3dp microman complete.JPG

Picture of the parts required to assemble the micromanipulator.

3dp microman parts.JPG

Bill of Materials[edit | edit source]

  • 3 pieces of OpenBeam, 75mm long.
  • 3 pieces M5 threaded rod, 65mm long.
  • 3 M3 x 10mm flat head socket screws.
  • 6 M3 x 6mm socket head cap screws.
  • 4 M3 x 20mm flat head socket screws.
  • 4 M3 x 25mm socket head cap screws.
  • 15 M5 hex nuts.
  • 6 MR105zz roller bearings (NOT PICTURED).
  • 3 printed knobs.
  • 3 printed straddle ends.
  • 2 printed straddle carriages.
  • 1 printed vertical straddle carriage.

Assembly[edit | edit source]

  1. Jam M5 nuts on one end of each of the threaded rods, chuck into a drill and remove burrs from the threads by rotating in #600 emory cloth or sandpaper.
  2. Thoroughly clean the threaded rods and 3 nuts with alcohol in a sonicator for 5 minutes.
  3. Run a 2.5mm drill bit in the holes for the captive nut retainer screws.
  4. Run a 5mm drill bit through all of the leadscrew holes in all the straddle ends and straddle carriages.
  5. The carriages should be very snug on the OpenBeam, but should slide reasonably easily. Run carriages back and forth on a long piece of OpenBeam until they slide easily.
  6. Line up the MR105zz bearings with their pockets in the straddle ends and run a M5 x 40mm screw them and the straddle end. Place the screw head on the side with the deeper pocket. Place a nut and washer on the M5 screw and tighten to pull in and align the bearings in the straddle end.
  7. Use the same technique to pull the captive nuts into their pockets in the straddle carriages.
  8. Thread the M5 x 6mm captive nut retainer screws into the straddle carriages. Do not tighten the screws!
  9. Tap threads into the carriage holes with the M3 tap or by "plastiforming" threads simply by running a screw into them.
  10. Thread a single nut onto each of the leadscrews.
  11. Ensure that enough thread extends from the back of the straddle end to engage two more nuts.
  12. Hold the properly positioned nut in place while starting the jam nut. Tighten the jam nut in place.
  13. Again check that there is sufficient threaded rod extending from the end of the straddle end. Adjust if necessary.
  14. Jam nut the free end of the threaded rod.
  15. Tap one end of each of the OpenBeam pieces with a M3 tap.
  16. Gently tap the threaded end of a piece of OpenBeam into each of the straddle ends. Secure in place with a M3 x 10mm flat head socket screw.
  17. Align the flats on the jam nut and the pocket in a knob and gently tap the opposite end of the threaded rod to engage with the knob.
  18. Countersink the four holes on the OpenBEam side of one of the carriages (not the vertical carriage). Insert the M3 x 20mm flat head socket screws into the countersunk holes. This is the Z-carriage
  19. Apply a light coating of grease to the interiors of the carriages.
  20. Align the captive nut with the threaded rod and slide the carriages onto the pieces of OpenBeam.
  21. Advance the carriage until the threaded rod is all the way through the carriage and then tighten the captive nut retainer screws.
  22. A completely assembled axis should look as pictured.
  23. The completely assembled axes should look as pictured.
  24. Connect the straddle end of the Y axis to the straddle carriage on the X-axis with the four M3 x 25mm socket head capo screws.
  25. Attach the Z-carriage to the Y-carriage with the four screws that were inserted into the Z-carriage. Tighten the screws step-wise, rotating through each screw to avoid breaking one of the carriages.

Assembled piece[edit | edit source]

Completed assembly.
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Authors Jerry Anzalone
License CC-BY-SA-3.0
Language English (en)
Related 0 subpages, 0 pages link here
Impact 699 page views
Created August 22, 2017 by Jerry Anzalone
Modified January 24, 2024 by Irene Delgado
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