Tronxy X1 Heated Bed and Dimension Upgrade

I started this project because I was tired of the adhesive problems and prints curling off the bed on the original Tronxy X1. I also wanted a bigger print volume to have more room for bigger builds. The original 150x150x150mm print volume is good for elementary prints and small pieces, but I had bigger prints I wanted to make. In this Tronxy X1 upgrade I was able to increase my print volume from 150x150x150mm (5.9x5.9x5.9in) to 230x230x150mm (9.25x9.25x5.9in) and successfully added a heat bed to fix my adhesive issue. Overall, I think I was successful in completing this build to my projects scope.

Supplies:

• Tronxy X1 3D Printer Kit
• 235x235mm 24V 3D Printer Heat Bed
• 12x12in Black Non-Transparent Acrylic Sheet
• 1pcs 350mm 2040 Aluminum Railing
• 1pcs 400mm 2020 Aluminum Railing
• 12x12inch Cork Board
• 5M GT2 Timing Belt, 6mm Width
• 12V DC Temperature Controller with a 24V Thermostat Control Switch Board
• 24V Power Supply, AC 110V/220V to DC 0-24V 20A 480W Buck Converter
• 6ft 125V AC 3-Wire Power Cord
• Extra Tronxy X1 Base Plate
• 16 Gauge Wire
• Electrical Wire Connections, M5 Fork Connectors
• Electrical Tape
• Zip Ties

Tools:

• Allen Keys from printer kit
• Philips and Flat Head Screwdriver from printer kit
• Band Saw
• Drill Press
• Wire Stripper/Crimper
• Vise Grip Pliers
• Scissors
• Lighter
• Tape Measure

On the 3D printer I will be referring to the horizontal rail with the sliding bed as the y-axis, the vertical rail as the z-axis and the rail with the sliding extruder as the x-axis. To start on the frame, we need to cut our 400mm 2020 Aluminum Railing down to 380mm with a band saw. This will be used for our x-axis railing. The 350mm 2040 Aluminum Railing does not have to be trimmed. It will be used as the y-axis. The z-axis we will continue to use the railing from the original kit. Next, we need to cut the x-axis that came in the original kit down to 160mm for our support railing that goes between the z and y-axis. After this, no more shop tools will be needed to construct the frame, only the tools that come in the Tronxy X1 3D Printer Kit.

Now to assemble the frame. This will be similar to the original assembly of the Tronxy X1. First thing you'll need to do is disconnect and unplug the motors and stop switches. You will also need to remove the belt, pulley mount, stop switch mount and extruder assembly off of the original x-axis. Then, we can remove the z-axis wheel assembly off of the z-axis. With that off, we can now loosen the two M4-8mm screws that are holding on the x-axis railing, located on the inside of the acrylic plate, and slide off the original x-axis. With the old x-axis railing off, now slide on the new 380mm 2020 Aluminum Railing and tighten the two M4-8mm screws. Now put the belt, pulley mount, stop switch mount and extruder assembly back onto the new x-axis. For the next part we can keep the x-axis/z-axis wheel assembly off.

For the next part, we need to remove the y-axis railing, y-axis wheel assembly and bed, support railing, belt, pulley mount, and motor mount. Removing the y-axis and support railing will take loosening four M4 screws from the bottom of the base plate and also three L-support brackets. Now we can replace the original support railing with the new 160mm 2020 Aluminum Railing that we made out of the old x-axis. We are able to use the same L-Brackets, screws and t-nuts that came off the old support railing. Next, we will need our extra Tronxy X1 base plate where we will mount the new 350mm 2040 Aluminum Railing. The railing will be mounted the same way it originally was, long ways with three sets of M4 screws and t-nuts. From here we can attach the new y-axis back to the support railing with the L-Brackets. Then reattach the pulley and motor mount but leave off the old y-axis wheel assembly and bed. You can also reconnect the stop switches and motors at this point. We are now done with assembling the new 3D Printer frame.

To start this build, we will need to make measurements for our new acrylic base plate. What I did was lay my hit bed on the acrylic plate, squared it up with the edges and traced an outline of the heated bed onto the 12x12in acrylic sheet with a marker or sharp edge. When you take the heated bed off, you'll have the cut guidelines. You can use a tape measure to make sure the guidelines are correct. Here we can use the band saw to cut the acrylic board on the lines you made with the sharp edge. Now you'll have an acrylic sheet that's the same dimensions as you heated bed. Again, you need to lay the heated bed on the acrylic sheet and square it up. Use your marker or sharp edge and poke it through the heated beds screw holes. This will give you points on the acrylic sheet that you'll need to drill holes through. Next you will need to remove the old 150x150mm acrylic sheet that came with the Tronxy X1. Square the original 150x150mm acrylic sheet up in the center if the new acrylic sheet. Once again, mark through the holes of the original sheet and make points on the new acrylic sheet. Now you should have 8 points on the new acrylic sheet, and we can now take it over to the drill press. You'll want to find a drill bit the same size as an M3 screw. After you install that drill bit into the drill press, line up the holes and drill through them. Be careful not to chip or crack the acrylic. This will be the last shop tool needed in the heated bed build.

Now to assembly your pieces. I put the original 150x150mm acrylic sheet back onto the y-axis wheel assembly to make the bed more rigid. So now you should have the new acrylic sheet stacked on top of the original sheet, put the M3 screws back through both of them, then add the spring, then finally the y-axis wheel assembly and the wing nuts. This completes the y-axis wheel and bed base assembly. Next, we will put all four M3 screws down through the four heated bed screw holes and flip it over, so the top is now face down with the screws pointing upward. Now take 12 M3 nuts and put three on each screw that's sticking up. Tighten them down and these will be the spacers between the heated bed and acrylic sheet. Next, we will need our cord board. We can measure it the same way we did the acrylic sheet by placing the hot bed on it and square up the corners. Then take a marker or sharp edge to mark the cork board and then cut it with a pair of scissors. With the heated bad face down and the screws pointing up, we can press the cork board onto the screws since it's soft. Make sure the cork board is squared up with the heated bed before pressing it over the M3 screws. The cork board will act as an insulator, so we don't melt the acrylic board. Now we are ready to flip the heat bed assembly over onto the y-axis wheel and bed base assembly. Line up the screws and put them through the four outer holes on the acrylic sheet. Secure the heated bed assembly with one M3 nut on each screw. I used a pair of vise grips to hold the nut while I torque the screw with an Allen key. You can now reattach the bed back onto the 3D Printer Frame and connect the belt. My heated bed came with a glass top which I attached at this time.

Looking at my diagram we can see that the heated bed connects to the temperature controller, and the temp controller connects to the power supply and from the power supply we connect our power cord (Note: All wires that you will connect will need a M5 fork connector, and to be safe wrap and visible wire with electrical tape). My heated bed came with 6 wires soddened to it, two blacks, two reds, and two yellows. You'll need to look at my wiring diagram to correctly wire together the heated bed, temperature controller, power supply and power cord. As you can see the red wires from the heated bed connect to the right bottom positive connection and the black wires from the heated bed connect to the right top negative connection on the temp controller. The yellow wires from the heated bed are the thermostat which connect to left bottom connections that are marked as K+ and K-. It does not matter which one you put as + or -. Now you'll need two extra wires, one marked as red and the other black. The black wire will connect to the left very top connection on the temp controller and runs to the first -V connection on the power supply. The red wire will connect to the left second from top connection on the temp controller and runs to the first +V connection on the power supply. Now we need to connect the power cord to the power supply. When looking at the three power cord wires, we can see the black wire is a "live" wire and will be connected to the L connection on the power supply, the white wire is a "neutral" wire and will be connected to the N connection on the power supply, finally the green/blueish wire is a ground wire and will be connected to the connection with 3 horizontal lights above it. Be sure to flip the switch on your power supply to 110V before plugging in the power cord. This is the final part in upgrading the Tronxy X1.