Prusa Mendel Wide Belts

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Modification: 10mm wide belts for driving the X and Y axies

Advantages of modification

Availability

10mm wide belts and pulleys are easy to find as standard items (unlike 5mm) for many tooth pitches of timing belt. This avoids the need to split belts and allows the use of machined pulleys (instead of printed ones).

Using 10mm wide belts allows the constructor to choose from a wider range of belt materials and tooth profiles.

Performance

Other things being equal, belt stiffness (the opposite of stretchiness) is proportional to width. Using wider belts also makes it possible to use heavier types of belt, which are stiffer still.

Stepper motors apply enough torque to stretch drive belts by a non-trivial distance. This decreases the accuracy of the print at corners and holes, and can cause "ripples" in prints after as the print head bounces back and forth on the belt after a sudden acceleration. Stretch errors are proportional to belt stretchiness.

Non-zero friction on the axis guides leads to stick-slip positioning errors, which also decrease as the stiffness of the belt increases.

Disadvantages of modification

Mass

Wider belts are heavier.

Cost