Additional Details
Rant: Honestly, I don’t know what they were thinking. While the short length of 10mm rail that supports the stock 3018-PRO y-axis are adequate for the task, extending these in length to 450mm creates unacceptable levels of flex in the y-axis. Yet that is exactly how all popular 450mm extension kits are shipped, regardless of brand. At best, this is poor engineering and should be addressed, to achieve the best results from your 3018-PRO results with your 3018-PRO. Fortunately, the fix is simple – upgrading from 10mm rails to our custom machined 12mm rails, will restore the rigidity of your y-axis system. And the improved 5-run linear bearings fit directly within your stock 3018 bearing blocks, gliding along the y-axis with less slop and more precision. Combined with our optional upgraded linear bearing blocks, this is a bolt-on fix! The basic kit includes a full set of bearings and installation hardware – you’ll only need to press the current 10mm bearings from your existing linear bearing blocks and install our upgrade.
Note: This upgrade is certified for use on the NCPRO line of 3018-PRO machines and similar 3018-PRO clones. To ensure compatibility, measure your existing Y-Axis linear rails and extrusions, if they match up with the sizing below, then this upgrade is likely compatible with your 3018-PRO machine.
Y-Axis Linear Rail = 450mm | Y-Axis Extrusion = 450mm
Notes for SainSmart 3018-PROVer Owners: The Y-Axis End Plates on your machine ship with 5mm deep pockets, that the stock 10mm linear rail ‘nests’ within. Our rails were not intended for this machine, yet are still compatible! Our rails will fit on top of the pockets, machined within your y-axis plates – this has the added benefit of allowing you to properly align the y-axis rails.
Ryan Chouinard (verified owner) –
These rails fit perfectly on my extended Y axis. My bed no longer has any flex or bounce to it, which was common with the stock 10mm rails when any type of downward pressure was applied. Very well sized and, most importantly, straight.