3D printer for large variety of filaments?

[walshlg]

I'm a maker, thinking of getting my own 3d printer, under $1000 to $2200 range. Not averse to building my own.

What I am most looking for is the ability to print with a lot of different filament types. A must are flexibles, woodfill and Nylon in addition to abs and pla. Perhaps even polycarbonate. So I think proprietary filaments are not an option. I am very leary of salespeople with lines like "oh yeah we tried it with Ninjaflex and it worked".

I am willing to pay more for quality and reliability.

THanks

[StridAst]

Look up rapide lite. Its got a couple minor things to work out, but its a good solid milled aluminum frame, with a community supporting it already. For ninjaflex and other flexible filaments you need to print an adapter to support the filament in the extruder.

http://www.print3dforum.com/forumdis.../7-Rapide-Lite

[dunginhawk]

essentially any direct drive extruder is what you want... you do NOT want a bowden extruder...

My top right now (im evaluating as well)

1. Taz 4-5
2. Printrbot Metal Plus
3. FlashForge Creator Pro


For what you want, if size of the bed isnt a big deal, i am a BIG fan of the flashforge creator pro.. I own one and its amazing...

[walshlg]

Thanks for the tips!

[walshlg]

Looks like the lulzbot Taz 5 flexiduly add on head is the best in the industry for multiple materials. Its a dual head direct drive with one head optimized for hard and one for soft filaments. From here on my search is for something to come close to this! when you think about it adding soft into hard material prints is extremely useful.

Only down side is the Lutz 0.1mm resolution but that should be just fine for my ideas!

[Frankn]

Remember that TAZ ,Which is a great printer, uses the larger size fialment, but Ninjaflex comes in the large size. The machine is expensive and it is a big chunk extra for the flex head. If you got the gold and don't mind the larger filament, go for it. Frank

[truly_bent]

... you do NOT want a bowden extruder...

Why not a bowden type extruder? Are they more susceptible to problems? I think delta type printers use them almost exclusively.

Just curious...

[StridAst]

Bowden types have a longer distance to push the filament. Ninjaflex (and some other flexible filaments) behaves like a wet noodle, it don't push very well but it pulls just fine. Direct drive still has problems with it. Some of which can be fixed easily, some of which can not.

The rapide lite printer I was suggesting needs a feeding tube printed than inserted into the extruder just to keep the ninjaflex filament from wrapping around the gears in the extruder. And thats with a direct drive. Toss a Bowden drive into the mix and you can pretty much kiss your chances of printing flexibles goodbye.

[curious aardvark]

Looks like the lulzbot Taz 5 flexiduly add on head is the best in the industry for multiple materials. Its a dual head direct drive with one head optimized for hard and one for soft filaments. From here on my search is for something to come close to this! when you think about it adding soft into hard material prints is extremely useful.

Only down side is the Lutz 0.1mm resolution but that should be just fine for my ideas!

The chances of you ever wanting to print at less than 0.1mm resolution on a filament machine are pretty low. Unless you actually want to spend a week waiting for a print :-)
If you're looking for super fine resolution - then you're probably better off with a resin based sla machine.
There are new resin types coming out weekly.
There tends to be more post processing with sla prints, but for super fine resolution they do beat fff machines.

You don't need special extruders for flexible filaments. I've tested most of the ones around and they all work in my flashforge creator without any modifications. Ok Ninjaflex you need a 1mm wedge. But that's it.

Just remember that you need to print slow and with more infill than normal.

Not sure if the ultimakers are within your budget. But they don't keep winning best printer awards for nothing. And even with the bowden drive - because they use 3mm filament - I believe you can still print with flexible filaments.

And has been mentioned the creator pro is a super bit of kit. Fully enclosed - practically essential for easy abs printing. With heavy duty everything else.

It basically boils down to build volume and how much cash you have.

[Davo]

Oh yeah we tried it with Ninjaflex and it worked. Really.

Also ABS, BendLay, Flex45, HIPS, LayWoo-d3, Nylon, PET, PLA, Plastink Rubber, PP, PVA and T-Glase.

Also (different head) Clays including Precious Metal Clays (PMC), Plasticine, Play-Doh, Porcelain, RTV Silicone, Sculpey and Sugru (Rubber).

Then there's also the laser head, and the spindle head for light milling operations (routing off soldier masks, etc), the resin heads...

But it might cost over $5000 to get all of that.