Simple gantry support (metric/inch), Z-brace for Ender-3 V3 KE/SE

Model Overview & Print Notes

Summary This gantry support eliminates wobble of the weak frame. It is designed for and tested on the Creality Ender-3 V3 KE. But users told me that the support also fits the SE model perfectly. In any case, use of this mod is entirely for your own responsibility. The design history of this part can be found at the end of chapter 'How I Designed This'. Description The gantry wobbles due to the high speed bedslinger together with the heavy filament reel on top of the torsionally weak plastic gantry bridge. That wobbling is dampened with this support. The starting point was to keep the filament reel on top, no loss of warranty(!) and simple installation. The resulting design has the following properties: Nothing needs to be disassembled, unscrewed, modified, glued or drilled on the printer. It is plug and play. This all is in contrast to other SE/KE gantry supports . Assembly is clip and clamp (without damage), and can be done without tilting the printer. The design has a slim, clean and professional appearance. Even more so with the use of heat shrink tubing around the threaded rods (see photo 1). The Creality LED Light Bar can be mounted without any obstruction. Extra: A tilted gantry can be straightened out. The belt recess in the clamping part allows you to level the X-axis according to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cmwq9r5tePk (see the photo in the gallery). Both metric and inch fasteners can be used. (Print the metric ór inch clamping pieces for this.) The only tools needed are two 13 mm or 1/2" wrenches and the 4 mm allen key from the Ender toolkit. Assembly takes only ~15 minutes. Because the support is inherently stiff and rests on the stable top of the printer housing, which keeps the reaction forces 'inside' the printer (closed loop), the print quality-reducing vibration of the gantry legs has virtually disappeared and the vulnerability of the gantry has gone. The stiffness is now even so big that the printer can be tilted via the gantry. The high weight of the filament at the top of the gantry is no longer a disadvantage but the wobbling of the filament itself still retains a little bit because of the torsionally weak plastic gantry bridge. So... I would like to recommend the 90° spool adapter . This reduces wobbling even more significantly. For the accountability see the measurement report . Costs: ~ € 5,00. The M8 rods are sufficient, but some people like to use M10. That's why you also find, as a bonus, a ZIP file with M10 STLs to download, and a link to M10 models in the chapter 'How I Designed This'. The BOM (Bill Of Material): 1x Printed buttress base and the inch or metric clamping piece LEFT; 1x Printed buttress base and the inch or metric clamping piece RIGHT; Optional: 2x Printed nut cover. The (unaesthetic) nuts can optionally be covered with this nut cover (see 9th picture). Recommended (see the first picture): 2x heat shrink tubing ø8 mm, L = 373 mm ( Order suggestion ); 2x (for protection and extra friction) rubber plate trapezium 10x24x15 mm, 0.6+0.2 mm thick. I cut it out of an old bicycle inner tube. Maybe rubber from an old kitchen glove, some layers of paper or something like that, will also work. Fasteners: zinc plated steel but, similar to the printer fasteners, stainless steel looks cosmetic better: 2x threaded rod M8 or 5/16", L = 423 mm (I started with M6, but that wasn't stiff enough); 2x cap nut M8 or 5/16"; 4x (or in case of no use of the cap nuts - 6x) nut M8 DIN 934 or 5/16"; 4x washer M8 or 5/16"; 2x (inhex) screw M5 x ≥20 DIN 912 or #10-24 x ≥20 mm; 2x nut M5 DIN 934 or #10-24. Print Settings: Slicer: Orca Slicer Printer brand: Creality Printer: Ender-3 V3 KE(/SE) Resolution: 0.2 Infill: ≥20% Wall thickness 1.2 mm (three 0.4 walls) Brim: NO Support: ON - Tree (see pictures) Support overhang/treshold angle: ≥30º relative to the print bed. One maker had good results with 10º, which provides less support and is therefore easier to remove. Filament: PLA (stronger) or PETG (more durable but also a little more flexible) NOTE 1 : If the buttress base does not fit correctly around the height of the housing, this can be corrected in the slicer via non-uniform scaling. NOTE 2 : If you are interested in more Ender-3 V3 KE/SE mods, see https://www.thingiverse.com/hapedevee/collections/42550389/things . Post-Printing Hyperlink to the assembly instructions Click on Print and assembly instructions to see how to build and assemble the support components. Cut two rubber sheets. How I Designed This Designed using Onshape The model has been designed using the Onshape Free Plan . Anyone can export/download the models in the format of their choice, see image below. Onshape users can also copy the Onshape models to their account and modify them. You can find the models here: The Gantry support (M8) in Onshape (Released) Bonus: The Gantry support (M10) in Onshape (Released) bit.ly/3d-eboek takes you to a free Dutch course eBook of Onshape, bit.ly/3d-boek to the hard copy. Others can learn about Onshape at learn.onshape.com . Model updates: [20240318] Two models added and the two buttress bases updated to make them suitable for inch and metric bolts. [20240517] The Onshape model of the M10 version (in the chapter "How I Designed This") has been corrected - the chamber for the M5 nut was too large - and has been released. [20240919] The belt recess in the clamping part is deepened for X-axis leveling. [20241001] Added nut cover 1010GS00.020[-]. Text edit: [20250219] Added a comment about the Creality LED Light Bar to Thing Info. [20240318] BOM updated to inch fasters. Assembly instructions updated. [20240331] Not only Onshape users but everyone can now download models in any format. [20240331] Even though M8 rods are sufficient, I saw that people are working on an M10 version. That is why you will find, as a bonus, a link to the Onshape model in the chapter 'How I Designed This'. There you can download the M10 STL's. [20240408] Support overhang angle: ≥50 degrees ==> Support overhang angle: ≥30 degrees relative to the print bed. [20240319] Added two pictures of the buttress base on the print bed with tree support for easier support removing. [20240419] It is sure now that the support fits the SE. The text has been adjusted accordingly. [20240510] In the assembly instructions: 1) Step 12: Added bullet 5 about clamping force increase. 2) Step 13: Moved the perpendicularity to the print bed. 3) Step 14: Replaced the photo for a better one. [20240515] Added the link to the measurement report of the gantry wobbling. [20240524] Added a link to the 90° spool adapter . [20240528] The design of the Buttress base was not 'first time right'. To illustrate that, a photo of the preliminary designs has been added. [20240804] Added a Zip file with M10 parts to the files to download. [20240925] Both Onshape models updated due to larger belt recess. See model update [20240919]. [20241001] In the Thing details text and in the assembly instructions added text regarding the nut cover.