@@ -201,16 +201,14 @@ The current design uses 2 lead screws attached to Nema17 motors ot lift the buil
3. 3 lead screws + 2 linear shafts run by pulleys/belt and single Nema17 motor.
4. 2 lead screws + 4 linear shafts driven by 1 Nema17 motor with belt and pulleys
- 20 teeth pulley on motor and 40 teeth pulleys on lead screw
[Thingiverse Design from Gavitka](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2761562) and his [CAD model on Onshape](https://cad.onshape.com/documents/e7649e3888db4d61f17f5d40/w/3f454d3ecf79df8221cb6c13/e/d05210b36b3cba6cdb46aa0a)
-[Thingiverse Design from Gavitka](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2761562) and his [CAD model on Onshape](https://cad.onshape.com/documents/e7649e3888db4d61f17f5d40/w/3f454d3ecf79df8221cb6c13/e/d05210b36b3cba6cdb46aa0a)
5. Single stepper motor with 2 belts on either side to lift bed [design]/https://drmrehorst.blogspot.com/2017/07/ultra-megamax-dominator-z-axis-design_65.html)
This is a good question to make a comparison table. All-metal hotends Vs. PTFE liner hotends.
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### **All Metal Hotend vs PTFE Lined Hotend**
All metal:
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@@ -222,19 +220,44 @@ All metal:
PTFE liner hotend:
- Limited working temperature. Above 250 PTFE will start to degrade.
- PTFE tube needs to be replaced more or less often, depending on the use of your printer.
- PTFE tube needs to be replaced more or less often, depending on the use of the printer.
- Retraction performs better.
- Plastic is less likely to get stuck in inner wall (PTFE is very nonstick).
- When using PTFE liner, the plastic is melted very close to the nozzle. Unlike other techniques, in FFF/FDM 3D printing this is more desirable. E.g. to avoid 'heat creep', for a better flow control and more accurate output dimension.
- This is a high end well engineered hotend with a copper heat sink and copper alloy heater block.
2. Triangle Lab's Dragon - 60 Euros
- The dragon design takes the heater block design from the E3D V6 and the heat sink design from the mosquito and at a price of 60 Euros is the better option of the three. The copper heatsink allows the possibility of a less bulky cooling fan option.
3. E3D V6 (Original or Triangle Lab clone) - 15 Euros is the tried and tested E3D design. The heat sink here is however aluminium which has much worse conductivity than copper and so needs much more cooling in an enclosed heated chamber for instance.
[Comparison Video from User Nero3DP](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTI86ZhNLTw&t=69s) who has had thousands of hours printing experience with the respective nozzles.
All three print relatively similarly good for the average user if they are correctly calibrated. However, they each have some advantages and disadvantages as listed above.
Best Budget Option is the E3D V4 from trianglelabs which prints perfecttly well but maintainence and nozzle changes are difficult. Plus the heat exchanger is big and cumbersome which needs much more cooling. The design is also heavier than the other two designs. The dragon hotend seems to hit the sweet spot. Both the dragon and E3D V6 will be tested.
### Heated Bed Choice
[Online Calculator](https://jscalc.io/calc/uS8JYjYISgIvzJ1x) to calculate time needed to heat an aluminium or glass build plate with heatbed platform of specific size and power.
Minimum heatbed power to heat the aluminium build plate to print PLA (70degC) is about
**Various Options for Linear Bearings on Smooth Rods**
1. Bronze bushing - Smooth bearings but could suffer from slip-stick effect if not properly aligned. Thez also need to be regularly lubricated.
2. Linear ball bearings LMXUU (with X for shaft diameter) - Less smoother than bronze bushings but also louder. Thez are more forgiving of misalignment. Thez are also less susceptible to wear.
3. Igus bearings (special polymer bushing) - similar to bronze bushings and are also susceptible to slip-stick effect.
4.
-[Discussion](https://www.3d-druck-community.de/showthread.php?tid=11060) on difference between various linear bearings
