I work in a plant that makes automation machinery and we build machines that use linear bearings a lot. Very expensive ones from THK Japan.
I always thought it was weird on the A1 printer that on the Z axis you have access to a lubing point, however on the x you do not. bambu says to put oil along the rail but.. I’m wondering when and if ever THIS (video below) needs to get done?
Also wanted to toss it out there, at work we have had an x1c for a long time, the engineers just got in an h2s, I think it’s funny the newer printers look a lot like the A1 series lol. The extruder head looks really close, the x axis looks similar and all the new series took over the quick swap from the A1 series machines. It’s like they tried to simplify the A1 series and in doing so realize they made some good design choices and continued forward. I have my negative opinions on the quick swapping nozzles I won’t get into but I find it interesting.
Anyone ever taken the time to go down this rabbit hole?
1 Like
that sounds cool. The bearing assembly will definitely have a greasing point, I just wish I could access mine without tearing the entire extruder off.
On my A1 mini I greased the Z axis bearing, it was easy to get to the port.
Because of the proximity of belts in the units I’m reconsidering my use of normal greases and might try to find something synthetic to use on my printers.
The above referenced thread was questioning if the rails were ever lubricated at all, so far it appears not. I’m wildly guessing they will run for 10’s of km on the anti-rust oil at least, so maybe they will wear out around the same time as the Z nut.
3D printing is a noncontact manufacturing process, there just aren’t high forces going into the bearings, they don’t need the pressure resistance of grease. Light oil is plenty sufficient in this case. Grease would actually be a bad thing as it takes far more force to move a small bearing through grease versus oil, so this would result in a slower overall machine.
