Brand new Ultimaker rattle from bearings

[ClausJ 5]

I bought my third Ultimaker 2 Extended plus a month ago. From day one it is printing with a rattling noise and by wiggling the printhead it feels like the bearings are not holding the rods properly. Does anybody have experience with bad bearings? Ultimaker USA support think it's because it needs cleaning and greasing but I already did that and why does a brand new machine need greasing anyway? I have a few videos but I don't know how to upload them to this forum.

Thanks, Claus

[DidierKlein 729]

It could be bad bearings, it's quite easy to change, your reseller should probably send you new ones.

To post a video upload it to youtube or vimeo an post the link or embed it on the forum

[neotko 1,417]

@DidierKlein I agree that if the linear bearings of the head are wrong he 'could' change it, but on um2+/um2+extended there's a few things to consider

First. You need something to take out the central x/y thin shafts

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1828238

Second. After opening the screws and removing the bad bearings, you need to readjust the distance between the metal plates to the correct tension, or it will cause a leak (little pressure) or damage the TFM (too much pressure)

Check point 2. Reassembling the print head

https://ultimaker.com/en/resources/22188-how-to-replace-the-tfm-coupler'>https://ultimaker.com/en/resources/22188-how-to-replace-the-tfm-coupler'>https://ultimaker.com/en/resources/22188-how-to-replace-the-tfm-coupler'>https://ultimaker.com/en/resources/22188-how-to-replace-the-tfm-coupler

Since you won't have the plastic adjuster, you will need to print one

https://www.youmagine.com/designs/ultimaker-printhead-spacer

Read carefully the instructions as isn't a easy print and must be precise.

So to resume...

First step

https://ultimaker.com/en/resources/19948-removing-the-print-head

Second step

- No video. Release the x4 Long screws and remove the bearings

- Insert the new linear bearings

- Re-clamp the x/y thin shafts with the printhead

Third step

2. Re-assembling the print head

https://ultimaker.com/en/resources/22188-how-to-replace-the-tfm-coupler

 

Place the print head alignment aid in between the two aluminium plates of the hot end and tighten the thumb screws until the alignment aid fits securely between the aluminium plates, but can still easily be removed. This ensures that all hot end parts fit together correctly and prevents filament leakages. Securing the thumb screws too tight could decrease the lifespan of the TFM coupler.

So IMO, not a novice procedure

Edited November 23, 2016 by Guest

[fbrc8-erin 296]

Hi, Claus,

Do you hear the noise only when the printer is printing, or also when you move it by hand?

If you pull the printhead out of the machine (tilt the plastic sliding blocks until the printhead shaft pops out of the rod) and run the printhead shaft through the bearing by hand, you can check to see if you can isolate the noise to the printhead bearings, or whether there is something else on the XY axis causing the issue.

You might also hear noise during printing if the bed springs aren't quite tight enough and you end up with bed bounce, so you may want to check that those are at about a medium tightness.

[ClausJ 5]

Thanks a lot for all the advice. There is no doubt the rattle comes from the bearings, the fitting seems to be off, there is too much play. I should receive a new set of shafts and bearings and as soon as they arrive, I will compare.

[ClausJ 5]

Got the replacement rods and bearings today, they were easy to replace. These new parts are much tighter and there is no more rattle. However examining the two sets I removed there is quite a play on both of them. Seems to be a bad batch of either rod or bearing, hence probably installed in other machines than mine.

[fbrc8-erin 296]

Hi, Claus,

I'm glad to hear the parts arrived so quickly and that is solved the issue you were having. We'll keep an eye on this issue.

 

Got the replacement rods and bearings today, they were easy to replace. These new parts are much tighter and there is no more rattle. However examining the two sets I removed there is quite a play on both of them. Seems to be a bad batch of either rod or bearing, hence probably installed in other machines than mine.