Safe 3D Printer Wiring Guide Using Drag Chains

[@dphuntsman]

This was a great explanation of drag chain principles of ANY size- thank you! I came here because I wanted to understand the big drag chain mechanism now being installed on SpaceX’s launch pad at Boca Chica. Looks the same, frankly!!

[@dphillips9641]

Really enjoying these videos. Lots of KZbin videos on upgrading the electronics of 3d printers but you are filling a gap with your videos covering good mechanical design practices and techniques.

[@ponsaravanan]

Great video on drag chain. Love that idea of using extrusion as a restrainer + guide I am fixing my DIY printer after an year of using.

[@certified-forklifter]

this is my favourite series right now! great job. they come in very handy with my Hevo build.

[@kenny6614]

Such an underrated video, this is super helpful

[@mmckinley345]

Than you so much this is what i was looking for to print and use my own 3d printed drag chain. Can you but them both vertical and horizontal?

[@santiagoblandon3022]

Nice video Adam! Fatigue is the weakening of the material due to repetitive motion. Fatigue is not the cause of high stress points, but rather the other way around.

[@Vector3DP]

Yep, you're right. I still get nervous in front of the camera and mis-speak.

[@santiagoblandon3022]

You're doing great! keep it up!

[@sonivvk]

You are a saviour. I was desperately looking for a video on installing drag chains. Thank you so much for uploading this video. Keep up the good work!

[@helderlimaletsgo]

Awesome vid man

[@astersfun]

Awesome video! I've been messing with designing a printer for a while now, and this should be quite helpful!

[@bentleykye3398]

I guess Im kinda randomly asking but does anybody know a good site to stream newly released series online ?

[@louiebrentley1088]

@Bentley Kye try Flixzone. Just google for it :)

[@wellsleland4933]

@Louie Brentley yea, been using Flixzone for since march myself :D

[@bentleykye3398]

@Louie Brentley thanks, signed up and it seems like they got a lot of movies there :D I appreciate it !

[@louiebrentley1088]

@Bentley Kye Glad I could help :D

[@mindbendernine]

Great video to explain best practices for drag chains. Also, that was a great design for your printer's X-Axis wiring - were there 3 drag chain segments in total? (one for x-axis from hot-end to left riser, another for the y-axis wiring and a third from the x-axis on the left riser to the circuit board?) - Fantastic demonstration. Best regards.

[@uwuweewee]

Thumbs up for the Prusa mini This is some good content man

[@elitemachineworks1037]

Excellent video. I have to add my 2 cents. I have been building custom automation machines for ten years. There is a sweet spot on strand count. Too many very thin strands will actually break much easier compared to a wire with a lower strand count. This has to do with cross section of the strands. Too thin and it will break very easily. Also I have found using a silicone high strand count wires break much easier even when used properly in drag chain. Of all the failures I have had in drag chain setups it has always been high strand count silicone wires. With an adequate bend radius regular moderate strand count PVC wire has been the best in my personal experience. Of course if you can source and afford it buy wire specifically meant for drag chain flex applications. Please do not make the same mistake I myself made countless times thinking high strand count silicone wire was the best solution. It is not.

[@Vector3DP]

Thanks for adding that. Great information. I've been testing this silicone strand count on my extrudinator machine for around a year or so now, that's why i was happy to recommend it, i think for most low velocity and low duty cycle machines it's sufficient. Obviously the optimal solution would be correctly specified flex cables but they're way out of budget for most DIYers from what i've seen. Do you have some detailed specs for medium count copper wires you could recommend?

[@sdfghjuytrdssdfghjk]

@@Vector3DP Great video. Tom Salander (spelling) also have a good source for chains and wire management. As for the cable i use, i mostly go with RKUB. It's the same type used in most veihcles where vibrations is a concern. Or H07RN-F with varied cores if i example need both power feed and signal in one cable. Remote sensors etc.

[@elitemachineworks1037]

@@Vector3DP Thats a tough question to answer due to the wide variety of wire offered by countless manufacturers. I would strongly recommend copper tinned wire vs aluminum wire with an alloy tin. If you can find it, MTW (Machine Tool Wire) is probably the safest "generic" wire out there for 3D printers.

[@hamjudo]

A cable that is too floppy will move around within the drag chain. Thicker insulation, larger strands, or stiffer insulation will improve that situation.

[@avejst]

Great Project Thanks for sharing your knowledge :-)

[@in5n80]

Great video mate

[@3D_Tech]

Great Vid!!!

[@Gigaloader]

I think loose movement of wires inside a drag chain is bad as the insulation keeps rubbing on the inside. A slight stretch of wires is nothing to worry about - but when insulation comes off due to rubbing it can potentially short out. It is probably better to have a less loose fit with only a bending movement just like a cable binder does.

[@Vector3DP]

Yes, too loose and too tight are both bad. But being fixed both ends is most important.

[@Machbar24]

Thanks Adam! Can you tell me what size drag chains you are using? I notice that you used open frame ones on the x and y axis but a closed frame one on the z axis. Was there are reason for that selection? On a different, where do you find your music? You have a talent for finding ear worm tracks that have me humming them days later.

[@bjokey87]

Would a drag chain with the internal "comb (wire separator)" be a good idea? I'm about to start printing mine, and I'm concerned that will cause more ware on the wires.

[@casperpctech]

Cant find the files in the link provided

[@SianaGearz]

I am more than a tad bit suspicious of drag chains. Because they bend the cable sharply at one place at any given time rather than distributing the bend throughout the whole length of the cable. And doubly suspicious of doing that with silicone sheath wire because the silicone is super flexible, and translates all this bending right to the copper underneath. And most of the time the printer will be moving around the middle position, so it forms a likely breaking spot, wherever the middle of the range of each axis movement is. What they're great at is keeping the wires out of the way of everything else, but i feel on a 3D printer that's a problem easily solved.

[@cupofcoffeeinthebigtimeyea3485]

Is there a download link ?

[@noobt4eguns]

Nothing in the link below

[@kevfquinn]

FWIW #6 has the wrong slide - repeats "high strand count" for the "fix both ends" segment.

[@Vector3DP]

oh darn, how did i not notice?! Thanks for letting me know. Lets just pretend its a feature, not a bug :D

[@kevfquinn]

A feature to test whether we're paying attention properly, I see! :)

[@AndrewAHayes]

I notice you have not used 3d printed drag chains, are they not good enough?

[@Vector3DP]

I've not tested them so i wouldn't know if they are adequate. My estimate would be that they are difficult to print well and low quality could damage the wires. For now my recommendation would be to purchase them, or do your own longevity testing to see what works.

[@AndrewGillard]

Drag chains appear to be very affordable on AliExpress and the like (even Amazon with Prime, though with a smaller range to choose from), while they seem like something that would take an age to print - and much longer if you had to print a dozen variations to find a design and correct print settings that the printed version worked well!

[@darmakiss4829]

your company...haha are we co-workers?

[@Vector3DP]

Um, more like customers I guess. Even though nobody paid 😂🤷‍♂️

[@certified-forklifter]

nice. thanks