Creality CR-10S
As the most capable and heavily-upgraded of my printers, this is the main workhorse. This Creality CR-10S was purchased, assembled, and tuned for the production of larger prints. The open design of this printer lends itself to modification, and various upgrades have been implemented to optimize the functionality and efficiency of the printer. I regularly use this machine for printing PLA, PETG, TPU, ABS, nylon, polycarbonate, and various other composite materials.
= Upgrades =
Customized TH3D Firmware
The original firmware made the printer a fire hazard, as it had no failsafe to account for thermal runaway. As such, any failure in thermometer wiring that caused an erroneously low temperature reading would result in a positive feedback loop, with the printer pumping in heat to a system that is already sufficiently hot. This may continue until the system fails or begins to melt, with potentially disastrous results. To remove this concern, the printer was upgraded to the TH3D unified firmware with thermal runaway protection, improved user interface, and more. This firmware was then tweaked and customized to adjust various parameters of the user interface, such as a personalized bootscreen and improved display messages.
Micro Swiss Direct Drive Extruder
The OEM extruder system had poor durability and useability, and the degradation of parts would eventually lead to failure or hindered print quality. It was replaced with a high-quality Micro Swiss all-metal direct drive system, reducing the need for retractions and lowering the risk of clogs. The stainless steel nozzle An improved version of the filament runout sensor bracket was printed and installed to prevent failure due to the poorly affixed design of the original. In addition, a m It was replaced with a stainless steel nozzle, sacrificing some thermal conductivity in favour of substantially improved durability.
750W Keenovo Bed Heater & SSR
The CR-10's OEM heating pad provided a very low heating rate, generally requiring about 7 minutes to reach operating temperature at the start of each print. Additionally, it did not allow the printer to reach and sustain temperatures exceeding ~80°C. This prohibited the printing of ABS, as the material requires (among other things) build plate temperatures exceeding 100°C in order to maintain adhesion. To remedy this, the OEM heating pad was replaced with a 750W Keenovo silicone bed heater and wired into a solid state relay to allow for direct regulation by the control box. With this implementation, the bed now heats fully in under 60 seconds, is capable of maintaining bed temperatures exceeding 120°C, and has proven more than capable of facilitating the manufacturing of parts in advanced materials.
Mirror Bed
The OEM glass bed is in itself already a vast improvement from a bare aluminum bedplate; however, the drawback of standard glass is that its production tolerances are sub-optimal for an application requiring a pure planar surface. Without a planar build plate, extruded material will have highly uneven adhesion, resulting in a very poor chance of a successful first layer. The decision was made to upgrade to a mirror bed, as its intended application requires it to have a perfectly planar surface in order to produce an undistorted reflection.
High-Flow Silent Cooling
The original fans on the CR-10S were of sub-optimal quality, resulting in unpleasant noise pollution. For improved cooling and reduced noise pollution, all printhead and fans were replaced with silent Noctua A4x20 fans. In addition, legs were printed for the control box to provide clearance from the ground, and the internal fans were replaced with a single silent A12x25 Noctua exhaust fan. These fans all provide significantly improved airflow and reliability while simultaneously being nearly inaudible during operation.
Petsfang Fan Shroud & PID Tuning
The original parts cooling fan was adequate, but its one-sided output of airflow often resulted in poor print quality on the unventilated side of parts, especially in the case of significant overhangs. To remedy this shortcoming, the popular petsfang shroud was printed and installed for much more evenly distributed airflow. Following this upgrade, the hotend was PID turned to optimize temperature regulation.
Frame Supports & Vibration Damping
This printer, while provided with a strong aluminum extrusion frame, was not as sturdy as it could be, and the fast-moving x and y-axis stepper motors mounted on the frame produce substantial vibration. This results in resonance through the frame and its components, producing a buzz or whine as the printhead travels. Printed parts also suffer as a result, often experiencing a "ghosting" effect along outer faces due to the vibration in the frame. To remedy this, two pieces of 5/16" threaded rod were cut to size and affixed with 3D-printed mounts to the base and upper z-axis to solidify the frame. Following this, motor dampers were installed on both steppers, all fan mounts were damped with rubber washers, and the base of the printer was cushioned with a foam bed. As a result, the noise pollution of the printer has been all but eliminated, and the slight ghosting effect of vibrations has been removed from all subsequent prints.
Frame-Integrated LED Lighting
Good lighting is necessary to monitor the progress of the print and ensure that failure is not impending. As such, a small lamp was previously placed adjacent to the printer to illuminate the buildplate. However, this was a bulky and obstructive method, and a more integrated option was desired. Sleeves were 3D-printed to fit over the previously installed frame supports, and white LED strips were adhesed to the inner face of these sleeves. By routing the wiring discreetly through the frame and feeding into the control box with the existing wiring, the CR-10S was provided with automatic and integrated illumination for optimal print monitoring.
Octoprint & The Spaghetti Detective
A major drawback of the basic printer is that there is significant work required to initiate a print. The microSD card must be removed from the printer and inserted into a computer, and the gcode file must be uploaded to the card. After reinserting the card into the printer, the user must scroll to the file on the control box interface and select it for printing. Following this, the user must monitor the print in person to ensure its successful completion. To circumvent this inconvenience, a Raspberry Pi was configured with Octoprint and integrated into the control box, tapping into the printer's PSU for all necessary power. A Pi camera was installed onto an adjustable 3D-printed mount to allow for remote monitoring. After configuration and troubleshooting of the Pi setup, along with the integration of several other plugins, the printer can now be fully controlled and monitored from anywhere. Models can be remotely sliced and uploaded to an online server, and sent to the printer for manufacturing. The Pi camera and data feed allow constant monitoring of the print's progress, with the option to abort the print in the event of failure. With the power of Octoprint, the CR-10S is now more efficient and versatile than ever.
Heated Enclosure
A drawback of most consumer-grade printers is their lack of an isolated and thermally-regulated environment — fluctuating ambient temperatures can result in inconsistent or failed prints, and operating in a cool environment forces the heating elements to work harder to maintain their high temperature. To mitigate this issue, an enclosure was installed to isolate the printer from its environment. While not thermally regulated, the confined space reduces the load on the heating elements and creates a warm, favorable environment for successful filament deposition.