Cross Brace Up-Grade...

[The Hat]

I’ve waited a long time to get this upgrade on the printer, the screws/t slot nuts were lost in transit, but they got here eventually, the Chinese supplier was more than helpful.

I used these bottom and top bracket models I got from thingiverse.com, they are a bit OTT in size, and I reckoned I could have made the pair much smaller myself, this only became obvious after I had installed them on the printer.
Click to enlarge.
I used two 6 mm threaded metal rods 60 cm long that came from the local hardware store and I coated then in two different coloured tubing that I’d made earlier, the tubing were to long to make as a single piece, so why not make them in two colours.

The brackets were a bitch to fit and I only used 3 screws instead of 4 on each to hold them on firmly, I had to jiggle them about to get all the nuts to lock in position at the same time, they wound have been more suited on the back than on the front.

As to whether they will make any difference to the overall quality and performance of the printer remains to be seen, and they could only be for window dressing, BUT if they get in my way and become a nuisance, then they’ll come off rather quickly, I reckon the trash bin could do with the extra window dressing..

 

[stratman]

Have no idea why this upgrade but I like the No Dog Sh*t sign.

 

[The Hat]

Have no idea why this upgrade

The original idea for this upgrade is to stop or cut down on the vibration created by the Y Axes, when the head is moving very fast on a small area, it is noticeable that the up-right bars shake, and these two new cross bar supports are supposed to cut down and stop the flutter.

That’s the theory...

 

[stratman]

Would something like rubber grommets help dampen vibrations? These are used in custom computer builds.

http://www.vibrationmounts.com/Store.asp?Page=Products7.htm

 

[The Hat]

Would something like rubber grommets help dampen vibrations?

If only, but sadly no, some say to use stay wires instead of solid metal bracing, but again you could be getting in deeper over your head, just like me...

 

[Redbrickman]

Well The Hat, as you are forever experimenting, when you get itchy feet again and need to rip it apart you can try this one and compare the results

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mG5io5ojmyI

 

[berttheghost]

Would something like rubber grommets help dampen vibrations? These are used in custom computer builds.

http://www.vibrationmounts.com/Store.asp?Page=Products7.htm

No, the need is to eliminate the motion. (It shows up as defects in the print, just as slop in the positioning of a 2d print head would.) The Prusa I3 and its clones all suffer from this particular weakness to some extent. It is at its worst when printing tall objects. The triangular braces are a good solution so long as the attachment points are solid. A t-shaped brace at the base of each side of the vertical member also helps.

 

[The Hat]

I am not really gone on the piano wire idea, I reckon it could magnify the issue, rather than stopping, and it might well encourage it, plus if you swing around to quickly, you may slice yourself in half coming in contact with the wire...

 

[FryingSaucer]

One of the first upgrades I did for my Anet A8 was strengthening braces for the y axis. Did it make any difference? I don't know. Maybe if I hadn't done it prints would have been worse.

The z axis supports improve the look of the printer. It will be interesting to hear whether they actually improve the quality of your prints.

 

[The Hat]

@FryingSaucer, So far, I used the printer on two projects and I can’t say whether these cross braces make any different one way or the other, the vibrations can still be felt in the frame, I did tighten and level my Z Axes and that did make a huge difference...
The jury is still out on the cross braces...