Looking for recommendations on how to mount a 200x300mm PCD heat bead.

3D Printing
,
1

Looking for recommendations on how to mount a 200x300mm PCD heat bead. Was going to run 2 openbuild v-slot rails down both long sides.

Question is, should I only mount it on the 4 corners for bed leveling? or should I mount using the middle hole also for middle stability? either way, I have a glass top for it.

2
  1. v-slot is quite expensive for this job, t-slot will do (unless you have leftovers from the frame/etc)
  2. strive for 3-point leveling (not 4)
  3. you haven’t mentioned what type of printer are you working on…
3

thanks for the feedback. it is for a scratch build printer and already have the v-slot. understand the 3 points makes it easiest to level, but worried about warping… should i be?

4

Prusa style? corexy? it’s important to know how is the bed moving (on Z or on Y), this way people can suggest designs that you can draw inspiration from.

3-point-leveling is the best option there, you should be careful to design it in such a way that lateral wiggling is minimized or entirely avoided. There are some interesting reads over at reprapforums (one example: http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?1,669872)

5

Loosely basing it on Voxel OX

http://www.openbuilds.com/builds/voxel-ox-extendable-3d-printer-and-cnc-platform.2418/

6

@Mark_Rehorst Check the explanations and the links provided in the digital_dentist’s signature in the thread i’ve linked you to…

7

is a good read, thanks for the link. i think i’ll go for 3 point. will run 2 rails to the front on edges for adjusting and 1 backwards for the anchor. going to stick with Cartesian Style for now. generally don’t print especially tall things.

8

There are lots of good ways to build the bed. 3 point leveling is mathematically “true” but I have found that reality often rewards 4 point (4 corner) manual leveling. It is more convenient if you are already supporting the bed at the corners. The corners are also very convenient locations for adjustment wheels… I build Prusa i3 type printers and do it that way with a 1/4 inch thick plate of aluminum on top to build on. (even heating, mechanically rigid, no glass to break - using aquanet hair spray to keep it sticky) Also note that a 200mmx300mm heater pcb board is going to ask too much of some controller boards like ramps 1.4. I’d have the ramps turn off and on a 12v automotive relay which controls the power for the heating pad. Until I did that, the heating pad was much slower to heat up than the print head and I got tired of replacing power transistors in the ramps board. That said, its your project and it should reflect your priorities and style.