Zim guts for 2.0

tookys · August 17, 2015, 12:29am

Ive decided to essentially gut out my Zim and yse the materials salvaged from it to make a new printer from scratch.

(Im doing this to my second zim, still love the way my first one is running)

My plan is to use the same controller board servos abd etc. But to redo the frame with pieces of T-slot extruded aluminum. And everything else being 3D printable.

Looking at what zim did on their mechanical side i really really love. If it wasnt for their buisness model and poor Q.C. i think they could have made it a new standard for 3D printing.

(The holding nut in the extruder with the 4 notches should have been made longer with 2 flats for easy wrench tightening.)

Anyways my eventual goal is to make a easily sourced alternate extruder head for everybody with a current zim. With an alternate goal of making a new 3D printer whose parts are more easily sourced.

I plan to use the same design as zeepro used as much as possible, cause i think they were really onto something with it.

I finished the disassembly today so here is what I have.

I have a write up for most of the connections with the current board. But i messed up the chip on the head. If anybody who is also planning to git their zim like i did. Could either finish the write up or send it to me to finish what ive got itd be appreciated.

Tymcode · August 18, 2015, 10:26pm

Have you uploaded what you have so far? I have a GitHub repo I’m playing with for stuff like this if you need a home for it that is collaboration-enabled.

tookys · August 19, 2015, 12:54am

Sure, that’s fine by me. I do my work in solidworks for the most part.

I don’t have anything ready for upload, I have gone ahead an ordered a stash of extruded aluminum to use for the project.

tookys · August 24, 2015, 1:39am

Anybody interested in helping me with some of the design works.

My initial plan is to redesign everything to be easily made with off the shelf components as possible.

I also plan to do it in phases of compatibility.

1- redo the frame for zim guts.
2. redo the motion systems, that are compatible with zim frame and redo frame.
3- redo the nozzles and filament drive systems. that is compatible both with zim motion system, and redo motion system. With the use of Insomnia’s nozzle design.

and
4- redo the system using the same base design, to have a 1000mmX1000mmx1000mm build area.

It’ll be a few months before i get to the extruder redesign, this im hoping to be a way of replaceing the steppers and etc of the Head.

Anyways here is my initial plans and BOM for the frame. (I kinda went overboard on the connector joints, primarily cause I’m wanting to keep everything the same when i go to the larger scale.

Here is my current plan. For those trying to figure it out, my plan is for the gantry on the bottom with the platform moving on top. (Yes I’m designing it to be upside down. This is to help it save cost on materials, and I’m curious what effect it may have. If it doesn’t work out, The design can be easily changed right side up.