How to Adjust Belts on the AnkerMake M5
When To Adjust The Belts on M5?
If you've been experiencing issues with your M5 prints, then your belts could be to blame. Loose or worn belts can cause ringing, print surface artifacts, layer shifts, and even ghosting.
These issues can be frustrating, esecially for those who aren't sure how to fix them. Well, fear not! Today, I'll be walking you through the steps necessary to adjust the belts on your M5 3D printer.
A word of warning: belt tension issues aren't the only reason that your print quality can decline. Plus, overtightened belts can make poor prints worse. That's why its important to properly troubleshoot your printer's issues before you perform any adjustments.
What You'll Need
Setup & Preparation
The first thing to know about testing tension on the belts is that your printed belt tension tools should be reprinted after around ten uses. They wear, and using a worn tool can cause inaccurate measurements. Second, you'll want to ensure your printer's power is off, and that the print head and print bed can move freely.
If you can't move them, use the display or the AnkerMake Studio app to unlock the stepper motors. And, if you do so and they still don't want to budge, then you can remove the screws from the silver stepper gear at the front of the belt path.
Adjusting X-Axis
We'll start with the X-Axis before moving on to the Y axis. First, power off the printer and insert your 2.5 mm hex wrench into the access port under the filament inlet on the left side of the gantry.
Loosen the belt by turning counterclockwise. Do this until you can feed the tension tool under the belt. Now, move the print head to the rightmost part of the gantry until it is touching the display. Then, tighten the belt with the tension tool attached using the hex key until the tension tool arm is aligned with the notch on the tool.
It's best to tighten in half to one turn increments, check, and then continue to adjust if needed. Once your tension tool registers the right value, then your X-axis has been properly adjusted and you can remove the tool and move on to the Y-Axis.
Adjusting Y-Axis
For the Y Axis, you'll need to first move the bed to the rear of the printer and remove the PEI sheet. Power off the printer, and insert your 3mm hex key into the access hole on the back of the printer to the right of the power cable. Loosen the belt by turning the hex key counterclockwise.
Insert the Y-Axis tension tool under the print bed and ensure the lower tab presses onto the belt. As you tighten, the belt will flex and the tab will translate its measurement to the tension tool. Now, tension the belt by rotating the 3mm hex key clockwise until the Y axis tool's pointer aligns with the notch on the tool.
Once it does, you've accurately adjusted the belts on your M5. Now, replace the PEI sheet, reinsert and screws if needed, power on the printer, and auto-level. You can print a test print if you want just to make sure everything is adjusted properly.
Enjoy Your Newly Adjusted M5 Belts
Performing belt maintenance is an important part of keeping your M5 running well.You should adjust the belts on your printer every six months or so, depending on how frequently you print. For heavy users, more frequent adjustments are needed.
Additionally, if you can't seem to adjust the belts so that they match the marks on the tools, it might mean a belt replacement is needed. We'll cover belt replacement in an upcoming post.
