7. Z Axis

Ball screw holders

KFL08 bearing block ↔ Top bracket (STL here)

• KFL08 bearing block (1)

• Nut m5, flange (2)

• RH bolt m5 x 10 (2)

Top bracket ↔ frame

• Top bracket (two for the front, and one for the rear)

• Nut m5, flange (2)

• RH bolt m5 x 10 (2, without enclosure kit)

• Bolt m5 x 15 (2, with enclosure kit)

KFL08 bearing block ↔ bottom frame

• KFL08 bearing block (1)

• Nut m5, flange (2)

• RH bolt m5 x 10 (2)

Z stepper ↔ bottom frame

• NEMA17 stepper (1)

• 2GT 20T pulley (1)

• Bolt m3 x 06 (4)

Actions

Assemble the Z components as shown in the pictures.

If your Tank includes the enclosure kit, use M5x15 bolts at the front top brackets. The extruded bolt heads are used as position pins for the front lower panel.

Z linear guides

Front Z linear guide ↔ frame

• MGN12C 450mm linear guide (1)

• Bolt m3 x 10 (5)

• Nut m3 (5)

Rear Z linear guide ↔ frame

• MGN12C 450mm linear guide (1)

• Bolt m3 x 10 (6)

• Nut m3 (6)

Bed bracket ↔ linear block

• Bed bracket (1)

• m3 x 06 (4)

The left and right brackets are the same.

Actions

Lay down the frame to the side, so the linear blocks won't fall out of the rail during installation.

Wobble Wafer Ballscrew (WWB)

• Wobble Wafer top/middle/bottom plates

• Steel ball 4.0mm  (12)

• Bolt m3 x 06 (4)

• Bolt m3 x 30 (2)

• Washer 3 x 8 x 0.8 (2)

• Nyloc nut m3 (2)

Actions

Apply grease or liquid lubricant to the grooves of WWBs.

Put 3 steel balls per groove, attach the bottom and middle wafers to the top wafer, and hold them by hand.

Insert the M3x30 bolt, washers as limiters. They prevent lower wafers from falling.

Attach the Wobble Wafer under the bed bracket with M3x06 bolts.

Lightly tighten both M3x30 limiter bolts, then back off 1-2 turns (which would be 0.5mm-1.0mm due to the M3 thread pitch) then tighten nyloc nuts on top while holding screw with a hex key.

Exam

The limiter bolt have to be slack (0.5~1mm before tightened) so the plates have enough room to compensate possible wobbles.

Ballscrews

• Ballscrew 1204 (1)

• 2GT 40T pulley (1)

• Closed-loop belt 200mm (1)

• Washer 8 x 14 x 1.0 (2)

Ballscrew nut ↔ Wobble Wafer Ballscrew

• Bolt m4 x 12 (4)

• Washer 4 x 9 x 0.8 (4)

Actions

Lay down the frame to the side.

Move the bed bracket toward Z-min.

Place the 40T pulley, the belt, and two 8 x 14 x 1.0 washers to the bottom.

Loosen the nuts of the top Z bracket and install the ball screw.

Tighten the set screws in the bottom KFL08 bearing block.

Do all the 3 ballscrews and align later (next page).

Exam

Push the ballscrew to the very bottom and tighten the set screws in the bottom KFL08 bearing block, so the alignment in the next page can be done.

Z alignment

• Printed centering tool (STL here. Created by Tank v2 owner Kevin Beeker.)

Actions

1. Stand frame upright.

2. Loosen the nuts of the top Z bracket, the Z rail, and the bottom bearing block.

3. Optional insert the centering tool between the ballscrew nut and the bed bracket.

4. Make sure when you lift the bed bracket, the Wobble Wafer is slack but the steel balls don't fall out. If not, adjust the 2 limiter bolts.

5. Press the bed bracket to the bottom, adjust the rail position and the bearing block, then tighten the bottom nut of the rail and the bearing block. If the centering tool is not inserted, make sure the ball screw nut is about at the center.

6. Lift the bed bracket to the top, adjust the rail position and then tighten the top nut of the rail, and the top Z bracket.