Tronxy X5SA-500 PRO review. Z axis improvement, how to glue a toothed belt?
published: 26/08/20, 19:05
Edit: read the end of this post !!
6 years after my first 3D printing experience with the K8200 (see this forum), I have just invested for my different prototypes in a new 3D printer, a Tronxy x5Sa-pro 500 with 500x500 plate that allows to make fairly large parts, we are no longer in the geek trinket!
My opinion and feedback after a few weeks ... and 2 kg of melted plastic!
a) The printer works well despite its size and a little laborious assembly (some steps in the manual poop in china are just reversed ...). You have to be very rigorous ...
Because yes, given its mounted dimensions, the printer is sold as a kit, allow a good day to assemble it properly, understand the software and launch your 1st printing.
Some YouTuber moan about this model and cannot make square squares or round circles because they obviously do not know what correct squareness means ...
Like this ball that is just a sucker in basic mechanics ...
Another more serious advice:
b) It is a large format CoreXY printer, that is to say that the movements in XY are done with 2 synchronized motors which allows a better precision (quite relative it remains molten thread ...).
A more detailed review here from the pros: https://all3dp.com/1/tronxy-x5sa-pro-re ... ter-specs/
c) The software provided is really good, very well translated, very efficient and has nothing to envy to the software of printers 3 times more expensive of "brand"
d) It is very quiet (under 100 mm / s)
e) It is multi-material: PLA, ABS, carbon reinforced PLA, TPU (flexible plastic), PETG ...
For the moment I have only tested PLA and PETG ... to be continued!
f) Finally it is available at less than 700 € in Spain (it exists cheaper in 330 and 400 mm ... do a search on this site)
g) I come to the main question of this topic .... improving the Z axis.
Considering its size there are 2 motors for the Z axis, one on each side of the chassis and that's where ... despite the "pro" designation, there was still a design flaw. These 2 motors are not mechanically coupled.
And therefore pressure or friction on one side tilts the plate which is obviously not good ...
So I coupled these 2 motors mechanically added 1 wide toothed pulley on each Z axis as well as a homemade mechanically welded adjustable tensioner system. the tensioner could be optional if a closed belt of the right size is found ... but I did not find.
My concern is the assembly of the belt (as they are sold "open") ... I struggled with a few staples and a little glue but it is really dirty and I do not know how long it will last (l 'Z axis does not move much but still ...)
Anyway, somebody would have a method to properly assemble a small toothed belt of 6 mm? I tried with a soldering iron without result ... Thank you ... Please note that the belt must always be able to circulate in the 3 pulleys ... otherwise it was easy !!
Edit addition, a few weeks later.
The basic idea was bad: I am now sure that there is a differential correction of the 2 Z motors, at times one Z motor turns more than the other ... I must have observed a lot of impression for realize it!
Pairing them is not a good idea..the 2nd youtuber is wrong ... Mea Culpa for having listened to it without verification ...!
6 years after my first 3D printing experience with the K8200 (see this forum), I have just invested for my different prototypes in a new 3D printer, a Tronxy x5Sa-pro 500 with 500x500 plate that allows to make fairly large parts, we are no longer in the geek trinket!
My opinion and feedback after a few weeks ... and 2 kg of melted plastic!
a) The printer works well despite its size and a little laborious assembly (some steps in the manual poop in china are just reversed ...). You have to be very rigorous ...
Because yes, given its mounted dimensions, the printer is sold as a kit, allow a good day to assemble it properly, understand the software and launch your 1st printing.
Some YouTuber moan about this model and cannot make square squares or round circles because they obviously do not know what correct squareness means ...
Like this ball that is just a sucker in basic mechanics ...
Another more serious advice:
b) It is a large format CoreXY printer, that is to say that the movements in XY are done with 2 synchronized motors which allows a better precision (quite relative it remains molten thread ...).
A more detailed review here from the pros: https://all3dp.com/1/tronxy-x5sa-pro-re ... ter-specs/
c) The software provided is really good, very well translated, very efficient and has nothing to envy to the software of printers 3 times more expensive of "brand"
d) It is very quiet (under 100 mm / s)
e) It is multi-material: PLA, ABS, carbon reinforced PLA, TPU (flexible plastic), PETG ...
For the moment I have only tested PLA and PETG ... to be continued!
f) Finally it is available at less than 700 € in Spain (it exists cheaper in 330 and 400 mm ... do a search on this site)
g) I come to the main question of this topic .... improving the Z axis.
Considering its size there are 2 motors for the Z axis, one on each side of the chassis and that's where ... despite the "pro" designation, there was still a design flaw. These 2 motors are not mechanically coupled.
And therefore pressure or friction on one side tilts the plate which is obviously not good ...
So I coupled these 2 motors mechanically added 1 wide toothed pulley on each Z axis as well as a homemade mechanically welded adjustable tensioner system. the tensioner could be optional if a closed belt of the right size is found ... but I did not find.
My concern is the assembly of the belt (as they are sold "open") ... I struggled with a few staples and a little glue but it is really dirty and I do not know how long it will last (l 'Z axis does not move much but still ...)
Anyway, somebody would have a method to properly assemble a small toothed belt of 6 mm? I tried with a soldering iron without result ... Thank you ... Please note that the belt must always be able to circulate in the 3 pulleys ... otherwise it was easy !!
Edit addition, a few weeks later.
The basic idea was bad: I am now sure that there is a differential correction of the 2 Z motors, at times one Z motor turns more than the other ... I must have observed a lot of impression for realize it!
Pairing them is not a good idea..the 2nd youtuber is wrong ... Mea Culpa for having listened to it without verification ...!