Silence the LOUD printer!

Jarda3d
Posts: 189
Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2019 8:42 am

Silence the LOUD printer!

Post by Jarda3d » Tue Mar 19, 2019 8:42 am

Dear friends,

yes, our printers A10, A10M and probably other Creality/Ender clones are very LOUD. So in this topic I want to bring you efficient ways to silencing it.

I was collect many models and thinks to make fan silencers. Some I was try with no success. Because my knowledge is about acoustics too, I was print muffler too which fullfill all my knowledges about air flow acoustics. Great succes, it really works. Jasmine (staff) was try it too.

Power supply fan ShutUP!

If you want to have quiet PSU fan, here is the right only model, resize it to 170% and use only one bigger screw to fix it: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2988448 I know, it is intake muffler, but it work on exhaust side too if it is bigger. This muffler did not have negative impact to the air flow (measured).. Or you can do remix for both screws fixing, but you know, time...

Printed with ABS with my adaptive profile, support from build plate only (I was print in mistake with full support but then it was challenge to remove internal support). For printing profile see here http://www.geeetech.com/forum/viewtopic ... 340#p91340

System unit fan ShutUP!

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3419051

UPDATE: I was try to moumnt it now. But it did not fit to my printer. Altrough our printers (author's and my) are from similar date of shipping to EU (about November 2018), it is totally different.

There is no space to thick plastic plate (see cutout) and 24V power cable is too high.
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Bit still, the right only solution for make system unit quiet - use BIG fan. Because all models which wants something like silencing, have negative impact on air flow or did not muffling, they are covers only.

I was print V3 bottom only because space for bed align screws is really small. Printer A10M shipped from China to EU in November 2018, I did not know how to get version model number.

So here are some tips for remixers, because if you have it printed, you did not want to tinker it again. Yes, I am lazy.

+ add hole for Z axis cables
+ In baseplate "delete" the fan holders totally, fan will be holded on the top fan grill
+ total height of fan grill above top of system box make 11-12mm only
add step-down module holder (for 12V fan). Did not use the Aricraft 360 module, it is bad for this application. Use bigger model with MP1584 chip (search aliexpress for MP1584 module).

Printed with ABS 0,3mm, brim 10mm and support from build plate, no warping with excellent SiC Geeetech glass heated to 110°C. Use Hilbert curve for bottom layer, I did not explain you why, just do it.

Original author use PLA, I did not use it.

Now I have mounted it for some time ago. All flat holders was cutted out, fan is lowered inside as possible. Used DC/DC step-down to lower speed, but still is too high - bed heating is way longer to 110°C than before. So I need lower speed more. It is no good to make air mixtude from fan propellers near bottom of the bed.

Someone could try if this flat cover did not help too - http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3381480

A10M - Hotend fans ShutUP!

This is the loudest part on the printer. A10M have TWO fans which have different RPMs, so acoustic image is terrible. My LEFT fan turns at much more speeds than right fan (and is warm) and sound is really loud and terrible.

Silencing the right fan with muffler did not have such improvement as PSU silencing due second fan. Because hotend are cooled very good, so we can substantially change RPM difference on both fans.

From info of Geeetech staff, both fans are in parallel, powered from 24V, checked by me. There are one dollar ways to fix this.

One way
Use two step-down modules with MP1584 chip (search aliexpress for MP1584 module). Connect fans to these modules and set up both RPMs to be very close. Remember that left fan could be not much limited in final air flow due Touch holder.

Second way
Use only one step-down module for right fan only. Set RPMS to be far out of mechanical resonances.

I used step-down for LEFT fan (see above), noise is still big, but now I hear stepper motors as loudest. Ordered 3010 24V cheap fans.

Third way
Design a boot for whole hotend with respect to air flow, weight and acoustics

Fourth way
Take off both fans and design a boot with bigger silent fan for whole hotend with respect to air flow, weight and acoustics

Realized the Fifth way, of course
While checking of fans voiltage (24V of course, geetech is not dumb), one fan discovered as super-loud, like from server edition. Turns much more and air flow too. So I decided to slow-down this fan by DC/DC step-down module. Yes, I know, I was used MINI360 which I personally did not reccomend for this due chip limit 23V and some fans did not like it... But there are no space at hotend side (maybe behind hotend at backside, but I solved it in this way).

The loudest part is now.... steppers.

Stepper motors ShutUP!

... in future progress.

Preliminaly motor drivers change for TMC, they are at home now, but still does not have courage to flash the printer firmware.
Last edited by Jarda3d on Fri Apr 26, 2019 2:14 am, edited 7 times in total.
A10M Slic3r profile: here and fresh on github (lot of tips here)
A10 Slic3r profile: here
TIP: tight all screws and wheels (except right side of Z axis) and re-align frame while assembly. And silence it.

User avatar
William
Site Admin
Posts: 6340
Joined: Tue Jun 07, 2016 9:38 am

Re: Silence the LOUD printer!

Post by William » Wed Mar 20, 2019 2:40 pm

Thanks for your suggestions.
It is a good plan to make the printer "Shut Up"
I've replaced the cooling fan +Upgrade the motor driver board to TMC2208.
I feel so good and enjoy it!
;)
-Keep your mind and try to test it. :)
-Everything will be fun!-Support all Getech printer.
-You can ask me the questions and I will kindly reply.
-Respect others is the best way you can get help!

jupesch
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2018 5:35 am

Re: Silence the LOUD printer!

Post by jupesch » Sun Mar 24, 2019 6:18 am

I think it's easier to install decent fans directly. For example, from Sunon. But thanks anyway for your idea.

Jarda3d
Posts: 189
Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2019 8:42 am

Re: Silence the LOUD printer!

Post by Jarda3d » Tue Mar 26, 2019 5:40 pm

Silent fan does not help much and probably burn your printer due lower air circulation. But there are divided holes which functs like siren or make ffff noise alone, so silencer is only solution - or bigger fan with not less air mass flow than the tiny one.

Again - the loudest part on the A10M is hotend fans, their have different rpms which differentials are biggest noise source and resonant with whole printer.

Try PSU ShutUP silencer, cost is under 0,5$ in material. It is very big problem to compute this silencing shape, so I am very happy, that someone do it for free!
A10M Slic3r profile: here and fresh on github (lot of tips here)
A10 Slic3r profile: here
TIP: tight all screws and wheels (except right side of Z axis) and re-align frame while assembly. And silence it.

Jarda3d
Posts: 189
Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2019 8:42 am

Re: Silence the LOUD printer!

Post by Jarda3d » Fri Apr 26, 2019 1:58 am

Some additional material to the updated status of the printer. Fully cutted new system cover, how it looks mounted and quieting of extruder fan by DC/DC step-down module. Used MINI360 which is little insufficient by chip specification, but sufficient with space.

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A10M Slic3r profile: here and fresh on github (lot of tips here)
A10 Slic3r profile: here
TIP: tight all screws and wheels (except right side of Z axis) and re-align frame while assembly. And silence it.

parker1ray
Posts: 15
Joined: Thu Jun 06, 2019 10:51 pm

Re: Silence the LOUD printer!

Post by parker1ray » Sat Jul 20, 2019 1:46 am

I have had to replace every hot end cooling fan on The Geeetech A10M, the Creality Ender 3 and the Anycubic Kossel +. Not due to noise issues, but due to bearing failures. Seems to be the nature of the beast with these Chinese fans. I have replace all with better fans from Amazon and they are now quieter. My solution to the noise is play AC/DC really loud and the fans pail by comparision! :o

Jarda3d
Posts: 189
Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2019 8:42 am

Re: Silence the LOUD printer!

Post by Jarda3d » Tue Aug 20, 2019 6:27 pm

Attention!

If you set rpms of system fan too low, then stepper motors will loose steps! It that occurs, add at least 20% of voltage (ie., about 50% rpm).
A10M Slic3r profile: here and fresh on github (lot of tips here)
A10 Slic3r profile: here
TIP: tight all screws and wheels (except right side of Z axis) and re-align frame while assembly. And silence it.

chc
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2019 3:18 pm

Re: Silence the LOUD printer!

Post by chc » Tue Jan 07, 2020 4:46 am

Hello,
In my Quest for Silence on my A20M, here is my action plan :

*********Replace the Original Drivers with TMC2208*********
I ordered this product (3*2 units, for X/Y/Z/Extruder1/Extruder2) :
https://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B07MZSWRH9
TMC2208.JPG
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I had to :
1- Unmount the MotherBoard, and put it aside the Motherboard
2- Measure Vref on the original drivers, using this video :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFhjVYROIH0

3- Replace the drivers with the new one (one the 5 drivers)
- Be aware at the pin order
- I let the jumpers as is original

4- Adjust Vref on the new drivers, using the previous video

5- Modify the Step Engines rotation using this video :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iubywKkNEE
I didn't upgrade the marlin firmware at all - According to a lot of posts, a lot of guys bricked their printer, in case of error.
Inverting the wires on the connectors (5 times) is much more easier.

Result after installation : Perfect - Adopted
You can listen now to this :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9WtBo9b3WI

**********Replace Power supply's Fan *********
60*60*15 mm / 12 V / 0,2 A
https://www.amazon.fr/SUNON-Ventilateur ... B07TX3CPCH
Result after installation : Perfect - Adopted
Please notice the Green Logo on the picture for 'Silent Fan'
Please notice that there is not enough place in the PowerSupply for a fan more than 15 mm height.
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********Anti-Vibrations mounts
https://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B071W6KYCG
Result after installation : Perfect - Adopted
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*********Replace MotherBoard's Fan*********
The originak geeetech fan is a 50*50*20 mm / 24V

Please notice that it's mandatory to have a fan with 20 mm as a maximum high - Not more. Otherwise there is not enough place with the motherboard

NOCTUA don't have 24V fan in 50 or 60mm (just 120 mm or 140 mm)
NOCTUA don't have fan in 50mm at all
NOCTUA have fan in 60mm, but only with 25mm high, wich is too much.

So I'm gonna use the same Fan as the PSU (60*60*15 mm / 12 V / 0,2 A)
https://www.amazon.fr/SUNON-Ventilateur ... B07TX3CPCH
with a StepDown like this one, to reduce the 24V MotherBoard output to 12V :
https://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B01FRZVZPQ
Annotation 2020-01-19 205335.png
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I have drilled to be able to install this 60*60mm rather rather than the original 50*50
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StepDown is mounted only with Hot Glue (GlueGun). I didn't drill the metal plate.
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Result after installation : Very Good but not perfect - Adopted
Even if it's a silence fan, you can ear a bit the airflow - Maybe because of the original metal shape, designed for a 50*50mm fan

********Fan to avoid *********************************************************************************************
50*50*15 mm / 24V (20mm on the original fan)
https://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B00MNJDEDQ
Result after installation : This one is pure shit, louder than the Geeetech one. Intense Air Flow, But I can't hear the Sound of Silence. The Green Logo is not on the Picture : I should have been more vigilant.

Best regards
Christophe

InvisiKing
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2020 5:19 pm

Re: Silence the LOUD printer!

Post by InvisiKing » Mon Apr 27, 2020 1:09 pm

parker1ray wrote:
Sat Jul 20, 2019 1:46 am
I have had to replace every hot end cooling fan on The Geeetech A10M, the Creality Ender 3 and the Anycubic Kossel +. Not due to noise issues, but due to bearing failures. Seems to be the nature of the beast with these Chinese fans. I have replace all with better fans from Amazon and they are now quieter. My solution to the noise is play AC/DC really loud and the fans pail by comparision! :o
Hi There, What fans did you end up using, and are they still working good and silent?

astax
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2020 5:13 am

Re: Silence the LOUD printer!

Post by astax » Wed Jul 15, 2020 6:42 am

I was too annoyed with the noise my A10M printer is making, so tried several things to make it more quiet.

Started with the system fan - ordered a bigger one on Amazon, printed a custom lid for the system box with the hole suitable for the bugger fan. Then added a metal grill to protect the fan.
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This helped a bit, but not much and I lived with this for a few months.

Recently I've decided to try replacing the drivers. Ordered TMC2209 from AliExpress, installed them and couldn't recognize the printer! It was so much quieter.

The last remaining problem was the hotend fan. Two of them, actually. They are tiny, fast and very loud. I also find the construction of two fans blowing against each other pretty weird. So I've removed the left fan completely, then removed the right one too and cut the right size of the hotend metal cage to make a big hole in it. Then designed and printed an adapter from the original system fan to the hotend.
Now the fan is blowing from only one side, which seems to be enough as the air goes through both radiators. And I think higher volume from the bigger fan also helps.
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This was the last required change. Now the printer is almost silent!

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