So the Creality Ender 5 is/was my first and only 3D printer. Over the years, as is tradition with Creality products, you replace parts and install upgrades here and there.

In the latest iteration only the frame is original. Everything else has been replaced.

Some of the highlights (screw AI for ruining that word)

-Cartesian -> CoreXY, inspired by the MercuryOne project.

-X strut replaced with two 10mm steel rods. The print head is in between the rods so that the reachable area can be increased.

-Redesigned toolhead allowing for a Phaetus Rapido UHF and Orbiter 1.5 or 2.0 extruder, as well as a BLTouch bed sensor.

-New bed, 314x314mm instead of 235x235mm.

-The bed motion system is placed outside the frame instead of inside. The bed will be raised to just below the top of the frame. The toolhead can freely move over the frame, the fan ducts will not hit the frame but the nozzle will.

-Oversized rails on the Y axis, 24mm rails of 530mm length. I got these from discarded lab equipment at my old job. They allow the toolhead to go over the frame bounds and allow the nozzle to reach the whole inside of the frame.

I now have a 260x310 usable print area, up from 220x220 with the stock unit. There is still room to improve and I believe 314x314 is also possible.

The FreeCAD design file is available here: printables.com/…/1867046-ender-5-radical-redesign