Vulcan Pro V2

The original Vulcan Pro V1 build was designed to mimic the popular Creality CR-10 series printer platform, without it's flaws. In spite of it's major amateurish design flaws, that CR-10 platform has identified and captured a major market niche. It's three main features a 1) a 12" x 12" x 12" build area 2) the printer is deliverable as two main sub-assemblies that merely bolt together to complete the build, giving the buyer the 'maker' cred of having assembled his own printer without doing the hard work 3) use of the OpenBuilds robotic gantry system of V-wheels nested in V-slot extrusion giving the platform solid, proven, precise motion control.

Vulcan Pro Version 1 corrected the CR-10 design flaws:
1) Incorporating the power supply and control board into the printer's frame instead of putting them in a separate box attached to the printer by an umbilical cord. Expanding on that unitary concept V1 also has a bracket attached for holding filament spools in a defined position for reliable feed to the extruder.
2) Incorporating the 3dWrx Posi-Drive Leveling system to completely eliminate leveling drift. The original CR-10 printers contained no leveling system. By user demand Creality latter added an electronic eye system add-on found on other printers instead of eliminating the cause of leveling drift.
3) Redesigned the mounting of the Z-X Sub-assembly to the Frame Sub-assembly so that the two can be easily separated for re-shipment as airline carry-on baggage.

After publishing Version 1 at Open Builds, I discovered that Creality users have identified a major structural design flaw in the CR-10 mounting of the Z-X Sub-assembly. Some of those users have even been offering an upgrade fix for this flaw on EBay. Just recently Creality has switched to offering a V2 on their CR-10 series that incorporates this fix (instead of correcting the flaw). This Vulcan Pro V2 version instead eliminates their flaw.

The CR-10 uses 20x40 mm extrusions for the Z axis uprights. These uprights are attached to the Frame Sub-assembly by threading the center holes of the upright extrusions and then slipping the threaded screws head into the frame extrusions V-slots (as shown in the following image). Holes through the center of the frame extrusion allow a hex key to then tighten the screws.

Although such a mount binds the two extrusions together, pressure on the the screw head from the extended upright will cause the lip of the V-slot to flex slightly producing a front-to-back wobble of the CR-10 Z axis.

Using the same mounting on a 40x40mm extrusion would have eliminated that wobble, but, as an after-market add-to, instead the upgrade fixes rely on a brace being attached to the top of the Z-axis extrusion extending backwards to the rear on the frame.

Vulcan Pro V2 also uses a 40x40mm Z axis extrusion but instead expands it's quick mount concept with an appropriate T joining plate, as per the following image.


This configuration also allows for an easy, quick way to dis-join the Z-X Sub-assembly from the Frame Sub-assembly for subsequent breakdown for shipping, as per the next image.


This configuration also allows for placing the Z axis screw in front of the Z axis wheels. Placed between the X axis and Z axis wheels, the Z axis screw and nut become the fulcrum, diminishing stress on the Z axis wheels.



Assembly Tutorial is under construction.
BOM PDF - http://3dwrx.com/bundles/printed/VukcanPro-BOM.pdf
STL FILES - http://3dwrx.com/bundles/printed/files/stls/VPRO-2-STLS.zip
SKP FILES-http://3dwrx.com/bundles/printed/files/VPRO-2-SKPs.zip
FULL ASSEMBLY SKP http://3dwrx.com/bundles/printed/VP2.zip