Printrbot Metal Plus : prints

[LambdaFF]

Things that happened the last few months.
IMG_20150706_111514.jpgIMG_20150620_140041.jpgIMG_20150709_073308.jpg
IMG_20150704_112516.jpg

[Sebastian Finke]

Would love to know how you get your nozzles from not drooling during dual extrusions.

Also, is that delamination on your traffic cones?

[LambdaFF]

Would love to know how you get your nozzles from not drooling during dual extrusions.

As to that, it is a very basic but efficient technique : I use the "change tool scripts" to turn down the unused hot end while powering the new one.
No heat = no oozing.
No heat = smaller hot end (no thermal expansion) => no idle head colliding with the build.

Admittedly it is an efficient way to do things only in when the 2 colors are completely on different planes. It still works otherwise but it increases print time like hell.

So when I transition from white (hot end 0) :
M104 S0 T0
M109 S200 T1

And then the reverse
M104 S0 T1
M109 S200 T0

I usually add a little more text to move the head away from the build first and then bring it back (I think it uses G91/G92 and move commands).

Also, is that delamination on your traffic cones?

Unfortunately correct, but this is entirely on my design. I wanted to overdo it and added a "radius chamfer" at the bottom that had a horizontal tangent... therefore it didn't work well since the first layer had nothing to support it. Print didn't fail though so I'll keep it once I fill the hole with compound.

[Sebastian Finke]

As to that, it is a very basic but efficient technique : I use the "change tool scripts" to turn down the unused hot end while powering the new one.
No heat = no oozing.
No heat = smaller hot end (no thermal expansion) => no idle head colliding with the build.

Admittedly it is an efficient way to do things only in when the 2 colors are completely on different planes. It still works otherwise but it increases print time like hell.

So when I transition from white (hot end 0) :
M104 S0 T0
M109 S200 T1

And then the reverse
M104 S0 T1
M109 S200 T0

I usually add a little more text to move the head away from the build first and then bring it back (I think it uses G91/G92 and move commands)

I have read about this technique, how much longer are we talking?

I want to do some dual extrusion but I will have two colours on the same layer so I think this would make the print incredibly long. Not to mention the PITA of printing hot ABS into sections of already cooled ABS... warp city...

[Sebastian Finke]

Oh yeah... do you add all that code manually or does the software do it automatically?

[LambdaFF]

S3D adds the code on its own if you put it in the tool change script.
For my machine it takes about 3 mins to bring the hot end to temp. So if it is only a couple times per print ... No sweat. If you do it at every layer... Better be patient.
Oh and i only do this with pla and pet... Never tried ABS so far.

[LambdaFF]

A couple more things I made recently :
1/ a replacement for our waterski fin.
IMG_20150713_142129.jpg
2/ a repair for a colleague : fits better than original !
IMG_20150713_111850.jpg

[wachuko]

Sorry for the newbie question... but waterski fin in PLA? Does that not degrade in saltwater? I thought that ABS was better for parts that would be exposed to the elements.

[LambdaFF]

Sorry for the newbie question... but waterski fin in PLA? Does that not degrade in saltwater? I thought that ABS was better for parts that would be exposed to the elements.

Actually, those two were made of PET from Taulmann. I don't know how PLA reacts in seawater, but I think the heat would have been the worst problem. The skis are sometimes left to dry in the sun ... PLA would be less than ideal.

[wachuko]

Got it. Thank you for the clarification.