Play between the carriage and the x-belt - a significant issue?

[Endymion]

I have discovered recently that there’s a play between the carriage and the x belt on my 6 months old replicator 2x.

i don’t have the tools to measure by how much, but my guesstimation would be around the 0.5mm-1mm.

I wrote to makerbot support, they referred me to this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1FWj-ZHEVA&list=PLoA5JeieP4Q1-V8V17oZsOLro6A2Bhk2g,

and I sent them the video and photos that they requested (attached).

I’m no expert, but to my understanding it seems like the play is in the difference in width between the teeth on the carriage and the teeth on the x belt, which doesn’t seem like tensioning the belt will change this difference, but of course i followed the instructions closely.

When I replied to makerbot that tensioning the belt didn't change a thing, their reply was:

From the video, the play does not look significant enough to cause an issue. I would like you to tighten your X axis belt and let me know if this helps: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1FWj-ZHEVA&list=PLoA5JeieP4Q1-V8V17oZsOLro6A2Bhk2g (yup, that’s the same video they sent me 1 email before that)

Does it make sense and those killer ripples and barely round circles in my prints are a result of an entirely different issue or is makerbot just trying to dodge a warranty claim?

Doesn’t seem very logical that on a printer that it’s claimed x-resolution is 11 microns (makerbot site) a 500-1000 microns play isn’t significant enough to cause an issue..

[Steve Johnstone]

Hi,

There was a post a while back very similar. The problem was found to be on the plastic extruder carriage. There was play where the x belt clipped onto the carriage.

If I recall the solution was to make a new clamp system for the belt.

It's really disappointing the the guys a Makerbot don't follow these threads.... Or maybe they do and chose to just ignor them. Instead they prefer to send you on a whild goose chase.

I will try and find the original thread for you.

[Steve Johnstone]

Link - https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!searchin/makerbot/X$20belt$20play/makerbot/4GwROs4dw90

[Eighty]

A dab of hot glue at the belt/carriage interface would fix it. Should you decide later to disassemble things, the glue is removable.

[Joseph Chiu]

While it would be nice, high resolution does not guarantee high accuracy(*) -- there are mechanical "slop" in the system.  Taking out the slack is key, of course, but the momentum of the carriage being slung around, especially on tight circles, will cause the actual nozzle position to overshoot from the calculated position.  Those ripples along the holes are corner ringing - again, slowing down will help.

(*) I keep hearing my H.S. teacher saying "You can be very precisely wrong."

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[Endymion]

Thanks for the tip Joseph, i'll keep that in mind!

I used Spk64's approach https://groups.google.com/d/msg/makerbot/80fTHxXKFp0/gAUq6eVqMa0J (I don't have hot glue available ATM), it helped eliminate some of the play, still not perfect though..

Seems like Carl's Alucarriage just made it to the top of my list..

Thanks ya'll!

[lovethepirk]

I have a FF and have prints with corner ringing as explained above. I saw a post a while back stating if you put your long straight surfaces along the y axis it will help. That took out almost all the ringing.

In the same post it was said it would be best to put that straight edge at 45 degress on the x and y. I have not tried that yet.