Reducing noise

[somerwil 0]

Hi guys,

My Ultimaker is in a sleeping room on the first floor now. It's next to the room where my little son is sleeping and not too far from my own sleeping room. I'm pretty confident with printing big things on the machine but the noise the machine makes keeps my wife and the little guy awake. That's obviously not what I want so I looked for ways to make the machine more quiet.

I came up with the idea to place it in an Ikea kitchen cabin with a door. I was suprised with the result as I was expecting it would work as a boombox but it really helps to reduce the noise.

What things might reduce the noise?

[ian 32]

its a good idea.

I have one ultimaker at home and the main colling fan from day one, sounds like a old loud diesel tractor. so the whole apartment nearlly shakes when the printer runs... :?

i was thinking of actually building a little encloure box with kinda backing foam on the inside of the walls, like a sound studio, to seal in the sound... but at the moment its just an idea.....

i think your solution is a good practical approach !

thanks.

Ian

[Daid 306]

1) Add noise reduction feet or soft padding

2) Jam something (some cardboard for example) between the extruder motor and the back of the machine. The extruder assembly can rattle like crazy.

3) Replace the X/Y motor assemblies from wood to normal spacers (same type of round spacers found to hold up the electronics)

4) Deal with the god damn electronics fan

[destroyer2012 0]

You can buy radial fans and replace that fan. Here is a thread I made about this topic: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=733

On a $2k machine one can afford to spend $50 on a fan right? I think so. Well I got my fan from a junked computer but that's how much new ones cost.

That said my motors are still really loud.

[alaris2 1]

Daid is right about the extruder - I took it off the back of the machine and held it and the noise level decreased manyfold.

I'll make some sound deadening supports at some point.

[Daid 306]

My machine is also more silent at the extruder, because I have the "4 extruder plate" by Jelle. His design is not online, but this photo shows it:

http://www.thingiverse.com/image:148652

The blue plate on the back has a 6mm distance from the back of the machine, and I think it reduces the noise from the extruder, because my machine (even without jamming something between the extruder motor and the back of the machine) makes a lot less noise then stock machines.

[fluxline 0]

testing now for axis and extruder motor, will post a thing and results tomorrow.

[fluxline 0]

I've posted a thing (but marked it in progress) so that others that want can test. I've made the plate .2mm narrower than the original so that a rubber gromit can be used on the bolt as well.

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:30334

[maxy 0]

Have you reduced the current of the motors already? That made the biggest noise difference for me. The defaults are a bit overpowered (probably to make them work even if you have quite a bit friction). Reduce the current until you lose steps, then increase it a little bit.

You can find info down on that page:

http://wiki.ultimaker.com/Electronics_build_guide

 

[fluxline 0]

Ya, I did and it also helped, if only to reduce the heat and wear. I think they were at 12 o'clock when I got it, maybe the standard setting from the factory. The thing I posted reduced/changed the drumming sound a bit. Not sure I would install them unless you the noise really bothers you and your looking for every little bit, or just like modding the UM. Motor mount screws need to be re-tighted a few times, but that was also the case with the original.

[greenarrow 0]

its a good idea.

I have one ultimaker at home and the main colling fan from day one, sounds like a old loud diesel tractor.

Mine used to do that too! I dismantled the fan and squirted a bit of the provided gease into the bearings. It has been almost silent ever since.

[maxy 0]

I put some drops of oil there, seems to have worked too.