How can I make Ultimaker 2 more efficient?

[UltiVista 0]

Hello and salutations,

I just received a used UM2 and I must say it is really awesome; a whole lot more than I expected and I am mostly loving it. I am a tinkerer though and I have some niggles about a couple of inherent traits of my printer, so I came here for advice.

 

• Z-axis stepper is noisiest of the bunch, can I replace this with a faster, quieter, more precise/accurate model
  
• Same goes for the X-Y motors. Though not as noisy, my goal is to eliminate all sound and increase speed while maintain or increasing the efficiency
  

 

Any advice would be appreciated. Note, I have read of dampers for the NEMA 17 motor but I am unsure of the results on the UM2 and I would like some advice on this as well. Thank you so much and I am glad to join the Ultimaker Family!

[UltiVista 0]

I found the  SilentStepStick but I am unsure about pursuing this.

[Nikos 1]

Hi, I found a bunch of videos on YouTube about before and after noise comparison using the Astrosyn vibration dampers and they are impressive

I installed them on my metal frame UM clone which was much was a bit noisier than the UM2s we have at work the dampers have made it significantly more silent. I only had to adjust the pulleys a bit to fit them. I bought mine from these guys http://emvioeng.com/shop/product-category/3d-printing/

the SilentStepStick is a whole different ball park as it will make the UM very silent but reduce the torque of the motors very much plus you will have to do some soldering on the control board. Here is a very informative review

[Labern 774]

As i understand it. You can change the stepper drivers on the UM0 as they are plug in modules but the UM0+ and UM2 have built in stepper drivers that cant be replaced.

To make the printer more quiet. Change the rear fan to the Sunon mc25060V1 0004-A99

print a fan shroud with horizontal fan mounts.

Make feet with springs to dampen or print some out of Ninjaflex.

Enclose the printer. even just a front door helps a bit. but there are full kits you can buy or just use a box.

[nallath 1,120]

Upgrade your motion control board to something with a higher (micro) stepper count. If you use enough micro stepping you won't hear the motors anymore.

[JohnFox 25]

On my UM2, the noisiest part by far is the rear fan. Not tried changing it but I have printed a new, more efficient fan mount but it didn't alter the sound volume. Next noisiest are the other two fans.

[eldrick 65]

Upgrade your motion control board to something with a higher (micro) stepper count. If you use enough micro stepping you won't hear the motors anymore.

 

Got a recommendation for a board? (ease of HW/SW installation would be a priority)

[UltiVista 0]

On my UM2, the noisiest part by far is the rear fan. Not tried changing it but I have printed a new, more efficient fan mount but it didn't alter the sound volume. Next noisiest are the other two fans.

 

I just did this tonight, much quieter but it has inspired me to question the efficiency.  I had trouble getting data on the stock small fan to compare specs.  Now my biggest gripe is the noisy Z-axis; my life goal is to pursue a silent printer with high speed..

[nallath 1,120]

Got a recommendation for a board? (ease of HW/SW installation would be a priority)

 

Nope, sorry.

[frederiekpascal 193]

As i understand it. You can change the stepper drivers on the UM0 as they are plug in modules but the UM0+ and UM2 have built in stepper drivers that cant be replaced.

To make the printer more quiet. Change the rear fan to the Sunon mc25060V1 0004-A99

print a fan shroud with horizontal fan mounts.

Make feet with springs to dampen or print some out of Ninjaflex.

Enclose the printer. even just a front door helps a bit. but there are full kits you can buy or just use a box.

 

can't seem to find the V1 of the fan anymore.... is the V2 also okay?

link to ebay

Edited December 31, 2015 by Guest

[Labern 774]

Yip that's good.

[frederiekpascal 193]

Yip that's good.

 

Ok order completed, I'll print your fan shroud too when I'm going to assemble the rear fan. Curious about the improvements tbh.

Still my wife hears only the "beep beeps" of the retraction when we are in bed. The printer is located 2 rooms further... And I got a front-door and top cover on my UM2 but still she hears it...

So no night prints for me for now until the beep-beeps are solved.

[Labern 774]

Yeah won't stop the beeps but does make it noticeably better.

[peetersm 124]

for the UM2 I think reducing the retraction noise will be difficult since the motor in mounted on the frame.

On the UMO and UMO+ it's very easy to print the decoupling spring and this greatly reduces the retraction noise, this is one of the 1st things I tell people to mod on their UMOs.

https://www.youmagine.com/designs/sound-dampining-spring

[Nikos 1]

Would it be possible to add a vibration damper on the extruder motor? One side bolted on the motor and the other on the printers' housing should isolate enough to minimize the BEEEEEP!!! during retraction. The Astrosyn are 6mm thick so I would think that the knurled bushing can be pulled 6mm further out to adjust for the damper thickness. Has anyone tried it?

[JohnFox 25]

Ear plugs?

Divorce?

Is some of the sound being transmitted via the table to the floor or wall? Just wondered if mounting the whole printer onto foam would help.

 

 

Yip that's good.

 

Ok order completed, I'll print your fan shroud too when I'm going to assemble the rear fan. Curious about the improvements tbh.

Still my wife hears only the "beep beeps" of the retraction when we are in bed. The printer is located 2 rooms further... And I got a front-door and top cover on my UM2 but still she hears it...

So no night prints for me for now until the beep-beeps are solved.

 

[frederiekpascal 193]

earplugs start to hurt after a few hours so no option

it's definitely the sound the motor we are hearing, the sounds is not transmitted through my desk or wall I'm afraid.

Even with a top-cover and front-door you can still hear it too loud.

But this will be all solved with the updated Ultimaker release within a few months.

[JohnFox 25]

I noted that you didn't comment on the divorce option.

Apart from the fans, I get a lot of noise when it does a retraction AND moves on the Y axis. It's a sort of grinding sound, never been able to find out where it comes from, the retraction itself is quiet but the motion is noisy. Does't happen during normal printing.

 

earplugs start to hurt after a few hours so no option

it's definitely the sound the motor we are hearing, the sounds is not transmitted through my desk or wall I'm afraid.  

Even with a top-cover and front-door you can still hear it too loud.

But this will be all solved with the updated Ultimaker release within a few months.