I'm going hold off final judgement until I get my hands on the STL and give it a try though.

-Steve