Fully 3D-Printed Ultimaker 2

Since I need a 2nd, more accurate 3D printer I decided to build a custom version of Ultimaker 2 (UM2 for short). I would like to push the limits and FDM printing as many parts of the new machine as possible. This project includes a few tricks using geometry and understanding of slicer engine to make the best use of current 3D printing (FDM) technology. Design goals:

1. Reduce UM2 footprint as much as possible.
2. Optimize custom parts for FDM 3D printing.
3. Silence the custom UM2 using plastic bearings.

Realizations:

• Since FDM parts are limited in mechanical strength, several methods are used to adapt the design.
• Reinforce were added to trick the slicer to put 100% infill in strategic places with alternating directions every few layers. From the pictures you can see the semi-transparent lines where as much material as possible was laid down to make sure the linear rails', motors', PSU's, and bearings' mounting place have better mechanical strength than the remainings.
• Using bigger flanged bearing to reduce stress in shaft mounting places. (Though the custom machine can use the same bearings as original UM2)
• Joints are now have 45° chamfers, fillets, and under cuts to increase print success rate.
• Housing parts are as square as possible to have predictable thermal behaviour during the long print time. (42-46 hours)
• Front, and top housings have large "cut out" areas so extra material is added to stiffen the printed parts.
• Use Igus mini rails for Z-axis, mounting places are on the back housing. The original design rely on positioning linear shafts on top and bottom housing which the tolerance cannot be ensured by FDM alone. Moreover Igus' mini linear rails introduce a significant size reduction.
• Fans are added to cool motors as FDM parts have low thermal resistant.
• X and Y motors now have support bearings and belts are retensionable. 
• Printhead is designed to fit igus bearing and E3D Chimera for silence performance and nozzle options.
• Cold ends are reused from my open design and being redesigned as well to have smaller footprint. More details here on why I designed it, and features: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1204128

I started working on this just before last Christmas and currently in the process of building it. There are still left housing, heated bed mount to be FDM printed. Full album:  Since I need a 2nd, more accurate 3D printer I decided to build a custom version of Ultimaker 2 (UM2 for short). I would like to push the limits and FDM printing as many parts of the new machine as possible. This project includes a few tricks using geometry and understanding of slicer engine to make the best use of current 3D printing (FDM) technology. Design goals:

1. Reduce UM2 footprint as much as possible.
2. Optimize custom parts for FDM 3D printing.
3. Silence the custom UM2 using plastic bearings.

Realizations:

• Since FDM parts are limited in mechanical strength, several methods are used to adapt the design.
• Reinforce were added to trick the slicer to put 100% infill in strategic places with alternating directions every few layers. From the pictures you can see the semi-transparent lines where as much material as possible was laid down to make sure the linear rails', motors', PSU's, and bearings' mounting place have better mechanical strength than the remainings.
• Using bigger flanged bearing to reduce stress in shaft mounting places. (Though the custom machine can use the same bearings as original UM2)
• Joints are now have 45° chamfers, fillets, and under cuts to increase print success rate.
• Housing parts are as square as possible to have predictable thermal behaviour during the long print time. (42-46 hours)
• Front, and top housings have large "cut out" areas so extra material is added to stiffen the printed parts.
• Use Igus mini rails for Z-axis, mounting places are on the back housing. The original design rely on positioning linear shafts on top and bottom housing which the tolerance cannot be ensured by FDM alone. Moreover Igus' mini linear rails introduce a significant size reduction.
• Fans are added to cool motors as FDM parts have low thermal resistant.
• X and Y motors now have support bearings and belts are retensionable. 
• Printhead is designed to fit igus bearing and E3D Chimera for silence performance and nozzle options.
• Cold ends are reused from my open design and being redesigned as well to have smaller footprint. More details here on why I designed it, and features: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1204128

I started working on this just before last Christmas and currently in the process of building it. There are still left housing, heated bed mount to be FDM printed. Full album: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/m3jmqsxta3hmxzr/AADcP7DobCYkHYQYNC-WdZQ5a?dl=0