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How Do I Tighten the Belts?

Discussion in 'General Questions' started by adikted2astro, Oct 24, 2017.

  1. adikted2astro

    adikted2astro Active Member

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    One of my x-axis belts has a ton of slack in it. It's not affecting my parts yet (that I know of). But it may cause some shifting in the future. I would rather get ahead of this if possible. Does anyone know how to tighten the belts in those linear rail brackets???
     
  2. Geof

    Geof Volunteer Moderator
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    let it ride buddy. You dont want to deal with that until you have to... If its not causing you any issues it likely wont. Gantry systems can be darn right floppy until you start having issues.
     
  3. adikted2astro

    adikted2astro Active Member

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    Really........that's good to know, thank you.

    All the other belts are nice and snug so I figured there was something wrong with this one. But, I guess if it ain't broke, don't fix it...................
     
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  4. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    Make sure that the gantry is intact (and not knocked out of kilter at a corner somewhere).
    One of mine went slack when a shaft was knocked out of the frame a bit... but if everything mechanical is fine then live with it as Geof suggested :)
     
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  5. WheresWaldo

    WheresWaldo Volunteer ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)
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    The belts used in the C2/R2 are closed loop, sometimes called endless belts. On the R2 I believe they are all 600 mm,
     
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  6. daniel871

    daniel871 Well-Known Member

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    If nothing mechanical is actually loose they could always home the machine and then put one of these on the belt after finding a position where the travel won't make it run into a gear/anything else.

    https://www.amazon.com/CNBTR-Springs-Printer-Locking-Tensioner/dp/B01DOUL9C0
     
  7. Geof

    Geof Volunteer Moderator
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    I dont personally recommend using those types of things, at least not on a gantry style. The belts being to tight are a serious thing on these style machines, really makes things wonky. better off being on the loose side :D
     
  8. daniel871

    daniel871 Well-Known Member

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    Yeah, those springs are a placebo more than anything else.
     
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  9. supercazzola

    supercazzola Active Member

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    I have issues with one of my Y being loose, and causing skip / slipped layers in prints. How do these things get loose all of a sudden? I looked and everything seems to be in alignment.
    Anyway, I posted the video to the Robo 3d owners FB group, but can someone tell me how to fix / replace this belt?
    thank you
     
  10. WheresWaldo

    WheresWaldo Volunteer ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)
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    Post video here, since a lot of people on this forum do not frequent the FB group.
     
  11. supercazzola

    supercazzola Active Member

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  12. WheresWaldo

    WheresWaldo Volunteer ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)
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    I think one of the rod ends is out of it's recess, that is really the only way you can have a belt that loose, if the gantry is not square you can end up with a belt or two that are just too loose. I did watch the video.
     
  13. supercazzola

    supercazzola Active Member

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    OK. I printed the clips on a second R2, and used these instructions to align the gantry, and it seemed to make it a bit better, but not totally as tight as the other 3.

    thanks for looking at the video and your suggestions, Waldo.
     
  14. WheresWaldo

    WheresWaldo Volunteer ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)
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    The whole idea of the endless loop belts is that should not need to be tightened. So when one is loose it is almost always a gantry is that out of square. The Robo gantry is inspired from the Ultimaker printer gantry. The Robo gantry is not quite as precise as the Ultimaker gantry but it also costs just a few 10's of dollars more than half the Ultimaker price.
     
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  15. Geof

    Geof Volunteer Moderator
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    100% spot on. The differences between my UM gantry and the R2 gantry isn't really all that much aside from component price. on both machines if the gantry is square and no timing pulleys are loose, let them eat. The Ultimaker is well abused...I mean used.... and still has no issues with belt tension unless a pulley comes loose. Loctite the set screws and snug them down when they are back in place.
     
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