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Voron: LIVE! The Trident R2 Release!

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Summary: Voron “Trident R2” Release (Voron LIVE)

This video is a live release discussion for the Voron Trident R2 (often auto-titled “Triton R2”). The focus is primarily on motion system upgrades (XY and Z), with the intention of doing more frequent incremental upgrades later (e.g., display replacement, skirts).

Core product intent / release philosophy

  • Trident R2 is mainly a motion system refresh, not a full printer redesign.
  • The team wanted incremental upgrades going forward rather than waiting for everything to be updated at once.
  • Mod-friendly design is a major theme:
    • Added material/features to make modification easier (e.g., wire paths, “live idler” friendliness).
    • Fewer “hard to modify” parts, more openness/space for mods like:
      • internal spools
      • wire routing
      • toolhead-related changes

XY / Gantry motion system changes (major)

Gantry / belt & idler path

  • All gantry parts were remodeled.
  • EA / belt drive (referred to as “BA drives” in the discussion)
    • Belt path and bearing stack geometry updated.
    • Belt path is 53 mm shorter vs Trident R1 (explicitly called out with a visual comparison).
    • This includes changes intended to create a large corner opening, useful for:
      • sending wires
      • routing PTFE tube (e.g., internal spool use)
  • Extra plate thickness
    • Plates go from 5 mm to 6 mm to support rigidity and long-shaft stepper setups.
  • Shorter belt routing and updated idler geometry also aim to reduce belt issues.

Bearing stack + double-supported shafts

  • Stepper/belt-drive supports are shifted back and redesigned to enable:
    • support for longer shaft stepper setups
    • higher belt tensions
  • Double-supported shafts option
    • Uses a configuration involving two bearing stacks (instead of a double stack + single stack in R1).
    • Uses common bearings (discussed later as 695 / “F695” type bearing for this double shear idea).
    • Described as optional, not mandatory for upgrading.

Belt alignment defect fixed

  • A previously known belt alignment offset (~7.3 mm mentioned) in the R1 design (idler alignment) is stated to be fixed in R2.

Idler mechanics / tensioner improvements (front idlers)

  • Front idler assembly redesigned:
    • Single-screw adjustment concept emphasized.
    • Uses PTFE tube “guides” for the tensioner carriage to:
      • reduce tilting
      • improve belt tracking
      • reduce belt wear
  • Belt guiding features added to make belt installation/routing easier.

Hardware/material philosophy changes

  • Removed certain cap-screw/hex-nut approaches:
    • M5x40 socket-type/captive styles removed
    • Hex nuts removed in favor of M5 heatset inserts
    • Heatsets added to the BOM in multiple locations
  • Some printed/indexing alignment aids are improved with screws to ensure alignment between components.

Z motion system changes

Bed position flexibility / more adjustment range

  • Z assembly redesigned to increase flexibility in bed positioning.
  • Key geometry updates:
    • GE5C bearing moved farther to the side, creating additional adjustment space
    • Z steppers moved back 4 mm (other layout changes follow)
    • MGN9 rail moved (with discussion about left/right reasoning to preserve space for other components/mods)
  • Claimed outcome:
    • R1 had “basically nothing available” for some adjustments; R2 provides meaningful additional bed travel/adjustment.
    • A number like 8–10 mm bed shift is mentioned during Q&A for index compatibility.

Alignment consistency goals

  • New Z stepper mounting design aims for more consistent alignment of:
    • Z stepper to lead screw/nut
  • Design changes also aim to reduce issues caused by previous plate tightening potentially introducing tilt.

Wiring / cutout improvements

  • Redesign intentionally adds space for wire routing, including potential:
    • USB camera cable
    • other internal wiring

Filament path and spool changes

  • Filament path improvements:
    • spool holder moved to the side
    • new PTFE inlet geometry derived from an earlier 45° style inlet
    • claims of smoother and shorter filament path
  • Mentions an experimental folder in files:
    • a “swing arm setup”-like concept using the X/Y cable chain type to support wires without needing sendcutsend/metal parts
    • described as promising but not stock-shipped

Compatibility notes

  • Inverted electronics are not stock default, but the design is said to be compatible:
    • certain mount geometry/panels allow inversion as a mod
  • Toolhead/drag chain:
    • full umbilical/drag chain base setup is not included in the release
    • only cable-chain reference design is standard

Upgrade scope / how much printing is needed

  • Upgrading from R1 → R2 mainly involves:
    • gantry (motion)
    • Z motion system
  • Cosmetic/skirts and many other parts are largely unchanged.
  • Filament estimates:
    • less than 1 kg per printer component group
    • rough breakdowns mentioned like ~half kg main / ~quarter kg accents

Manuals & documentation workflow (Atomic Vector Plotter)

A segment covers the manual update process:

  • Manual update started in January and finished about a week before the release.
  • Scope:
    • roughly 28 new/updated pages out of ~290
    • additional counting like 220+ page updates mentioned
    • very large number of updated visuals/screenshots (hundreds; 628 images updated counted in one filesystem estimate)
    • manual grew to around ~319 pages at one point
  • Process improvements:
    • moved manual editing to Google Slides for easier collaboration and commenting
    • described as multi-phase work:
      • identify what needs updating
      • restructure order of operations
      • screenshot/callout corrections
      • beta tester feedback loops
  • The presenter emphasized the upgrade guide is essentially like rebuilding the printer, except the electronics bay.

Performance testing results (Zaruncho / “Zarancho”)

Zaruncho quantifies motion performance improvements using input shaping/testing:

  • Experimental setup:
    • “world’s tiniest trident” test gantry
    • balanced toolhead mock to isolate gantry flex effects
    • uses input shaping metrics with a graph-based approach (“unicorn graphs” wording)
  • Reported outcomes (vs R1):
    • ~6–7% increase in Clipper-reported accelerations (with MCV mentioned)
      • linked to the ~6% shorter belt path
    • ~3–4% measurable improvement attributed to double-supported shafts / bearing strategy
  • Belt tension discussion:
    • double-supported design may reduce hesitation, enabling higher belt tensions
    • caution noted that reliability guidance depends on Voron recommendations
  • Claims:
    • improvements are repeatable
    • graphs show minimal vibration and mostly stable conditions
    • cost delta described as low (mainly additional bearings), making it a practical upgrade

Release logistics & files availability

  • CAD/design files and a build configurator are live.
  • Some release notes/sourcing guide tweaks remain (“loose ends”), with:
    • GitHub/help channels available for issues
  • Suggestion:
    • watch for potential belt routing mistakes from R1 → R2
    • the team wants community feedback on whether mis-belting issues are effectively eliminated

Main speakers / sources (as identified in the stream)

  • Doc — moderator / host
  • Steve — lead designer / “this is your baby” introducing Trident R2 changes
  • Atomic Vector Plotter — manual/documentation process and scope
  • Zarancho — performance testing, input shaper/acceleration results and analysis
  • Also mentioned/participated in Q&A/show-and-tell:
    • Clo(g) nozzle (viewer issue noted about screen visibility)
    • Thunder Keys (MURF context, additional builds)
    • Mastermind (showing modified printer behavior)
    • Ref / AP / various beta testers (name list thanked by Steve)

Original video