The Anet A8 3D Printer is probably the best selling Kit on the market. Its because of the low price and the huge community behind it. But on the the downside, the stock Anet A8 has some disadvantages that will directly affect the print quality. It also has some serious security concerns.
Anet A8 Key Specification
- Printer Kind: cartesian, FDM, Prusa i3 derivate
- Printing Volume: 220 mm x 220 mm x 240 mm
- Frame material: black acrylic, mostly about 8 mm thickness with 8 mm threaded rods
- Extruder and Hotend: MK8 style, direct extruder
- Heated bed: MK3 style, 3 mm aluminium
- Mainboard: Anet V1.0 3D Printer Controller Board (Melzi style)
- Display: Anet specific (Melzi compatible) with 5 Buttons and SD-Card reader
- Stepper Motors: 5, each one for X-Axis, Y-Axis and Extruder, two ones for Z-Axis
- Power Supply: fanless Anet 12V 240W
- Price: about USD$150-200. Check out the best price on Gearbest and Banggood.
Useful Anet A8 Improvements
You should consider to print or buy these parts to improve the Anet A8 print quality and the security:
- T corner or Brackets to Reduce X-Axis Motion
- Front Frame Brace and Rear Frame Brace or Frame brace
- Power Switch (minimal material) with AC Fuse Power Supply Socket
- Improved Y-belt Tensioner + Improved X-belt Tensioner. I highly recommend to use glass fiber belt instead of the stock metal wire fused belt.
- Additional Mosfet Module to minimize the risk of fire hazard: Heated Bed Power Expansion Module
After installing these parts, the printing quality should be much more improved. Now you can print my customizable linear bushing to improve the quality more: Customizable Linear Bushings
Optional Anet A8 Improvements
These parts didn’t affect the Anet A8 printing quality or the security, but might be useful for you:
- Extruder Button – After several filament changes, you don’t wanna miss this part.
- Spool holder – reuse Anet parts
- Wing Nut bed level screw knob or Hotbed adjustment nut
- Hotbed Spring Bushing
Howto’s, Guides and Tipps
If you need to build this printer from the Kit, these Videos can help you.
Nexi Tech has some useful videos about this printer. He shows some of the improvements I’ve listed in the improvement section: https://www.youtube.com/user/Conesbbkg/search?query=anet+a8
How to support me?
Do you like my things and do you want to support me? You can use these links if you want to buy something. Thanks!
Banggood: https://goo.gl/ZXgx3A
Gearbest: https://goo.gl/w4ga7k
Aliexpress: https://goo.gl/bQLi15
I would add that the builder of an Anet A8 should wire two additional power wires to the empty slots on the heated bed connector or run the risk that the connector will melt. There are 4 power pins on the bed (2 + and 2 -). The stock connector only has 1 wire on each of these. The pins are rated at 10 amps and the bed is capable of pulling 12 or more amps, which will eventually melt the connector… which is what I am replacing at this very moment, while I put on most of the upgrades that you recommend. Thank you for the designs that you made, as well.