Following the immense success of the CR-10, Creality has once again outdone themselves with the new Ender-3. Taking notes from its big brother, this budget friendly machine is nearly identical in many regards, with small yet effective design changes to meet a lower price point.
Review: The Creality Ender 3 (3D Printer Kit)
Despite the vast number of similarities, one of the most notable differences with the Ender-3 is the assembly process. In contrast to the CR-10 which takes less than 30 minutes to setup, the Ender-3 for the most part is just a box of parts, requiring a greater time investment to complete the build. The official assembly video has a run-time of just under 1 1/2 minutes and suggests a rapid build time, but the reality is closer to several hours at least.
Nonetheless, the Ender-3 assembly process is straight forward and painless for the most part. The brief instructional video is concise and to the point, showing exactly what goes where without any further explanation. Owners can also reference the printed 12 step sheet (included in the package) for additional information as well, but neither offers an in-depth look at the build process.
Estimated Build Time: 2-4 Hours
We will first start by looking at what is included in the package, followed by the necessary steps for assembly and what to watch out for along the way. If you have questions or need assistance, I recommend the Ender-3 Facebook Support Group.
The Ender-3 is a complete 3D Printer kit from Creality3D, packed with everything you will need to complete the build. This includes the 3D printer components, basic tools for assembly and printing… and even spare hardware should you drop a screw into the abyss.
The styrofoam suffered some minor damage during transit, however none of the components appeared to be affected. Everything has been packed neatly into a single tray, with the smaller bits placed into labeled bags for organization. Here is a full look at the contents of the box and what is included with the Ender-3 kit.
As the Ender-3 is a 3D Printer kit and not a pre-built machine, the assembly process has been broken down into several different stages. The entire process should take between 2-4 hours depending upon your level of experience. To provide simple navigation, you can use the links below to jump to a specific section.
Since the base of the Ender-3 comes pre-assembled, we will only need to attach the vertical beams at this stage. These consist of (2) 20×40 aluminum extrusion, secured to the frame using two screws on each side (inserted from the bottom). For easier access, I would advise turning the base on to the side.
Right Side: We will start with the right side of the frame first, where you need (1) 20×40 beam with the vertical pre-drilled holes. The hole that is closer to the end (approximately 80mm distance) goes on the bottom, meaning this is the side that will screw into the base. Using (2) M5x45 screws, insert these through the bottom and into the beam, making sure these are tight and the beam is locked into place.
Left Side: The second 20×40 beam should have pre-drilled holes positioned side by side on one end of the beam. This end should be screwed into the base of the frame, just as we did with the right side before.
Use the image above for reference, ensuring that the holes in the vertical beams are correct on both sides.
Facing the machine from the front, we have two electrical components which need to be installed on the right side, the LCD screen and the Power Supply. The LCD Screen comes with a bracket which mounts on the front right, while the power supply unit mounts to the right vertical beam from behind.
LCD Screen: The LCD screen is attached to the base of the frame using (2) M5x8 screws. Align the diagonal holes on the screen bracket with the matching holes in the extrusion behind it, then insert and tighten the screws as pictured in the first image.
Power Supply: The Power Supply is attached to the right vertical beam using (2) M4x20 screws. Align the holes in the power supply with the holes in the extrusion, then insert and tighten the screws as pictured in the second image.
On the left side of the frame, we must install two more components, the Z-Limit Switch and the Z Motor. The Z-Limit Switch will mount to the side of the left vertical beam, while the Z Motor is attached using a bracket on the back of the vertical frame.
Z-Limit Switch: The Z-Limit Switch is the L shaped bracket with two screws and T-nuts, packaged in one of the plastic zip-lock bags. This bracket will be installed upside down, with the switch facing the top of the frame. Adjust the T-nuts as needed so that they can move freely, turn them to face vertical and insert the bracket into the side channel as shown. The actual location will be adjusted at a later time, where the exact position is not important at this stage.
Z Motor: The Z Motor attaches to the rear side of the left vertical beam using (2) M4x18 screws. The motor comes with a bracket installed, where this will be used to mount the assembly to the frame. Insert and tighten the screws to secure the motor in place.
Go ahead and insert the lead screw into the Z motor coupler now, leaving the set screws loose for the time being. Make sure to use the rubber sheath when handling it. The lead screw has been lubricated and the protective cover will prevent your hands from removing the grease.
The X-Axis is the thin 20×20 extrusion that runs horizontal across the frame. Mounted to the vertical beams on either side, it can move up, down, left and right during the printing process. The X-axis has a mounting assembly on either side while the extruder carriage sits in the middle, where the motion is controlled via belt.
Note: There are (2) beams in the kit with the same dimensions, but the pre-drilled holes have a different layout. The X-Axis beam that we will be using has 6 holes (3 per side).
The left mount contains two motors, the X-axis motor and the Extruder motor, but can also be identified by the Facebook QR code. This assembly is attached to the X-axis beam using (2) M4x16 screws, inserted from the inside of the metal plate (shown in figure 2). Align this with the smaller holes at the end of the beam, then hand tighten the screws to secure the unit in place.
Once the mount has been fastened to the beam, insert the hex wrench through the holes in the second metal plate and tighten the screws down.
Note: The X-axis beam’s inner most hole is larger than the rest, drilled out to make space for the large bolt head on the motor assembly. This allows for the unit to sit flush against the beam. Due to the limited visibility at this stage, positioning the bolt head first can help with alignment of the other two holes.
From the open end of the X-axis beam, slide the gantry into place by positioning the wheels at the top and bottom. The wheels should now be able to roll back and fourth in a smooth motion. In the event that all 3 wheels do not sit flush against the beam, turn the eccentric nut behind the bottom wheel until it clamps in place.
Note: The side with the fan should face the front of the machine, same as the QR code on the left side of the beam (as shown in figure 2).
To finalize the X-axis assembly, we just need to install the mounting bracket and belt tensioner on the right side of the beam. The mounting bracket is attached to the rear of the X-axis beam, using (2) M4x16 screws to hold it in place. Align the bracket with the matching holes, then insert the screws and tighten it into place (as shown in figure 1).
On the opposite side of the extrusion, we will now install the belt tensioner using the pre-threaded bolts and T-nuts. Rotate the T-nuts to fit inside of the channel and position the bracket at the end of the beam. This will be adjusted after the belt is installed, where the position is not important at this stage.
With the X axis completely assembled, all that remains now is to install the GT2 belt. Although this may have been easier to do at an earlier stage, the official instructions defer this until the final steps. Unfortunately they failed to explain exactly how to actually install the belt, so I will share the method that worked best for me.
With the teeth facing into the beam, insert the GT2 belt inside of the channel and lay it over the edge. As demonstrated in picture 2 above, roll the extruder carriage over the belt with minimal force, allowing it to slide under the wheel and feed into the empty space below. Do this once again for the second wheel, where the belt should now be positioned beneath the carriage.
On each end of the X axis, there is a pulley that the belt must wrap around. These act as guides to keep the belt in place and allow for smooth motion during use. With the teeth of the belt facing inward towards the pulleys, wrap this around both ends and feed it back towards the extruder carriage, passing along the underside of the beam.
As shown picture 2, there is a notch on either side of the lower wheel, designed to lock the ends of the belt into place. Insert the brass ends of the belt just below these notches, where this should create moderate tension.
To finalize the process, go ahead and loosen the bolts on the X-axis belt tensioner that we installed before. Pull this outwards as much as possible, removing unwanted slack and creating tension on the GT2 belt. Proceed to tighten the bolts back down to secure the tensioner in the new position and make sure it is taught.
With the frame and X-axis both assembled, all that remains now is to put these pieces together. During the previous steps, we left the lead screw loose until a later stage. We will now proceed to…
With the front of the X-axis facing forwards, position the entire unit above the vertical beams on either side of the machine. Lower the X-axis down on to the frame, allowing the outer wheels to slide into the side channels of the extrusion. You may need to press the Z beams slightly inwards in order for the X-axis to fit.
Thread the lead screw up into the gold bracket behind the bowden motor (shown in figure 1), loosening the bracket if extra wiggle room is needed. Rotate the Z coupler by hand, lowering the X-axis towards the bottom and then tighten the set screws, locking the lead screw into place.
Note: Raise and lower the X-axis using the Z coupler to ensure smooth movement. If it locks up, it may be necessary to make adjustments so that the lead screw is not restricted.
Using the remaining 20×20 beam, thread (4) M5x25 screws into the available holes. Keep in mind that one side has larger openings for the washers to fit into. Make sure to insert the screws through here to ensure proper fitment, where they will not sit flush otherwise.
Place this beam across the top of the frame and align the screws with the holes in the vertical beams. Tighten these down to complete the machine assembly (as shown in figure 2).
The Ender-3 is now assembled and just about ready to use. Before we power on the machine though, there are still several quick adjustments that we need to make first. In the earlier stages, we left certain items with default settings or temporary positions for later calibration.
The Ender-3 comes equipped with a 24V switching power supply, meaning it can run on 110 volts or 220 volts. It is important to make sure that you have this configured correctly, where the wrong setting will bring your 3D printer to a screeching halt. Before we power on the machine, make absolutely sure to double check this is set.
The switch is quite visible with a yellow sticker indicating which side to use for each voltage. It has a notch to insert a tool and change the setting, where a small flat head screwdriver or equivalent will work well in this case.
Note: If you are unsure which to use, 110 volts is standard in the United States, where 220 volts is the European standard.
The Z-Limit Switch (upside down L bracket on the left side of the frame) is what tells the Ender-3 to stop lowering the X-axis towards the bed. We installed this during the frame assembly but used an estimated position that would later be changed.
Start by rotating the (4) thumb wheels under the bed counter-clockwise, where this will contract the springs and lower the build plate. Don’t over tighten these but keep turning them until the springs are fully compressed. This tension will distance the bed from the extruder, providing ample room to level it once we are finished.
Now loosen the Z-Limit Switch on the left side of the frame and slide the bracket up or down, where the switch should be several millimeters above the bed itself. We don’t want the extruder to smash into the build plate when homing, so positioning it higher at the start is preferred.
Now turn on the Ender-3 using the power switch underneath the power supply. From the LCD Screen, push the knob once to bring up the menu, then navigate to Prepare -> Auto Home, and push the knob once again to select it. This will home your extruder, moving it to the far left and then lowering it until it triggers the Z-Limit Switch.
Once the homing process is complete, look at the nozzle’s distance from the bed. Since the build plate is currently at the lowest point, we want to have a small gap (around 3-5mm of space) between the nozzle and bed. If the nozzle is considerably further away from the build plate than that, lower the Z-Limit Switch as needed and Auto Home again until this distance is minimized.
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This guide was key! Thanks!
Glad to hear it helped! I was actually assembling another Ender-3 for someone else this morning and used my own guide while doing so. Found a few areas that can be improved but was nice to follow it again and see how I did.
Hi Brett,
I just setup my Ender 3 and noticed when I home it, the bed retracts back as it should to it's stop and the, Z moves to the front left and down. When the Z hits it's stop it is making contact on the switch but the nozzle is stopping in front of the bed and the nozzle is sitting too low. It looks like the nozzle would hit the bed if it homed to the corner of it.
I am new to it so I apologize for the simplistic questions.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Jason
Hi Jason,
It sounds like your Ender-3 is homing correctly if it lowers in the front left corner of the print bed. The home position on this machine is actually outside of the build area for whatever reason, where the nozzle sits about an inch or so away from the build plate. It doesn't cause any issues, just a bit of a strange design from the factory.
As far as the nozzle sitting lower than the build plate however, that will pose issues when you start printing. This can be fixed using a combination of the Z-endstop switch (mounted on the left side of the frame) and the bed leveling knobs. I would recommend first tightening all 4 corners completely down and then run Auto Home to get the nozzle at the starting position. If this is sitting considerably higher than the build plate, lower the Z-endstop just a bit and then home again. Do this until the nozzle is somewhere around 3-4mm from the build plate, and you can then level the bed as normal.
You want just enough gap that you can raise the build plate up to meet the nozzle, while still keeping the springs compressed as much as possible. It takes a bit of tweaking back and fourth, but once the Z-endstop is set right, you most likely won't ever have to adjust it again (unless you make any major changes).
So I'm having trouble. My Ender-3 doesn't seem to understand the parameters even though I plugged in 220,220,250. It wont print the test puppy, it completely auto retracts the entire PLA supply, when I did get it to begin a print (not test puppy) it started creating huge zig zag lines eventually printing off the bed as well. I don't know what to do.
Hi Matthew,
That is very strange behavior and not something I have seen reported with this machine. Just from the information you provided, I am going to assume you are using the included SD card and guess it may be corrupt. If you have another SD card available, try using this (or the USB) instead to rule that out as a culprit. It could also potentially be your slicer profile, although this is less likely. If you let me know what software you are using though (Cura, Simplify3D, etc) I can provide you with a good profile to test out.
I just assembled my ender 3 after reading your guide. After powering up the and selecting home the other 2 axis move but the z axis motor does not move but becomes very hot ..Is the controller board faulty as it keeps recycling to the startup ender
3 logo after a few seconds. Any help is appreciated
For the Z axis, I would first turn the coupler by hand to raise/lower the gantry and make sure that it isn't binding up. It sounds like the motor is powered, but possibly unable to rotate the lead screw which has led to it overheating. If the Z axis moves up/down as normal, it may be something as simple as the plug not being fully seated. On a different 3D Printer, I had one wire loose in the motor connector and experienced similar issues.
Unfortunately with the reboots, these can be caused by any number of issues, almost always related to power problems. You may need to go through and check power wires, board connectors, etc. This particular problem is not as rare as you would think, and has been caused by everything from poor solder joints to melted board connectors.
I bet you have your extruder (E) and X-axis (X) motor cables swapped. I did, and mine behaved the exact same way.
Yeah I did that mate. the z limit stop switch, I levelled the bed using a spirit level then adjusted the z stop until the sheet of paper just has the slightest resistance and I will say it was easier than trying to do it the other way around
Hi did you solve your problem as I'm having the same issue?
I Recently purchased one and am having the same problem, just large zig-zags till it goes off the bed :(
As Gary noted above, have you checked the motor cables to make sure they are not swapped by mistake? He mentioned he switched the E and X motors by accident and it caused this exact problem, where I would check that first. If the problem persists, let me know and I will see if I can figure out what else may be causing it!
Your instructions are MUCH better and more thorough than the "instructions" that came with the unit.
Those made no mention of routing of cables, thus potentially requiring removing structural components to re-route cables.
The supplied instructions made no mention of connecting the PTFE tubing from the extruder to the printhead, nor installing the compression fitting (two provided), nor the function of the blue plastic clips (three subtly different sizes provided), which turn out to be a kludge to keep the PTFE tubing from popping out of the compression fitting.
The electrical connectors should be labelled, since there are multiple nearby locations using same connector. I made assumptions based solely on length of wires. I hope that I didn't swap the extruder and the X-axis! I remember half a century ago, a VW Squareback that would stall on any attempt at full throttle acceleration due to a mechanic reversing two sensor connections.
And, as I mentioned earlier, one of the screws to clamp the Z-axis lead screw was loose in the machine, in spite of the Z-Axis motor and its related clamp not being pre-installed.
All of the instructions, even yours, are a little inadequate about certain parts being asymmetrical, an requiring specific orientation.
A further more trivial gripe about the supplied "instructions"; it is much easier to slide T-nuts in the end than it is to put them in and then try to turn them. Therefore, the supply spool holder should be attached to the upper cross bar, BEFORE installing the upper cross bar.
With the voltage having a default setting of 220V, how many people have failed to change it?
The supplied "instructions" make no mention of ANY tests after assembly, other than leveling, and what a "first layer" should look like, without even mentioning how to create a "first layer" to check.
Somebody with prior experience would know, but a beginner should even be told that the printer expects "GCODE", not STL.
Nevertheless, assembly with its minor challenges was fun, and next week I will get a chance to test it and start playing.
Just came across this guide. Some good tips here that are lacking in the official manual.
I assembled mine today during my lunch break today (privileges of working from home a couple times a week). Only took about an hour, but I've read and re-read installation guides for this printer while debating on whether to purchase or not. (already have a Select Mini and am waiting on an MK3 to be shipped)
One thing I figured out on my own is that it's easier to see and attach the ribbon cable to the LCD screen before attaching it to the frame. OR. Leave it until doing the rest of the wiring hookups.
Currently, I'm trying to figure out why the bottom frame had no wobble when I first took out of the box to start setting up, but now that it's finished, either the front left or rear right has been "lifted" and now causes a wobble.
Overall though. Good guide. Thanks.
Thank you for the feedback, I always prefer real photos and descriptions as opposed to diagrams. Figured I would share my own in hopes it could help others.
I definitely agree on the LCD ribbon cable, that is something I want to mention in my next update to the article. My large hands had trouble plugging it in at the end when I assembled the first unit, not a huge ordeal but somewhat annoying. When assembling one yesterday, I had no issues with it (leaving it to the very last step) but it would still be easiest to plug it in before mounting it.
Have you tried a different surface? The one I just built was doing the same on the kitchen table, but I placed it on the floor and it is solid as a rock. You may also want to loosen the Z beams and top beam and then tighten them again, making sure they aren't pulling the frame out of shape.
I'm having g trouble with my nozzle smashing into the bed. Hitting the home button is not the issue. It goes home just fine. I then adjust the plates with a sheet of paper like everyone says to do. Everything looks perfect until I print. When I start to print, it makes a horrible noise, like it's bottomed out and the motor it's trying to go farther down digging the nozzle into the bed. Looking at the sensor, it has gone so far down that it's smashing the metal bar on the sensor completely flat. Basically it has gone past what the sensor says it should go. Which doesn't make sense since when hitting the home button it functions like it should. Please help!
You are referring to the Z-Limit Switch right? So just to confirm, when you home the printer from the LCD screen it works as expected, but when running a print it completely ignores the Z-Limit Switch?
That is a very strange issue and will probably take some troubleshooting (with your finger on the power switch) to narrow down and resolve. Just for the sake of it, I would double check the wiring and make sure the plugs are seated securely, both on the Z limit Switch and on the main board especially. Turn the printer on and raise the Z axis up to give you some space to work, then test out both homing and printing where you trigger the switch yourself to see if it registers. If it is indeed not triggering on prints, try changing it up and use a different method such as SD card if you were using USB or vice versa, and also change up the GCODE file and see if that helps.
Thanks for the guide. I used it together with a youtube video to make sure I was doing it right. You've helped me out a lot!
Thanks for the feedback, I'm glad to hear it helped!
Hi, just put one of these together. One thing I think you might mention is the cabling. I managed to completely twist up my cabling whilst assembling the printer. This meant the extruder cabling passed under the X axis beam instead of over it. This meant I had to completely disassemble the x axis in order to untwist the cables.
Cheers, Ian
This was an OUTSTANDING guide! Thank you!
Mt table has a wobble in it, most noticeable when the bed is back and it is printing on the front part of the bed, it wobbles left and right, kind of seems like the heater power cord pulls it down in the back corner and when it prints the right front it shifts. any ideas, it came pre build the bed section.
The heated build plate (or bed) should be fixed in place, no wobble or movement as that will throw off your print jobs. You will need to use the included wrench to tighten the eccentric nut(s) on the rubber v-wheels below the bed. I believe there is only one with an eccentric nut but may be 2, someone mentioned they made several minor changes recently.
If you are unfamiliar with eccentric nuts, you just want to tighten it gradually so that it clamps all of the wheels to the metal extrusion and locks the bed into place. If that isn't clear or you have any trouble finding it, just let me know and I can grab some pictures.
This guide helped me to build the printer, but i couldn't print a single thing, the filament got rejected when i tried to print something. I choose preheat PLA, i put my PLA filament into it and wait, it take the filament, wait 2-3s and take it out. I didn't found a way to explain it. I think that the mecanism to take the cable (the one where you connect the cable into the printer) have a problem but i'm not sure.
My printer came with the plastic print bed ( with the Ender logo) loose and not attached to the aluminium plate. There were 4 paper clips holding it on. The bed has what looks like a 0.9 mm fibre glass backing. Wondering how you secure the plastic to the aluminium. Are you meant to peel the plastic sheet off the backing and stick it on ?
Hello there. I've started on assembling my Ender 3 but noticed an issue I havent noticed comment on and thought I'd check in and see if anyone else has had the same experiences. First off, the y-gantry preassembly - the rollers were adjusted way too tight from factory and so a couple of light cuts across the v'rollers were quite pronounced when moving y axis back and forth. Ive heard comment around the traps that on some the bearing may be the reason for a feeing of a flat spot but Im inclined to disagree and am thinking its worth having a closer inspection of your v-rollers. Adjusted mine so all rollers contact with just enough force that they dont slip and that does seem to minimise the issue but I can see replacements are on the shopping list. Most concerning, both sides of the base extrusion(where the rubber feey sot and one would bolt the z-supports) - the centre web sits higher than either sides. When attaching the z supports it only mates on the middle so depending on how you tighten those bolts it would be easy to over tighten one side and intern have the frame pull out of square. Im going to have to shim mine. Anyone else notice that on their 40x40 extrusion?