ABS curling on the ends (10" i3v)

[kfahn]

Just to add my 2 cents, I was also having a lot of trouble with my ABS prints curling on my 10" i3v, but I have found a complete solution (for me). I changed the cooling shroud for my hexagon hot end to clough42's design (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:335613). Not only does this cooling shroud not melt onto the hot end itself like the original design, but it blows the air up and away from the bed. I think that the original design actually blows on the back of the print, causing it to contract.

When printing the large extruder gear, the part of the print at the back of the printer would curl every time. When I switched to the new cooling shroud, the curling stopped completely. If you look at the attached picture, the only difference between the prints was the cooling shroud. The print bed surface, slicing, print settings, and ambient temperature were 100% identical from one print to the other. Notice the curling to the left (which was pointed to the back of the printer). The print on the left was stopped about 2/3 of the way through the print when I noticed all of the curling.
IMG_1766.jpg

If you are still having issues with print curling, it is absolutely worth it to try printing this new shroud and buying the couple dollar fan. I can print in ABS now without a brim or raft or anything else. I've tested this with a bunch of designs and have not had a single ABS design curl since switching cooling shrouds.