Hi guys, been thinking about this for a couple weeks now but can’t seem to find anything online about anyone who has tried it.

I’m considering converting my printer into a voron. However, since I currently have a fully functioning printer, I wondered why I can’t print the extrusions rather than purchasing them? Of course they are larger than my printer’s volume, but there was this video posted here a while back about a great way to create strong permanent joints for parts just like this:

https://youtu.be/zI8OgRRF5d8

The way I would do this would be to model the extrusions as a solid piece and make cutouts in the areas that bolts are meant to be ran through.

Is this even within the realm of possibility, or is there a specific barrier that has prevented others from trying this? The obvious concern is stability/ rigidity, but if everything is printed at voron part standards or thicker with an infill pattern like gyroid, would the decrease in rigidity be too much for input shaping to compensate for?

Thanks for any ideas or input! If there aren’t any major road blocks or examples of this failing I think I’ll try it out once I’ve got the space for it.

  • B0rax@feddit.deEnglish
    0·
    5 months ago

    The extrusions are not the expensive parts… in fact, JLCPCB has them for ~$20.

    • rambos@lemm.eeEnglish
      0·
      5 months ago

      I agree, its not even worth to try imo. Frame geometry is super important. Even extrusions can be painfull if they are not cut well enough. If you want the best result you should mill them (instead of cutting them with a saw).

      3D printer tolerances are far from acceptable and then every material shrinks differently (+ there are many other disadvantages).

      On the other hand, prusa and voron are examples of great use of 3D printed parts where you benefit from flex. Its a brave design decision that works amazingly well, but they can barelly print first layer without ABL or simmilar. Yeah…ABL compensates for shitty tolerances and we end up with bent 3D printed part that counts as perfect print lol

    • papalonian@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      0·
      5 months ago

      They’re the most expensive part I need to source. I already have a majority of the other parts in the form of my current printer, really I only need a few more lead screws, stepper motors, and maybe a new controller if I can’t figure out how to get the one I have working with that many steppers. The extrusions make up ~2/3 the expenses of this conversion, hence the question haha