Print head/rails popping out of the carriages

[Ross1234 0]

Hi guys

Our UM3 has been serving us pretty well although from time to time it decides to fall apart which obviously isn't ideal. It's easy enough to clip back together and get printing again, but I'm sure this is not a deliberate design feature! Has anyone else had similar issues and have a solution?

 

In the images attached you'll see both X and Y rails completely out of their carriages. Ouch!

 

Thanks.

[Smithy 757]

Hi

yes they can clip out for various reasons, often when it gets too warm inside, so be careful if you use an enclosure.

Just contact your reseller and they will send you new sidling blocks.

[Ross1234 0]

Thanks Smithy

Apart from the inconvenience of having the print fail, it doesn't seem to have had lasting adverse effects on print quality.

[Smithy 757]

No, at least not as long as the rods don't fall out again 🙂

The rods are just clipped into the sliding block and when the sliding block deforms a little bit due to a higher temperature or something else, it can happen that the rod falls out. And I think it can and will happen again.

 

So contact your reseller and ask for new sliding blocks, they are not expensive and then you have some if it happens again and you need to fix it fast.

[Travis7s 4]

Its happened to my UM3 as well. High enclosure temperatures definitely contribute to the problem. We were printing PC and it gets extra hot just due to the high build plate and nozzle temps. I didn't replace the sliding blocks but I did diagnose the print head bearings as going bad. Since replacing those a few months ago I have not had them pop out again.

[Ross1234 0]

Thanks Smithy and Travis. I'll take a closer look. I do mainly print with the higher temp filaments with the enclosure front cover on as you have both suggested could be contributing. The issue has become more persistent lately. I wonder if neglecting to lubricate the rails contributes too which I imagine could put more side force on the blocks causing them to tilt relative to the rods reducing their hold on the rods.

[Smithy 757]

I think the main issue is that the material of the sliding blocks gets softer with higher temperatures and then it happens that the rods slips out.

[Hops 0]

Can we just not have metal blocks that screw together and hold the bar permanently?