Archives de catégorie : Scalar S

Scalar S – Upgrade Z Trap

This page is dedicated into the setup of the « Upgrade Z Trap » kit of your Scalar S 3D printer using Trap Lead Screws

The whole procedure is to be done at the back of the machine

The Kit contains

2 Trap lead screws
2 Steel Trap Nut
2 plastic parts

Unmounting the old system

We unlock the Z axis couplers from the leadscrew

Scalar S – Upgrade Z Trap

Remove the M8 lead screws

Remove the previous plastic part that holds the Z nut

This part has a small hole at the back in order to insert the small nut.

Installation of the upgraded parts

Replace the previous plastic parts using the new set. Notice that the center hole is larger than the previous version to properly fit the new Trap Nut

Insert the new Hex Nut into the dedicated Grooves

Insert the new Trap Screws

Tighten the Z Coupler

The setup is finished

Firmware / LCD changes to be done

In order for the firmware to take into account the pitch of your new set of lead screws, you will need to update 1 parameter inside your firmware

If you have a LCD screen

Go into the LCD menu: Control>Motion>ZStep/mm

Replace the previous value 2560 with 2133.3
Save your new settings by going into the menu Control>Save Config

Things to take into consideration

Has you have changed the pitch of the screw of your Z axis, make sure your slicer is using a compatible Layer Height

Check the following article to get more information :

What is the best “layer height” for your printer

Scalar S – Dual drive system bed upgrade

This page describes the installation of the Dual drive system bed upgrade for Scalar S 3D printer.

It postulates that you have the standard version of the Scalar S, and that you are upgrading your Y Axis.

This upgrade is a mechanical upgrade only.

It doesn’t require any firmware updates.

Bed disassembly

Removing belts

In order to continue, it’s best that you remove the belt already installed.

Keep it close as you will need it very soon.

Y axis positioning

Rail assembly

Check the procedure here

Installation of the new axis

2 sides synchronization

Remove the black screw already in place.

Keep it safe for future use.

Take great care to the pulleys directions

Do not tighten the pulleys

Tighten the stabilization screws

These screws are here to stabilize the extrusion profile, to prevent it from rotating.

Back view of the printer, we install the M5x35 black screws that we kept from earlier.

New lower plate installation

Heat plate installation

Belts installation

Follow this procedure

Bed alignment

This step allows to make sure that your bed is properly aligned to your chassis

This step takes into account that your pulleys are not tighten on their shafts. They must remain loose until the end of this alignment procedure.

Once you have checked that one side is aligned, you can tighten the red extrusion holders on the chassis on one side only.

Here we are tightening the right side. It will allow us to align the other side more easily

Slide the bed toward the back of the printer. The left axis should align itself once the bed has reach the end stop.

Hold the plastic support and tighten it on the chassis.

Now, slide again the bed toward the front of the machine this time. Once at the end, hold the plastic holder and tighten it on the chassis.

You can check that the bed is centered using the hotend. It should be able to move over the whole heatbed surface. You can adjust the position of the X end stop in order to fix potential centering issues.

Your heatbed should move freely back and forth with no issues linked to parallelism.

Also your bed should be properly aligned to your chassis now. You can check that by moving the bed edge to the front of your chassis. Using a ruler, you should see that the bed is parallel to the front of the chassis on both sides (right and left).

Tightening the Pulleys

Now that your bed is properly aligned and centered you can tigthen the 4 pulleys and you are done!

ZOffset calibration without LCD screen

This article present you the procedure on how to set your ZOffset without any LCD screeen on your Scalar S 3D Printer.

This article presumes that you are using Marlin firmware (RC8 or newer) and a Scalar S 3D printer without LCD screen.

Requirements

Consider having your extruder calibrated (Procedure here)
Connect your 3D printer to your PC using the USB cable
Install Arduino IDE for the drivers (Installation procedure here)
Download and unzip Pronterface
Download the test Gcode
- Scalar S

Starting Pronterface

Once unzipped, browse inside the pronterface folder and launch « pronterface.exe » in « Administrator » mode via the right click context menu

Pronterface GUI is starting

ZOffset calibration

Select your printer COM port (mine is COM13)

Push the « Connect » button to start the connection.

If the connection is working properly a list of text and parameters should be displayed on the console output on the right side of the application.

The information we are interested in are:

Marlin firmware version (RC8 or newer)
ZOffset current value here at the bottom (here is -0.10mm)

In order to adjust Zoffset we are going to print a calibration part compatible with Scalar S and a 1.75mm filament.

Click on the « Load File » button

Then browse for the file « Scalar_S_Calibration_retraction.gcode » that you previously downloaded

Clock on the « Print » button

If you first layer is still too high you need to:

stop printing by pressing the « Off » button
Change the Zoffset using command M851 Zxxxx with xxxx being the new zoffset
Save the new value using the M500 command
Start a new print in order to check the effect of the new Zoffset
If it’s still not good, perform again step 2

Here we show how to change the Zoffset by typing command M851 Z-0.3 into the console.We send the command to the printer using the « Send » button located at the right of the text input field.

Note that:

In order to lower the nozzle on the first layer your ZOffset must be « Negative« .
Decrement the offset using steps of 0.1 or 0.2 (ex: go from -0.10 to -0.30)
If your nozzle seems to far away from the bed, consider decrementing of 0.5mm

Start again a new print using the « Restart » button

Save your new Zoffset using command M500

Scalar S – Chassis Assembly

Check the PDF 3D to get a global view of the assembled chassis of the Scalar S

PDF 3D : Global view of the chassis

Building the chassis

3 2020 40cm extrusion profiles
2 v-slot Profiles2020 40cm (for Z Axis)
2 Extrusions profiles 2020 30cm
6 small squares
2 Double squares
20 pcs M4x8 screws
20 Pcs M4 TNuts

Use 6 small squares and pre mount the screws and TNuts

Do the same for the double squares

Tip

Move the squares on the corners. Yhe Tnut must be aligned with the extrusion profile groove.

Once properly aligned the TNuts will properly fit the groove and the square will naturally take it’s place

When you will tighten the screw, the Tnut will perfom 1/4 turn inside the extrusion profile as shown on the picture.

Check carefully that the TNut has performed the 1/4 turn so it’s properly locked with with extrusion.

Make sure the Tnut is properly positioned before finalizing your build.

When you unscrew the screws, the TNut must unlock and perform 1/4 turn on the other side. This will allows you to remove the square and the nut.

Chassis base

For the base of the chassis, you will need to use only 2020 standard extrusion profiles. Keep the Vslot (often black) extrusions for later.

Z Axis

The extrusions on both sides (here on the right and on the left) Are VSlots (often black)

The top extrusion profile is standard 2020 extrusion

Assembling both parts

Top view

Finish

List of parts

6 end caps

use the 6 end caps as shown on the picture.

Start to push them by hand slightly.

Push them up to the end. use some force if needed. You may require an hammer to push them completely in some cases.

Scalar S: Belt installation under the bed

bed installation under the bed

In this section you will need:

Scalar S: 0.9 meters GT2 belt for 300mm VSlots

Take as a reference one side of the guide

You have only 1 guide support on each side and a 300mm long extrusion profile between.

On each side you have 1x 16 teeth pulley

The belt goes inside the extrusion profile groove on top and is then tighten at the bottom under the carriage plate.

Here is a sliced view of the whole assembly.

The final goal is to have the belt in this state

Note that the Belt’s teeth are always facing the pulleys.

Take the belt and push it on one side, inside the top groove. The teeth must be facing downward.

Push it until it exists on the other side.

Once at the end, turn it so that it goes inside the bottom groove of the extrusion profile this time.

When the belt arrives at the middle of the carriage , it needs to go inside the middle hole of the bottom plate of the carriage.

Pull it enough so that you can clamp it with the dedicated plastic clamp. Make sure you have enough belt left so that you can tighten it later on.

Remove the 2 xM3X8 thermo screws that keeps the clamps screws, push the belt between and screw back the clamp.

On the other side, it’s similar, you need to push the belt inside the bottom part of the extrusion profile up to the middle of the Carriage. Then push it in the middle hole. Don’t clamp it yet.