Stage 03: Platform

Un-pack all of the rails and place them on a flat surface.

Each rail should have an orange rubber stopper fixed to each end, make sure they are in place as they will prevent the carriage from sliding off the rail.

It is important to not let the carriage fall of the rail accidentally as the small ball bearings can fall out and can be difficult to put back in.

Slide the carriage along the rail, make sure the movement is smooth and that there is no play.

There are 4 350mm long rails.

For the platform stage of the build we need to select the rails that have been cut with the mounting holes nearest to the edge.

The remaining 350mm rail is intended for the gantry, it has its mounting holes 15mm from the edge.

Prepare 4 Z-Rail Mounts by adding:

M5 x 10mm Button Head Bolt

M5 T-nut

Fix the Z-Rail Mount assemblies from the previous steps onto two 350mm long MGN9 rails.

Fix onto two holes from the edge of the rails as shown.

M3 x 6mm Cap Head bolt

If you are installing the enclosure adjust the position of this Rail Mount by moving it one hole up on the rail. This is to allow room for the enclosure door hinge.

Mount the rail assemblies onto the inside of the frame as shown.

The bottom of the rail should sit 20mm above the frames extrusion as shown.

Prepare the third Z-Rail as shown:

350mm MGN9H Rail

M3 x 8mm Cap Head Bolt

M3 T-Nut

Mount the Z-Rail to the rear of the frame as shown.

The bottom of the rail should sit 20mm above the frames extrusion as shown.

Adjust the rear extrusions position so that it lines up with the motor shaft.

Loosen these bolts to be able to slide the extrusion.

Fix the 3 Z-Carriages onto the Rail carriages.

Z-Carriage

M3 x 8mm Cap Head Bolt

Fix to the underneath of the carriages from the previous step the three Z-Brackets.

M5 x 10mm Button Head Bolt

Rear Z-Bracket

Left Side Z-Bracket (shorter)

Right Side Z-Bracket

Note, the left side Z-Bracket has a shorter arm than the right side bracket.

Fix an anti-backlash nut onto each of the Z-Carriages as shown.

Anti-Backlash Nut - match the orientation as shown.

M5 x 16mm Cap Head Bolt

Assemble three Oldham Couplings as shown.

M3 x 6mm Cap Head Bolts

Fix the three Oldham Couplings onto the shafts of the Z-Motors as shown.

Tighten the bolts to hold in place. Make sure one of the bolts from the coupling is tightened against the flat of the motor shaft.

Thread the three lead screws through the anti-backlash nuts and down into the oldham couplings.

Tighten the bolts on the couplings to secure the lead screw in place.

Thread into the anti-backlash nut an M5 x 12mm grub screw.

Tighten the grub screw incrementally while testing the movement of the nut along the lead screw. The goal is to reduce backlash without making the movement too stiff.

Before starting clean the platform surface with an alcohol wipe to ensure there is no dirt or grease on it.

Stick over the aluminium platform plate the magnetic flex-plate sticker.

You may find this sticker, being magnetic, stuck onto the back of the black PEI flexplate.

Ensure it is stuck onto the side shown in the image where the mounting hole has a recess cut into it.

Peel away from the front edge the backing paper and line the sheet up with the edge of the platform. Press the sticker down carefully, preventing any air bubbles from forming. Continue pulling the backing paper away and pressing the sticker down onto the platform until the entire sheet is stuck down.

Flip the platform over and again use an alcohol wipe to make sure the surface is clean.

Peel the backing paper from the silicone heater and fix it to the centre of the platform as show.

Orientate the cables as shown.

Secure in place:

M4 x 10mm Button Head Bolt

Thermal Fuse

Earth Cable

Add the calibration probe cable to the heater cables.

The calibration probe cable is a 1M long, 3 wire (red, white and black) cable that has a connector on either end.

Take the braided cable sleeving and cut 50cm of it. Wrap all of the cables together in the sleeving.

Mount the Platform Assembly to the Z-Brackets:

M4 D5 16mm Shoulder Bolt

M5 x 8 x 0.5mm Shim

Yellow Compression Spring

We recommend mounting the rear of the platform first and then the front.

Use cable ties to fix the cables to the rear Z-Bracket as shown.

Ensure around 15cm of the probe cable is hanging out.

Feed the other end of the cables into the base and also secure with cable ties.

Secure the cable tie at the end of the braided sleeving.

Wire the platform as according to the diagram.

Bed Signal Cable - 15cm

Probe cable

Bed Power Cables - polarity not important.

One cable to SSR Relay

One cable to Neutral line

Thermistor to control board.

Earth to cable to Earth line.

Use cable tie mounts and cable ties to clean up the wires.

Ready to move onto the next stage? Click here.