Creality K1 XY Rails Mod

Description

This mod fixes K1 issues namely excessive ringing/echo, unstable print quality, frequent maintenance, also it makes printer quiet.

It should be compatible with regular K1 (tested), K1C and K1 SE (not tested, likely heat sink needs to be replaced with heatsink from regular K1).

• This mod does not change print area
• You must use camera mount from this mod (8mm lower than original)
• You must remove stock motor pulleys (or use non-stock stepper motors)

Belts, pulleys, motors

This mode uses POWGE 7.7 mm belt and corresponding idler pulleys. You can use 6 mm belt with stock idlers if you add washers to compensate height differences (POWGE idlers have 10.4 mm height), also you can use F604ZZ flanged bearings (not tested).

You have to remove stock motor pulleys. You can use a bearing puller to do that (some people use printed pullers e.g. pulley puller). If pulleys sit too tight you can use dremel and make cuts to relax pulleys. you have to be careful to avoid damage to motor shafts

I used 20T motor pulleys for 15 mm belt (rotation_distance needs to be adjusted to 40 and driver_SGTHRS must be tuned printer.cfg).

You can install non-stock motors e.g. Leadshine 42cm06 1.8 or LDO-42STH48-1684MAC 0.9 (requires full_steps_per_rotation: 400, loud, limited acceleration but potentially better print quality).

This mod uses double diaphragm couplers and MF95ZZ bearings.

Linear rails

This mod uses two MGN12 rails with MGN12H carriages for Y and one MGN9 rail with MGN9H carriage for X axis.

X rail has max length of 331 mm, 320 mm between far left and far right holes. X axis requires 15x15x2 mm aluminium tube (the same length as rail). It is important to use quality rails for X axis (with minimal backlash).

Y rails have max length of 314 mm (safe 310 mm), 300 mm between far left and far right holes.

Materials

Recommended printing materials are PA-GF, PA-CF, ABS-GF, ABS-CF or anything else that is rigid and can sustain high temperatures. I don't recommend printing toolhead with pure ABS.

License

All work in this repository falls under the Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

Notes

Partially this work is based on creality-k1-max-xy-rails-mod and uses some CAD files made by Henlor.

Published

https://www.printables.com/model/1109686-creality-k1-xy-linear-rails-mod

Photos

Photo 1

Photo 2

Photo 3

Photo 4

Photo 5

BOM, Assembly, etc.

! Flat Thin Wafer Head Screw - M3 screws with flat head that has 1 mm thickness. You can find those on AliExpress, manufacturer NINDEJIN, search for "Ultra Low Profile Head Screw".

Front idler left

Camera

Preview

k1_camera.stl

Preview

front_idler_left.stl

Item	Type	Count
DIN 912 Flat Head Cap Screw	M4 30 mm	1
DIN 7991 Flat Head Cap Screw	M3 6 mm	4
DIN 912 Socket Head Cap Screw	M3 16 mm	1
POWGE GT2 No Teeth Idler Pulley	7.7 mm	1
Heat insert	M3 5x5 mm	5

Front idler right

Preview

front_idler_right.stl

Item	Type	Count
DIN 912 Flat Head Cap Screw	M4 30 mm	1
DIN 7991 Flat Head Cap Screw	M3 6 mm	4
DIN 912 Socket Head Cap Screw	M3 16 mm	1
POWGE GT2 No Teeth Idler Pulley	7.7 mm	1
Heat insert	M3 5x5 mm	5

Joint left

Preview

k1_joint_left.stl

Item	Type	Count
DIN 912 Flat Head Cap Screw	M4 30 mm	2
DIN 7991 Flat Head Cap Screw	M3 25 mm	1
Flat Thin Wafer Head Screw	M3 6 mm	1
DIN 912 Socket Head Cap Screw	M3 12 mm	3
DIN 912 Socket Head Cap Screw	M3 25 mm	1
POWGE GT2 No Teeth Idler Pulley	7.7 mm	2
MGN12H block		2
Heat insert	M3 4.5x5 mm	1
Heat insert	M3 5x7 mm	1

Joint right

Preview

k1_joint_right.stl

Item	Type	Count
DIN 912 Flat Head Cap Screw	M4 30 mm	2
DIN 7991 Flat Head Cap Screw	M3 25 mm	1
Flat Thin Wafer Head Screw	M3 6 mm	2
DIN 912 Socket Head Cap Screw	M3 12 mm	2
DIN 912 Socket Head Cap Screw	M3 25 mm	1
POWGE GT2 No Teeth Idler Pulley	7.7 mm	2
MGN12H block		2
Heat insert	M3 4.5x5 mm	1
Heat insert	M3 5x7 mm	1

Y rail mounts

Preview

k1_rail_mount.stl x2

Item	Type	Count
DIN 912 Socket Head Cap Screw	M3 16 mm	1
DIN 912 Socket Head Cap Screw	M3 8 mm	2
Heat insert	M3 5x5 mm	2

Mounting Y rails to the top frame is important if you want less vibrations. Default mount option is printed mount. You'll have to drill and tap M3 thread in the top frame.

Instead of printed mount you can buy metal plate or a set of plates to get ~8.5 mm thickness.

Y axis

See cad_rail_mgn12.FCStd for exact configuration and dimensions.

Item	Type	Count
MGN12 liner rail	310 mm	2

X axis

See cad_x_axis.FCStd for exact configuration and dimensions.

First, make two holes on the left and on the right, tap M3 threads, mount MGN9 rail, align it carefully and tighten screws. Use rail as drilling template, first make mark using 4 mm drill bit, then drill remaining holes using 2.5 mm drill bit, then tap M3 threads.

Item	Type	Count
Aluminium square pipe	15x15x2 331 mm	1
DIN 912 Socket Head Cap Screw	M3 6 mm	7-14
MGN9 liner rail	331 mm	1

Tensioner left

Preview

k1_tensioner_left.stl

Item	Type	Count
DIN 912 Socket Head Cap Screw	M3 45 mm	1
DIN 912 Socket Head Cap Screw	M3 16 mm	2
DIN 912 Socket Head Cap Screw	M4 20 mm	1
Washer/Gasket	M3	2
POWGE GT2 No Teeth Idler Pulley	7.7 mm	1
Heat insert	M3 3x4.5 mm	2

Tensioner right

Preview

k1_tensioner_right.stl

Item	Type	Count
DIN 912 Socket Head Cap Screw	M3 45 mm	1
DIN 912 Socket Head Cap Screw	M3 16 mm	2
DIN 912 Socket Head Cap Screw	M4 20 mm	1
Washer/Gasket	M3	2
POWGE GT2 No Teeth Idler Pulley	7.7 mm	1
Heat insert	M3 3x4.5 mm	2

Motor mount left (stock motors)

Preview

k1_motor_mount_stock_left.stl

Item	Type	Count
DIN 7991 Flat Head Cap Screw	M3 6 mm	4
DIN 912 Socket Head Cap Screw	M3 6 mm	3
DIN 912 Socket Head Cap Screw	M3 16 mm	1
Flat Thin Wafer Head Screw	M3 6 mm	2
MF95ZZ Bearing		2
Double Diaphragm Coupler	20x30 5x5	1
Shaft	5x57 mm	1
Motor Pulley for 15mm belt	20T 5 mm	1
POWGE GT2 No Teeth Idler Pulley	7.7 mm	2
Heat insert	M3 5x5 mm	6

Motor mount right (stock motors)

Preview

k1_motor_mount_stock_right.stl

Item	Type	Count
DIN 7991 Flat Head Cap Screw	M3 6 mm	4
DIN 912 Socket Head Cap Screw	M3 6 mm	3
DIN 912 Socket Head Cap Screw	M3 16 mm	1
Flat Thin Wafer Head Screw	M3 6 mm	2
MF95ZZ Bearing		2
Double Diaphragm Coupler	20x30 5x5	1
Shaft	5x57 mm	1
Motor Pulley for 15mm belt	20T 5 mm	1
POWGE GT2 No Teeth Idler Pulley	7.7 mm	2
Heat insert	M3 5x5 mm	6

Toolhead clamp left

Preview

k1_toolhead_left_clamp.stl

Item	Type	Count
DIN 912 Socket Head Cap Screw	M2 10 mm	1
Shaft	2x25 mm	1

Toolhead clamp right

Preview

k1_toolhead_right_clamp.stl

Item	Type	Count
DIN 912 Socket Head Cap Screw	M2 10 mm	1
Shaft	2x25 mm	1

Toolhead fan spacer

Preview

Regular hotend - k1_toolhead_spacer.stl

Unicorn hotend - k1_toolhead_spacer_unicorn.stl

Toolhead

Preview

k1_toolhead.stl

Item	Type	Count
Flat Thin Wafer Head Screw	M3 6 mm	7
DIN 912 Socket Head Cap Screw	M2 12 mm	1
MGN9H block		1
Heat insert	M3 4.5x3 mm	6
Heat insert	M3 5x7 mm	1
Heat insert	M3 5x4 mm	4
Heat insert	M2 3.5x3 mm	4

Automation

export.sh/export.cmd scripts export all necessary objects to STl and STEP and optionally capture model screenshots.

# without updating screenshots:
./export
# export STL, STEP and generate model screenshots:
./export screenshots