CTC DIY Prusa i3 (CTC DIY i3 Pro B) – Most Affordable 3D Printer

Technical Specifications

Method: FDM (Fused Deposition Method)
Volume: 200mm x 200mm x 180mm (X Y Z)
Printing Resolution: 100um
Layer Precision: 50-100um
Filament Diameter: 1.75mm
Material: PLA (platform 50-60C), ABS (platform 110C)
Nozzle Diameter: 0.4mm
Mechanical Positioning:
- XY: 11um
- Z: 25um
Speed Positioning: 300mm/s, 100mm/s
Recommended Nozzle Speed: 35-40mm/s
Power: 220V / 80W
Connectivity: USB & SD Card
Product Size: 36cm x 38cm x 43cm
Transport Package: 50cm x 42cm x 23cm, 9.13kg

Unpacking

After 2 days, after ordering on ctcprinter.de it arrived with DHL, a 9kg (20lbs) package.

The package is well composed, most parts are marked, some of the labels didn’t stick to the parts though. The controller board is orange with an ATMEGA 1284P in the center, with all connectors well labeled – it seems it’s loosely identified as “Anet A1284-Base-Control Board V1.0”. Gcode M115, which identifies the firmware.

Assembling

The included manual (diy-manual) on the CD is cumbersome to read – so here the assembling procedure which worked.

Mechanical Assembling

I realized to first assemble mechanically and then electrical (wires) is the best procedure; also re-fasten all screws of the preassembled pieces to ensure the stability.

Here as reference the 3 axis as mentioned further below:

1.use the two sheets/feets so the XZ frame stands upward, the larger ventilation grill comes to the right-hand side when looking to the front; use M3 with washer on the front, and the nut within the sheets/feet; don’t tighten it too much otherwise you will crush the wood.

2.the right-hand middle screw at the XZ frame has to be flat without a washer this screw otherwise crashes later with the X axis moving up/down the Z axis.

3.add the two Z axis stepper motors, the one with the end stopper switch comes at the left-hand side, again M3 with washers and nuts.

4.add the X axis:

the X axis stepper motor goes on the left-hand side
insert the threaded rods, the flexible tubes looking downside (thread them from bottom to top) – a bit time consuming
the X axis with the threaded rods push unto the flexible couplers on the stepper motors, at least 1cm or 1/2″ on the stepper motor, leave 0.5-1.0cm or 1/4″-1/2″ spacing between stepper motor shaft and threaded rods (I have seen others leaving little space, but larger distance worked for me so far)
twist threaded rods so X axis is visually horizontal (fine tuning comes later)
insert the smooth rods (no threads), the holes at the stepper motors require some filing (use the included grater), the smooth rods get pushed apprx. 5mm in
insert the top ends which fixates the smooth rods but not the threaded rods (those have to stay floating)

5.add Y axis, since it’s mostly prepared already you just lay it into the XZ frame, with the stepper motor behind, two additional (unfastened) sheets to attach the Y axis with its larger threaded rods to the XZ frame

6.add printer head: take it apart (first the nozzle and then L shaped support), use prepared M3 to attach the L and then add the printer head (without nozzle) to it, and then add the nozzle again (screw it with the cable looking left-hand side, once fully screwed on they look on the left-hand side again).

7.add LCD screen on the top of the XZ frame

8.add power supply on the right-hand side (looking from the front), just three M3 (one corner of the power supply is in the air), the electrical connectors are looking downward

9.add controller board on the left-hand side this finishes the mechanical assembling.

Electrical Assembling

Attaching all the cables to the controller board is easy since all connectors are labeled:

add main 12V power from the power supply to the controller board

2.attach the 2 long stepper motor cables (one end fits stepper motor, other connector to board – not interchangeable) to

1.the right Z axis stepper motor (not moving)
2.the extruder stepper motor (moving)

3.attach the shorter stepper motor cables to

1.the left Z axis stepper motor (not moving)

2.the X axis stepper motor (moving)

3.the Y axis stepper motor (not moving)

4.attach the thermistors

1.E/T: extruder thermistor

2.B/T: bed thermistor

5.attach the stopper switches:

1.S/X: stop X axis

2.S/Y: stop Y axis

3.S/Z: stop Z axis

6.attach extruder fan to “FAN2” on the controller (always on, but anoying but if you print larger pieces, the extrude fan must be running at first layer already)

7.attach heating bed power to “BED” (polarity doesn’t matter here)

8.attach extruder heating power

9.attach LCD display with marked “LCD” on the controller (one connector aside remains empty)

10.attach main power cable 110V / 220V to the power supply (don’t plug power yet): european standard: green/yellow = GROUND(3), blue = NEUTRAL(2), brown = LIVE(1)

before you bundle the cables, control all connections again – missing or mixing up just one connector can damage the 3d printer once powered on.

Make sure the correct voltage 110V or 220V is chosen at the power supply (default 220V).

As next bundle

all wires from the print head, with the black plastic wire bundler, these wires move the most
all wires from the heating bed (heating and thermistor) with zip ties, and slightly lift them up so they don’t lay on the Y axis frame near the bottom otherwise the zip ties will eventually hang themselves there and block Y movement
bundle the other wires neatly with isolated wires or zip ties spiral cable wrappers (only one is included, so get 2m extra) – on a 2nd thought avoid zip ties as they tend to hang somewhere when on moving parts

Adjusting X axis Height

This part is crucial for the geometric accuracy of all your prints:

use any kind of item with a certain length, a pencil, a stick, or a ruler – whatever, long and short enough to match the height of your X axis (moving up/down the Z axis)
put the item on the bottom of the left Z axis stepper motor and adjust the height manually by twisting the Z axis manually until the item touches the X axis; you might have to adjust the right side as well to stay somewhat horizonally
now move the item to the right side of the X axis, and measure the same distance and adjust the height of the right side
now both sides have the same distance to the bottom (the stepper motors at the bottom) – which means, the X axis is now perfectly horizontal

As next make sure the Z axis stopper on the left-hand side near the bottom, that screw coming down on the X axis is fully extended: move the nuts up so the screws extends down and reaches the stopper early.

Adjusting Printing Bed aka Bed Leveling

When all is assembled mechanically and electrically, you turn on the machine; the LCD display should light up in blue with white letters.
Note: when the printer is powered on, the stepper motors become active and hold their position, you can’t or shouldn’t move the X or Y axis manually anymore, unless you choose in the menu “Prepare -> Disable Stepper Motors”

choose “Prepare -> Auto Home”; and carefully watch the printing head moving left to X axis home, moving backward with Y axis to home and Z axis downward:
- if the screw hitting the Z axis end stopper missed, push the stopper before with your fingers, you otherwise damage your printer
- if the screw hits the stopper, good
you likely have too much space between the nozzle and the printing bed
1. adjust the screw hitting the stopper to minimize the distance of the nozzle to the end, hit “Prepare -> Auto Home” until the nozzle is within 0-3mm distance of the bed
2. hit “Prepare -> Disable Stepper Motors”,
  1. adjust the bed with the manual fly nuts, put a piece of paper on the bed, and adjust distance so the nozzle barely touches the paper (left/front side of the bed), then
  2. move the printer head on the X axis manually to the right side, and adjust right/front side alike , then
  3. move the Y axis forward manually so you reach the end of bed (right/end side), adjust height, and
  4. move the printer head on the X axis so you reach (left/end side) and adjust the height as well,
  5. and repeat it once more to make sure the nozzle is 0.1mm distance from the bed (that’s the thickness of a piece of paper)