The quality of 3D prints depends on many variables, one of which is the tension in your belt. This article guides you through the procedure of how to tension the belts on your 3D printer correctly.
The simplest way to make sure your 3D printer belts are correctly tensioned is to tighten them until there is no slack and they resist being pushed down. Avoid tightening your belts too much because doing so can cause the belt to wear out quickly.
The best method to determine how tight your belt tension should be is described in the remaining sections of this article, along with other helpful information.
3D Printer Tension Belt: What is it?
The 3D printer’s belts need to be quite tight. When the belt is properly tensioned, there shouldn’t be any slack, and it should be difficult to push against it while still being able to bend slightly. The tension of a belt should be the same as that of a rubber band that has been stretched.
They should feel springy and push back on your finger when you push on the belt. You must be careful not to tighten the belts too much. Belt deterioration will increase if the tension is set too tight. Belts that are too tight might also result in failed prints and print flaws.
3D Printer Tension Belt: Why tighten them?
Belts are a minor component in a 3D printer, but their condition and tension are crucial to producing a high-quality print. Many print quality difficulties will develop if the belt is too loose. Loose belts, for example, might induce layer displacement, resulting in a part with misaligned layers. At most, you’ll have a few layers that seem shaky; at worst, your component won’t work.
If the component moved by the belt has more slack to jolt forwards or backward, the dimensional accuracy of your parts will suffer as well. Poor dimensional accuracy might cause a print to not fit or perform adequately, even if you planned it with accurate proportions.
As there is a greater opportunity for the printhead to stray from the predetermined positions when a belt is loose or flat, the circular elements on a model can start to look more like ovals. Other shapes will be faulty and most likely depart from the expected design. If the printhead moves during printing at various levels, too much slack can also generate a ripple or wave effect up the sides of a part.
With all of these possible issues, why not simply tighten the belts on your printer before each use? While you want a fair level of tension, overtightening a belt can also cause problems, but these are more linked to the belt’s life expectancy than to printing concerns.
To begin with, overtightening a printer belt can cause it to snap instantly. However, a more subtle issue is that maintaining the belts too tight can lead them to decay faster. Overtightening a belt strains it, and once stretched, there’s no turning back, so you’ll be right back where you start with too-loose belts.
3D Printer Belt Is Tight Enough: How Can You Know?
A lot of trial and error is involved in determining the belt’s proper tension. There are numerous manual methods to find the belt’s tension and tighten it to your satisfaction.
Following are a few techniques that are frequently used to verify the belt’s tension:
1. Checking the tension by topping the belt
As it only requires fingers and a sense of touch, this is among the simplest methods for determining the printer belt’s tension. If the belt is squeezed between the fingers, it should not move much; if it does, the belt has to be tightened.
2. Play the sound of a belt being tugged
When you pull on your belt, it should make a tugging noise that resembles a low-note guitar string. Your belt is probably not tight enough if you hear no note or a lot of slack.
3D Printer Tension Belt: How to Tighten?
Not every 3D printer is the same. Furthermore, different printers may have different procedures for tightening the belts. But the overall idea still holds valid.
First, let’s examine how to tighten the belt tension on a 3D printer using an Allen key or screw setup:
1. Inspect your 3D printer and find the belt tensioner for the axis you want to change. The stepper motor is typically placed in opposition to the belt tensioner.
2. Determine the best instrument for adjusting the tension. An Allen key or screwdriver is usually required. If your tensioner has a knob, simply turn it clockwise to tighten the belt and anticlockwise to release tension.
3. Using the Allen key or screwdriver, loosen the belt tensioner. (Note: You do not have to remove the screws entirely. Simply release the screws to allow the belt tensioner to be moved.)
4. Hold the frame with one hand and pull the belt tensioner until the belt tension is correct. The belts are tightened when the tensioner is moved away from the frame, while they are loosened when it is moved towards the frame.
5. Tighten the screws to reattach the belt tensioner to the frame. (Make sure the belt is parallel to the frame. If the belt isn’t level, it may rub against the frame, causing the belt to wear out faster.)
That’s all! For smooth and consistent 3D printing, adjust the belt tension on each axis.
3D Printer Belt Tension: How can I ensure that it is stable?
Even when you’ve finally found the right tension, it won’t stay that way without some maintenance and care. Always make sure your pulleys and gears are free of dust or dirt and that nothing is missing or loose before you begin printing. Finding the ideal printer belt tension for your upcoming print will be simpler if the printer’s overall performance is good.
Following the establishment of proper tension and the resolution of any printer-related problems that may have contributed to tension problems, you should know the answers to the following questions right away:
- What does the tension of the printer belt feel like when it is properly adjusted?
- When the printer belt is properly tensioned, what noise does it make?
- How much deflection ought my printer belt to have when everything is configured correctly?
- What other components of my printer (pulleys, extruders), and how did I alter them, contributed to the tension problem?
When you get the perfect tension, it can be thrilling to start printing right away without writing down or remembering the precise measurements for your belt tension. Knowing exactly where your tension should be and what kind of maintenance it requires to keep functioning at its optimum will save you a lot of time and stress if you plan to continue 3D printing frequently.
SelfCAD: One of The Best 3D Printing Software
In the current market, SelfCAD distinguishes out as one of the best 3D design software. It includes features like 3D modeling, rendering, and even 3D slicing. The video below shows how SelfCAD slicer works.
Enhancing Print Quality with Proper Tension Belt Management
If you’re unclear about the belt tension, keep in mind that it needs to be just right—tight enough to prevent wobbling but still allow the printhead or bed to move smoothly over its axis. If the component wobbles, tighten the belt; if it moves with a rough motion, loosen the belt.
