Ultimaker rev.3 assembly: X-Y axes

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Assembly guide

Mechanical assembly of the Ultimaker revision 3 (click for an overview)

3. X-Y axes

6. Material feed mechanism

7. Mounting the electronics

Click here for a detailed photo series of the construction on our flickr account. Here are some more pictures, of REVISION 1, that may be of use.

1 What you'll need
- 1.1 Parts needed in this section
2 Step 1: Inserting the ball bearings
- 2.1 Parts needed in this step
3 Step 2: Assembling the X/Y Bushing blocks
- 3.1 Parts needed in this step
4 Step 3: The claws
- 4.1 Parts needed in this step
5 Step 4: Mounting the caps
- 5.1 Parts needed in this step
6 Step 5: Mounting the axes
- 6.1 Parts needed in this step
7 Questions or comments regarding this page? Let us and others know!

What you'll need

This is one of the more tricky steps. Make sure you're fully caffeinated and/or relaxed, or whatever works best for you!

Time needed:
About 60 to 90 minutes.

Tools needed:

Hex keys (2mm)
Hex key (1.5 mm)

**Parts needed in this section**
Qty.	Description	Notes
8	Ball Bearings 8mm	Used for in the frame.
16	Bolts 16mm	Used for the bushing blocks.
16	Bolts 30mm	Used for the bushing blocks.
16	Bolts 10mm	Used for the bushing blocks.
56	M3 Hex Nuts	Used for the bushing blocks.
2	8 mm Axes short	Works as a slider for the belt.
2	8 mm Axes long	Works as a slider for the belt.
8	Timing pulleys	Used for on the axis.
4	Timing belts	Will work together with the pulleys.
24	Wooden parts	See picture in step 2
4	Linear Bearings 8 mm x 11mm x 30mm long	Needed in step 2
4	wooden part insert marked C	Needed in step 3
8	wooden caps without hole	See picture in step 4
6	wooden caps with hole	See picture in step 4

Step 1: Inserting the ball bearings

**Parts needed in this step**
Qty.	Description	Notes
8	Ball Bearings 8mm	Used for in the frame.

1. Take the frame and push the 8 bearings in the holes around the top of the frame. Use a piece of redundant wood to push them in.

Make sure that the bearings are pushed all the way into the frame. If they are sticking out even a little, they will rub against the wooden endcaps and cause friction in the X/Y axes.

DON'T put a bearing in this hole!!!

Step 2: Assembling the X/Y Bushing blocks

**Parts needed in this step**
Qty.	Description	Notes
16	Bolts 30 mm	See picture below
8	Bolts 10 mm	See picture below
28	M3 Nuts	See picture below
24	wooden parts	See picture below
4	linear bearings 8 mm x 11mm x 30mm long	See picture below

Detailed pictures of this step

Check this photo set that shows how to assemble the sliding blocks.

1. Push the bearing in part FRONT A. Use a redundant piece of wood to push it in.

2. Put it on top of part FRONT B and push the bearing further in.

3. Continue with part FRONT C, FRONT D and FRONT E, until all parts are stacked together and the bearing is inside.

4.Do the same for the LEFT, RIGHT and BACK sliding block.

Assemble each block in order (E then D then C, B, A) with the text facing the same direction on each part of the block.

Step 3: The claws

**Parts needed in this step**
Qty.	Description	Notes
4	wooden part marked FRONT C	needed for the claws
4	wooden part insert marked C	needed for the claws
8	10 mm Bolts	needed for the claws
12	M3 Nuts	needed for the claws

1. Assembly of the 'claw' part that will grab onto the timing belt. This will go as shown below:

use a 10mm bolt through the center hole in each claw. The last hex nut will just barely fit in - this is normal

2. Now place 3 of the bolts on the side with the text markings, and add the nuts on the other side. DON'T TIGHTEN THEM TOO MUCH YET, the clamp should be able to rotate!

3. Assemble the small insert (marked C) with a 10mm bolt and add a nut. This is the part that will clamp the crossing rods.

4. After assembly of the four blocks, you're ready to mount them. It should now look like the picture below.

Note that the text for the FRONT and BACK bushing blocks appears to be upside down. This is because these should be mounted upside down. The timing belts for these parts runs along the bottom of the rod, while for the others it runs along the top.

5. Observe the indication of FRONT, BACK, LEFT and RIGHT when placing the bearing blocks around the rods, all text should be upright.

6. Place the insert into the sliding blocks temporarily. You will proceed with the other instructions first. Later, when the crossing rods and extrusion head is fully installed, you can tighten the bolts to get the following result:

Notch to trigger endstops

With some of the kits shipped, the patch has a little mistake. The labels for the FRONT and BACK sliding blocks are swapped. It doesn't matter which version you have (labeled FRONT or BACK), as long as you use the part with the notch in the front side of the machine:

Step 4: Mounting the caps

**Parts needed in this step**
Qty.	Description	Notes
8	wooden caps without hole	See picture below
6	wooden caps with hole	See picture below
16	M3 Nuts	See picture below
16	16 mm Bolts	See picture below

1. Now the caps can be mounted so the axes will stay in place and won't slide out during operation. The order in which the caps should be mounted is quite important. In the picture below, you'll see how the axes can be slid in from the right and back side, so the caps on those sides should only be partly mounted.

2. Follow the order of the caps in the pictures below!!

3. Start with the cap on the front of the machine. Start with the left cap on the frontpanel. It needs a closed cap on the outside and a cap with a hole on the inside.

4. Follow with the cap on the front right. It needs a closed cap on the outside and a cap with a hole on the inside.

5. Now the caps on the left side can be mounted. Start with the left front. It needs a closed cap on the outside and a cap with a hole on the inside.

7. Follow with the left back. It needs a closed cap on the outside, but NO cap on the inside. The bearing will be secured in place by a gear inside the machine on the axes which will be installed later. Check the illustration, above with the red and the blue caps. Make sure the wires are guided nicely.

Closed caps

that the closed caps should not cover the hole on the RIGHT and BACK side of the machine, but they can be mounted on the opposing sides. You can put one bolt through them in the corner which will be hard to reach afterwards, but don't bolt the other side, because you need to be able to insert the rods. The places where a cap with a hole aren't used are directly above the stepper motors.

8. Now mount the caps on the right panel. They both have a cap on the outside and a cap with a hole on the inside. Only bolt them together with 1 bolt and leave the cap rotated on the outside so the rod can be slid in (see next section). The cap on the inside should be mounted correctly.

9. Now mount the caps on the back panel. The cap on the side above the motor only has a cap on the outside. Only bolt them together with 1 bolt and leave the cap rotated on the outside so the rod can be slid in (see next section). The cap on the inside (left side) should be mounted correctly.

Step 5: Mounting the axes

**Parts needed in this step**
Qty.	Description	Notes
2	8 mm Axes short	Works as a slider for the belt.
2	8 mm Axes long	Works as a slider for the belt.
8	Timing pulleys	Used for on the axis.
4	Timing belts	Will work together with the pulleys.

1. Start with the front axes.

2. Check if you have the correct length of axis. There are 4 axes with a diameter of 8mm--2 are short and fit left side to right side, and 2 are a little longer and fit front to back. For the first axis, pick one of the shorter ones.

3. Slide the axis in the front of the machine.

4. Then put 1 timing pulley on the axis with the fastening screw of the pulley like in the picture.

5. Take 1 timing belt and place it around the pulley.

6. Then slide the FRONT sliding block on the axis.

Orientation of the Axes

Mind the orientation! The hinge mechanism should be facing towards the bottom of the machine. See the picture below for correct placement of the timing pulleys and sliding block. In general each of the blocks will be clamping onto a belt attached to a pulley on a rod going in the other direction, the hinge on the block will be on the side that the belt passes by the block, but this is explained explicitly for each block.

7. Next, slide the other pulley on the axis, also with the fastening screw facing inward.

8. Do the other timing belt on the pulley and slide the axis all the way into the bearing on the other side.

9. Rotate the cap and fasten it with a second bolt.

10. Tighten with the nut.

11. Slide in the back axis from the right. First check if you have the correct length (a short axes).

12. First take 1 timing pulley in your hand,

13. Put the belt that is attached on the opposite axis around the pulley (again the fastening screw facing to the inside of the machine).

14. Slide it on the axis.

15. Now take the BACK sliding block and slide it on the axis (hinge mechanism facing to the bottom of the machine).

16. Take another timing pulley and put the second timing belt of the opposite axis around the pulley (fastening screw facing inward the machine) and slide it on the axis.

17. Take a third timing pulley and slide it on the axis in the same orientation as the previous one.

18. Move the axis with the pulleys towards the bearing on the other side, but make sure you put the timing belt of the motor around the third pulley.

19. Slide the axis into the bearing and mount the cap on the frame.

20. Slide in the left axis [a longer one] from the back of the machine (i.e. the top left corner when the machine is face down).

21. Put 1 timing pulley on the axis with the fastening screw facing inward the machine.

22. Take 1 timing belt and place it around the pulley.

23. Slide in the LEFT sliding block with the hinge mechanism facing to the top of the machine.

24. Slide the second timing pulley on the axis, with the fastening screw facing inward the machine.

25. Take another timing belt and place it around the second timing pulley.

26. Slide the axis all the way into the bearing and fasten the cap.

Do yourself a favour and put the timing belt already in the clamp mechanism. It will save you some fiddling later on.

27. Finally the right axes can be put in place.

28. Slide the ultimaker in on the right back and take one timing pulley.

29. Put the timing belt that is attached to the motor around the pulley and slide it on the axis. The fastening screw should be facing to the inside of the machine.

When you bolt the motor, make sure you push it downward so that the small timing belt is completely tight, otherwise this will cause backlash. When the motors get hot and cool down a few cycles, this may allow the bolts to sink into the wood a little, causing the X and Y stepper motor to start sliding upward again. You can prevent this by tightening it more in advance, or by re-tightening it when it has heated up and cooled a few times.