¶ Step 1 - Prepare the Stepper motor parts - Part 1
- Right Stepper motor plate assembly from the Frame Assembly guide
- Left Stepper motor plate assembly from the Frame Assembly guide
- 2x Nema 17 Stepper motor - HT - 48mm
- 2x 20 Tooth 2GT Timing Pulley for 9mm Belt
- 6x M3x6 Countersink Screws
¶ Step 2 - Prepare the Stepper motor parts - Part 2
- 3x Aluminium spacer 5x8x4mm + 1x Aluminium spacer 5x8x14mm + Aluminium spacer 5x8x17mm
- 5x Mini precision shim 8x5x1mm
- 6x Ball bearing 695ZZ
- 14x Ball bearing F695ZZ
- Right vc4_motor_spacer
- Left vc4_motor_spacer
- 4x M5x45 Cap Head Screws
- 6x Heavy-Duty Idler – The latest V-Core 4 kits now feature these heavy-duty idlers as a replacement for the previously used bearing stack assemblies.
¶ Step 3 - Assemble the Right Stepper motor - Part 1
- Right Stepper motor plate assembly from Step 27 of chapter 01.Frame assembly
- Ensure the t-nuts are on the same side as the countersink bores.
- Nema 17 Stepper motor - HT - 48mm
- Be mindful of the cable orientation, it should replicate the image.
- 3x M3x6 Countersink Screws
- Insert the M3x6 screws into the Right Stepper motor plate assembly as shown, and fasten them to secure the NEMA17 motor.
¶ Step 4 - Assemble the Right Stepper motor - Part 2
- Refer to the side of the assembly which has the M5 holes
- Remove the two M6x12 Cap Head Screws
- Remove the two 3030 Drop-in T-Nut - M6
- Right vc4_motor_spacer
- Install the printed part next to the nema 17 stepper motors, and make sure the holes are aligned.
- Insert the two M6x12 Cap Head Screws
- Insert the two 3030 Drop-in T-Nut - M6
- Loosely thread a 3030 T-Nut onto each of the M6x12 screws. Do not tighten them at this point.
¶ Step 5 - Assemble the Right Stepper motor - Part 3
- Ensure the right vc4_motor_spacer printed part is aligned with the plate
- Insert the M5x45 Cap Head Screws all the way
- Once inserted, the printed part should be able to hold them in place
- Install the timing pulley onto the NEMA17 shaft, oriented as shown
- The timing pulley will be aligned and fully secured in a later step.. Do not tighten the M3 grub screws
¶ Step 6 - Assemble the Right Stepper motor - Part 4
- Install the following components in the order shown in the image:
- Mini Precision Shim
- F695ZZ Ball Bearing (Flange at the bottom)
- 695ZZ Ball Bearing
- F695ZZ Ball Bearing (Flange at the top)
- Insert a Mini Precision Shim on the rear M5x45 Screw
¶ Step 7 - Assemble the Right Stepper motor - Part 5
- Install the following components on the rear M5x45 Screw in the order shown in the image:
- F695ZZ Ball Bearing (Flange at the bottom)
- 695ZZ Ball Bearing
- F695ZZ Ball Bearing (Flange at the top)
- Install an Aluminium spacer 5x8x4mm on the rear M5x45 Screw
- Install an Aluminium spacer 5x8x17mm on the front M5x45 Screw
- Set the assembly aside, let's assemble the left stepper motor.
¶ Step 8 - Assemble the Left Stepper motor - Part 1
- Left Stepper motor plate assembly from Step 27 of chapter 01.Frame assembly
- Ensure the t-nuts are on the same side as the countersink bores.
- Nema 17 Stepper motor - HT - 48mm
- Be mindful of the cable orientation, it should replicate the image.
- 3x M3x6 Countersink Screws
- Insert the M3x6 screws into the Right Stepper motor plate assembly as shown, and fasten them to secure the NEMA17 motor.
¶ Step 9 - Assemble the Left Stepper motor - Part 2
- Refer to the side of the assembly which has the M5 holes
- Remove the two M6x12 Cap Head Screws
- Remove the two 3030 Drop-in T-Nut - M6
- Left vc4_motor_spacer
- Install the printed part next to the nema 17 stepper motors, and make sure the holes are aligned.
- Insert the two M6x12 Cap Head Screws
- Insert the two 3030 Drop-in T-Nut - M6
- Loosely thread a 3030 T-Nut onto each of the M6x12 screws. Do not tighten them at this point.
¶ Step 10 - Assemble the Left Stepper motor - Part 3
- Ensure the left vc4_motor_spacer printed part is aligned with the plate
- Insert the M5x45 Cap Head Screws all the way
- Once inserted, the printed part should be able to hold them in place
- Install the timing pulley onto the NEMA17 shaft, oriented as shown
- The timing pulley will be aligned and fully secured in a later step. Do not tighten the M3 grub screws
¶ Step 11 - Assemble the Left Stepper motor - Part 4
- Insert a Mini Precision Shim on the rear M5x45 Screw
- Install an Aluminium spacer 5x8x14mm on the front M5x45 Screw
- Install the following components on the rear M5x45 Screw in the order shown in the image:
- F695ZZ Ball Bearing (Flange at the bottom)
- 695ZZ Ball Bearing
- F695ZZ Ball Bearing (Flange at the top)
- Insert a Mini Precision Shim on the rear M5x45 Screw
¶ Step 12 - Assemble the Left Stepper motor - Part 5
- Install the following components in the order shown in the image:
- F695ZZ Ball Bearing (Flange at the bottom)
- 695ZZ Ball Bearing
- F695ZZ Ball Bearing (Flange at the top)
- Aluminium spacer 5x8x4mm
- Set the assembly aside. it will be used in a few steps
¶ Step 13 - Prepare the Stepper motor parts - Part 3
- 4x M5 Hex Locking nut
- 8x 3030 Drop-in T-Nut - M6
- 8x M6x12 Cap Head Screws
- 2x M3x40 Countersink Screw
- 2x Aluminium Spacer 3x6x30mm
- The metal plates are not marked with "R" or "L" Please refer to the orientation to help identify them.
- vc4_trim_coreXY_right **and **vc4_trim_coreXY_left
- vc4_xy_motor_upper_right and vc4_xy_motor_upper_left
¶ Step 14 - Assemble the top of the right stepper motor - Part 1
- vc4_trim_coreXY_right
- 2x M5 Hex Locking nut
- Insert the M5 Hex Locking nut upside down.
- vc4_xy_motor_upper_right
- Ball bearing F695ZZ
- Insert the Ball bearing F695ZZ with the flange at the top
- Ensure the bearing flange is on the same side as the countersink bore.
¶ Step 15 - Assemble the top of the right stepper motor - Part 2
- vc4_xy_motor_upper_right assembly
- vc4_trim_coreXY_right assembly
- Insert the four M6x12 Cap Head Screws
- Insert the four 3030 Drop-in T-Nut - M6
- Loosely thread a 3030 T-Nut onto each of the M6x12 screws. Do not tighten them at this point.
¶ Step 16 - Assemble the top of the left stepper motor
- Repeat Steps 14 and 15 and complete the left assembly
¶ Step 17 - Install the right stepper motor - Part 1
- Place the right stepper motor assembly from Step 7 in the frame
¶ Step 18 - Install the right stepper motor - Part 2
- Install the right stepper motor assembly to the V-Core 4 frame as shown
- Tighten the four M6x12 screws to secure the motor_plate assembly to the frame
- Make sure the plate is fully seated against the 3030 extrusion before tightening the M6x12 screws
- Take care not to over tighten the M6x12 screws as you can damage the printed parts
¶ Step 19 - Install the right stepper motor - Part 3
- Right top stepper motor assembly from Step 15
- Make sure the plate is fully seated against the 3030 extrusion.
- Insert the Aluminium Spacer 3x6x30mm between the top and bottom plates
- Insert the M3x40 countersink screw through the top plate, the aluminium spacer 3x6x30mm, and the bottom plate. Do not thread it to the stepper motor at this stage
¶ Step 20 - Install the right stepper motor - Part 4
- Progressively tighten both M5x45 screws, alternating between them, so the top plate assembly is pulled down uniformly.
- Take care not to over tighten the M5x45 screws as you can damage the printed parts
- Tighten the M3x40 countersink screw to to nema 17 stepper motor thread.
- Tighten the four M6x12 screws to secure the motor_plate assembly to the frame
- Make sure the plate is fully seated against the 3030 extrusion before tightening the M6x12 screws
- Take care not to over tighten the M6x12 screws as you can damage the printed parts
¶ Step 21 - Install the left stepper motor
- Repeat Steps 17 to 20 and install the left stepper motor to the V-Core 4 frame.
¶ Step 22 - Prepare the front tensioner parts - Part 1
- Rat Rig V-Core 4.0 - Tensioner Body - Right v1.0
- Rat Rig V-Core 4.0 - Tensioner Body - Left v1.0
- 6x M4x30 Cap Head Screw
- 2x M5x22 Countersink Screw
- 2x M4x6 Set Screw
- 2x M4x20 Cap Head Screw
¶ Step 23 - Prepare the front tensioner parts - Part 2
- 4x Mini precision shim 8x5x1mm
- 4x Ball bearing F695ZZ
- 2x Ball bearing 695ZZ
- 2x Rat Rig V-Core 4.0 - Tensioner Arm v1.0
- 2x Heavy-Duty Idler – The latest V-Core 4 kits now feature these heavy-duty idlers as a replacement for the previously used bearing stack assemblies.
¶ Step 24 - Assemble the tensioner arms - Part 1
- Rat Rig V-Core 4.0 - Tensioner Arm v1.0
- Install the following components in the order shown in the image:
- Mini Precision Shim
- F695ZZ Ball Bearing (Flange at the top)
- 695ZZ Ball Bearing
- F695ZZ Ball Bearing (Flange at the bottom)
- Mini Precision Shim
¶ Step 25 - Assemble the tensioner arms - Part 2
- Insert the M5x22 Countersink Screw and tighten it to secure the assembly.
- Repeat Steps 25 and 26 to assemble another tensioner arm
¶ Step 26 - Assemble the front tensioners - Part 1
- Rat Rig V-Core 4.0 - Tensioner Body - Right v1.0
- 3x M4x30 Cap Head Screws
- Insert the screws through the holes on the V-Core 4 frame extrusion and thread them in the Tensioner Body - Right v1.0.
- Tighten the M4x30 cap head screws.
¶ Step 27 - Assemble the front tensioners - Part 2
- Front tensioner arm assembly from Step 26
- Insert the tensioner arm in the lower slot of the tensioner body.
- Make sure the tensioner arm has cleared the hole on the tensioner body.
- M4x20 Cap Head Screw
- Insert the screw trough the tensioner body and lightly thread it to the tensioner arm.
- The M4x20 screw must be partially, but not fully, threaded into the tensioner arm. This allows the largest possible range for tensioning the belts further in the guide.
¶ Step 28 - Assemble the front tensioners - Part 3
- M4x6 Set Screw
- Tighten the Screw to secure the tensioner arm in place
- Repeat Steps 27 to 29 and assemble the Left front tensioner
¶ Step 29 - Remove the Y-axis plastic stops
- Remove both red plastic stops from the Y-axis linear rails
- Left-hand Y-axis linear rail plastic stop
- Right-hand Y-axis linear rail plastic stop
- The plastic stops are no longer required and can be discarded
¶ Step 30 - Next guide
- Continue with the next guide: Bed Assembly