HackerBot Build Manual
Contents
Before You Begin
If you are here probably you are going to build an Hackerbot and we are glad to help you in case of trouble. Just drop an email at [email protected]
Right now documentation is very basic and the best would be use Solidworks to see how printer has been designed.
Before starting out make sure to look at HackerBot BOM
Downloads
Project files are on GitHub:
- Stable release GitHub
- Developer unstable release are on the edge branch
If you have question, doubts, requests just ask ([email protected])
Assembly Instructions
Before assembling a HackerBot, make sure you have all the parts necessary. For the bill of materials, see HackerBot BOM.
Aluminum Frame
Base structure
| qty | part name | description/notes |
| 4 | Aluminum profile 30x30 450mm | |
| 8 | Internal bracket (Bosch 3842535577) | |
| 10 | Plexy support |
Take the four structure profile of length 450mm. Insert the plexy support in the profile grooves in the following manner: three supports on two profile and only two support on the other two profiles. Create a square with profiles and add the internal brackets to link the base profiles with the vertical profiles. Insert in each hole of the plexy support one squared nut M3. Make this for every following plexyglass support.
Columns
| qty | part name | description/notes |
| 4 | Aluminum profile 30x30 600mm | |
| 20 | Plexy support 3mm |
Add the 4 columns in square vertex with the grooves on the free sides of internal brackets of the base square assembled in the previous step. Insert in each internal groove of two columns (the rear-side columns) three plexy supports (in all 12 plexy supports).
Finally, insert in the two front-side columns three plexy supports in each internal-lateral groove, only one support in each internal groove of the front-side, to leave space to the door.
Mid plane profiles
| qty | part name | description/notes |
| 4 | Aluminum profile 30x30 450mm | |
| 23 | Plexy support 3mm | |
| 8 | Internal bracket (Bosch 3842535577) | |
| 1 | Z stepper plate | |
| 2 | M6 T-head bolt (Bosch 3842523921) | |
| 2 | T-nut (Bosch 3842523925) |
Take the mid profile for the front side. Insert in one groove three plexy supports and two internal brackets. Then place the assembled profile into the frame with the full grove towards bottom, the base square. Fixed it with a distance equal to 85 mm between the internal vertical surfaces of base profile and this mid profile. Now take the mid profile for the lateral sides. Insert in one groove three plexy supports and two internal brackets, in the opposite groove two plexyglass supports, in one more three supports (in all 8 plexyglass supports for each mid lateral profile). Then place the two assembled mid lateral profiles like the mid front profile, with the same distance of 85 mm from the lateral profiles of the base square.
Finally take the mid profile for the rear side. Insert in one groove two internal brackets, two plexy supports and at middlepoint the assembled z stepper plate nuts and bolt, in the opposite groove add two plexyglass supports. Then place the assembled profile into the frame with the fuller groove towards bottom, the base square. Fixed it with a distance equal to 46 mm between the internal vertical surfaces of base profile and mid profile on the rear side.
Upper Z profile
| qty | part name | description/notes |
| 1 | Aluminum profile 30x30 450mm | |
| 2 | Internal bracket (Bosch 3842535577) | |
| 3 | Plexy support 3mm |
Insert in one groove two internal brackets, in the opposite groove insert 3 plexyglass supports. Then place it assembled in the frame with the brackets towards bottom, the plexyglass support towards high. Fixed it with a distance equal to 343 mm between the internal vertical surfaces of z-upper profile and mid profile on the rear side.
Top square structure
| qty | part name | description/notes |
| 4 | Aluminum profile 30x30 450mm | |
| 4 | Internal bracket (Bosch 3842535577) | |
| 1 | Front right support plate | |
| 1 | Front left support plate | |
| 1 | Back right support plate | |
| 1 | Back right support plate | |
| 20 | M6 T-head bolt (Bosch 3842523921) | |
| 20 | T-nut (Bosch 3842523925) | |
| 7 | Plexy support 3mm |
Insert in one groove of the rear-top profile three supports, two supports in one groove of the lateral-top profile. Add the 4 section bars on top of structure, fix the front-top profile on the columns with two internal brackets.
At this point take the lateral-top profiles, attach these to the front side with two internal brackets and assemble all with the two front angular plate supports, the smallest angular plates using 8 M6 T-head bolts.
Now, join the rear-right and rear-left angular plates with the free sides of the lateral-top profiles and with the upper z-profile through 8 T-head bolts.
Finally, add the rear-top profile on free side of the structure, fasten it with the rear angular plates by screwing 4 M6 T-head bolts.
Door
| qty | part name | description/notes |
| 1 | Door Plexy | |
| 2 | Aluminum profile 20x20 length 408mm | |
| 2 | Aluminum profile 20x20 length 384mm | |
| 4 | Cubic joint 20x20 2 way | Bosch 3842524484 |
| 2 | Hinge | Bosch 3842544526 |
| 1 | Handle | ? |
Create a square with the four 20x20 profiles, in the vertex insert the cubic joints. The shorter profiles of 383mm will be vertical with the door assembled. On one of the profile of 383 mm assemble one side of the hinge, then put all on the front-right column. Insert plexyglass
Z system
| qty | part name | description/notes |
| 1 | Z Stepper plate | |
| 1 | Z Stepper motor | nema 17 1.7A |
| 1 | Z Stepper motor screw kit | 4x M4x20 screws, 4x washer |
| 4 | SK10 Shaft support | 10mm shaft |
| 10 | Collar nut (Bosch 3842523925) | used for stepper plate and SK10 |
| 10 | T-Bolts (Bosch 3842523920) | used for stepper plate and SK10 |
| 1 | Motor-Trapezoidal screw coupler | flexible coupling 5 mm and 8 mm diameter |
| 1 | Trapezoidal screw 12x3 length 410mm | length: 410mm, 398mm threaded |
| 2 | Z shaft 10mm length 390mm | |
| 2 | LM10LUU | 10mm linear bearing with housing |
| 1 | LM10LUU screw kit | 8x M5x20 screw, 8x M5 washer |
| 1 | Print area support L-shaped | |
| 1 | Trapezoidal nut | |
| 1 | Aluminium heatbed support | |
| 4 | Springs | |
| 1 | Z endstop holder | |
| 1 | Z endstop tuning | |
| 1 | Z endstop knob | |
| 1 | Z endstop spring | |
| 1 | Collar nut (Bosch 3842523925) | used for Z endstop holder |
| 1 | T-Bolts (Bosch 3842523920) | used for Z endstop holder |
| 1 | M4 threaded rod length 60mm | |
| 1 | Mechanical Z endstop |
Take the stepper motor for the z-axis and join the motor shaft toward top to stepper plate with the screws and washers. On the other side of the stepper plate, add to the motor shaft (5mm of diameter) the flexible coupling.
Now, join the free side of 8mm diameter of the coupling with the cylindrical part of the trapezoidal thread.
Widen the holes of shaft supports to 6mm of diameter, to allow the connection with the profiles trough M6 T-head bolt. Join the shaft support to the mid-rear and upper z profiles with T-head bolts.
Now take the L-shaped plate, fasten with this the linear bearings through M5 screws (Linear bearings must be placed on the internal side of L-shape) and ,on the other side, the trapezoidal nut through M4 screws.
Then screw the trapezoidal thread in the brass nut attached to the L-shaped plate. Therefore insert the two shafts in the holes of L-shaped plate and of supports, in the end fasten their screws to block the axis.
XY systems
Movable Head assembly
| qty | part name | description/notes |
| 2 | Stepper motor Nema17 | 1.7A or 2.5A, shaft 5mm |
| 32 | M3x16 screw set | fixes the bearing supports with support plates |
| 8 | 608 Bearings | |
| 8 | Bearing housing | 3D printed |
| 8 | PTFE shim | or POM / Delrin |
| 8 | GT2 20 teeth pulley with 8mm bore | |
| 2 | GT2 20 teeth pulley with 5mm bore | |
| 4 | Cubic slider | |
| 8 | Cubic slider belt clamp | 3D printed |
| 8 | M3x15mm | for cubic slider |
| 4 | Cubic slider PTFE bushing | |
| 2 | Shaft 8mm length 465mm | |
| 2 | Shaft 8mm length 438mm | |
| 2 | Shaft 8mm length 370mm | Head shaft support |
| 1 | Head v2 | assembled (4x LM8UU, Pneufit) |
| 4 | GT2 open belt length 830mm | XY core belts |
| 1 | GT2 closed belt 72 teeth | stepper motor belt |
| 1 | GT2 closed belt 62 teeth | stepper motor belt |
| 1 | Belt Tightener | with screws and 624zz bearing |
| 1 | Belt Tightener short | with screws and 624zz bearing |
| 1 | X endstop holder | 3D printed |
| 1 | Y endstop holder | 3D printed |
| 2 | microswitch / endstop |
Begin from the printed movable head, insert in each hole parallel to head base two linear bearings. Inside these, insert the two head axis of length 370mm. Now consider the four cubic slider, insert in each through hole one teflon bushing. Take the four x-y shaft and put them in the teflon bushing of the cubic sliders. Therefore, add on the sides of the four x-y shaft the following objects in this disposition: first the timing pulley with the geared part on inner side, then the teflon shim and the radial bearings with their supports. Place every shaft so assembled with the bearing supports on the angular plate through M3 screws and nuts (4 M3 screws and nuts for every square bearing support). Fasten the Grub screws of the pulleys. Now insert the two head axis in their cubic sliders holes. Block the two head axis in their holes tightening the Grub screws. Calibrate the position of the two head axis, the target is to move easily the head along in x and y directions.
Further steps in assembling x-y system
- 2x End stop microswitch (length of the two cables of each microswitch: about 90 cm)
- 2x End stop printed supports, (share their drawings)
- 6x M3x10 screws, 2x M3 nuts
- 4x Timing belt GT2 pitch 2mm, width 6mm, length 830mm
- 8x Printed Belt Clamp
- 16x M3x12 screw, 16x M3 washer
Take two microswitches, join them with their printed supports with 4 M3 screws.
Now connect them with the angular plate support front-left as showed in picture.
Now consider the timing belts, use it to connect the couple of pulley parallel.
Block the two endings of every timing belt on the cubic sliders with the belt Clamps.
Every belt clamp need two M3 screws and nuts.
Printing area
- 1x Heatbed 200x200mm
- 1x Heatbed glass
- 4x Heatbed spring
- 4x M3x30 screw
- 8x M3x30 washer
- 1x Aluminium Heatbed support 225x280x5 mm
- 5x M5 screw, 5x M5 nut, 10x M5 washer
The Heatbed must be connected with the Aluminium Heatbed support keeping a distance between them, this gap will be calibrated later.
To reach this goal, insert the four M3 screws in the heatbed holes with a washer between head screws and hot plate. On each threaded side, add a washer and a spring. Now fasten the 4 screws in threaded holes of Aluminium Heatbed support keeping a distance between this and the hot plate, as above mentioned.
Finally, connect all this things assembled on the L-shaped plate of Z-system through the five holes close together using the M5 screws, nuts and washers.
Assembling Base Metal sheet and first part of electronics
1x Base metal sheet, 1.5 mm of thickness 4x M6 T-head bolt Rexroth code 3842523921, 4x M6 nut 1x Switching power supply DC 12v - 25A 2x Power supplt clamps (aluminium or printed) 4x M3x10 screws, 2x M3 nuts, 2x M3 washer 1x RUMBA (R.eprap U.niversal M.ega B.oard with A.llegro driver) 1x RUMBA printed box
Extruder
PTFE bowden tube is 3.18mm inner diameter, 6mm outer diameter
total length of bowden tube is 750mm
Electronics
Here we report all the electronics and configuration (todo) we got on the HackerBot
Controllers
- RAMPS
- RUMBA
- to do: DUET
Drivers
- Pololu A4988 stepper driver
- DRV8825 (Kliment design)
LCD Controller
- RRD LCD XXL LCD
Power Supply
- Switching power supply 350W 12V
- Switching power supply 350W 24V
