BrayChristopher

We have an UM2E and it is giving us a Bed Temp Error. I think that is the problem. Is there any chance it is just the wire and the heated bed is still fine? The replacement wire is only $20, but the wire and bed together are $200. Also, fbrc8 is out of stock of the cables. Is there anyplace else to get these in the States?

Pictures? Maybe add a ton of helper disks. https://ultimaker.com/en/community/prints/3440-random-shroud You might have to add some "external supports" that can be clipped off after printing. You could also try increasing your first layer thickness and width to increase build plate adhesion.

You've already changed out the nozzle and PTFE coupler. The PTFE coupler is usually the culprit of all of my problems. Did you clean off the hubbed gear that grips the filament. If it gets caked with filament dust, then it can't grip the filament as well. I print PLA at 210c. I have my filament spool below my machine and I use a spool holder with ball bearings. https://www.youmagine.com/designs/magnetic-mount-spool-holder I still use the original UM2 feeder and I have it set to the lightest pressure. Good luck.

So many options! Thanks.

Has anyone had good success with the NinjaTek Armadillo filament? If so, what settings are you using. (I have an UM2E) Please and thanks.

What infill are you guys using? I use Simplified 3D. There are six infill patterns. I basically stick with Rectilinear. Or one of the Honeycomb options. But mostly Rectilinear. With these options, the infill does NOT cross its own path during a single layer (does that make sense). Conversely, Grid and Triangular DO cross their own path during a single layer. So the print head hits a speed bump every time it crosses its previous path. It sounds horrible. It visibly shakes. I tried it once just to experiment... never again. I am pretty sure the Wiggle pattern does NOT cross its own path during a single layer, BUT it looks like it is going to shake the snot out of the print head.

That is a pretty awesome bubble gum fail. Was there a big blob on the out side of the hot end as well? I have had similar fails twice with ColorFab XT, on our UM2E. The problem was that I didn't have good bed adhesion. The part came loose from the bed and it got drug around by the print head. Then it got stuck to the print head and it just kept pumping out plastic and forming a horror movie monster blob. Luckily I just needed to heat up the nozzle and pull all of the plastic off.

That looks like a very challenging part to print. Is there any way that you could cut it up in CAD and join the pieces together after they are printed? Any chance you could share the STL file?

I have been very happy with the PLA filament from 3D Universe and Atomic Filament. I still need to get around to trying the PETG from Atomic.

I found that when printing a larger set of these, I would get really fine strings between the parts. So I played with the settings some more. Retraction Distance: 5mm Extra Retraction Start: 0mm Retraction Vertical Lift: 0.5mm Retraction Speed: 2000 mm/min Coasting Distance: 2.0mm Wipe Distance: 6.0mm Layer Height: 0.15mm Top Layers: 3 Bottom Layers: 3 Shells: 2 Out Line Direction: Print Inside-Out Print island sequential with out optimization: On Use Random Start Points for All Perimeters: On No Supports Extruder Temp: 237c Bed Temp: 70c Fans turn on at layer 8 Fan speed: 50% Default Printing Speed: 3000 mm/min Outline Underspeed: 65% Solid Infill Underspeed 70% X/Y Axis Movement Speed: 6000mm/min Only Retract when crossing open spaces: On Force Retraction between layers: Off Minimum travel for retraction: 0.02mm Perform Retraction during wipe movement: Off Only wipe extruder for outer most perimeters: Off Here are the results:

We have been happy with our UM2 at work. It is the only 3D printer I have any experience with. Are you familiar with 3D printing? If not, study up. Read the forums and listen to any 3D printing podcast you can find. I think all of my problems early on were caused by ME. And the damn PTFE coupler. And crap filament. Stick with Ultimaker brand filament at first. Stick with PLA at first. I would switch to some kind of ball bearing spool holder right away. Wait for your prints to cool down after they are done. Don't pry them off of the print bed. This helps keep you print bed level. At first I was re-leveling it every other print. Now I only need to level it about once every 6 months. If you are planning to do a lot of big prints that will take a long time, I would recommend putting your printer on a wire rack shelf so that the electronics underneath can breathe easier. There is no active cooling on the controller board. Good luck. It is an exciting journey.

The bowden fan is an interesting idea. https://ultimaker.com/en/community/3435-new-fan-cooling-design#reply-19327 https://ultimaker.com/en/community/3435-new-fan-cooling-design#reply-19299

S3D is short for Simplified 3D. It is not a free slicer. https://www.simplify3d.com

First of all, that tail does look tricky and fragile. I downloaded the STL. The tail in the picture does NOT match the tail in the STL file. The tail really does only touch the bed at a point. So much so that S3D does see enough geometry there to print anything until the third layer! And I have it set on 0.1mm layer height First Layer = no tail contact So in addition to it having a very small base, it also no bed adhesion. Trick 1: Bury the model in the print bed. This will give the tail a much broader base to start with and one that actually has a first layer. The deeper the better (up to a point). Trick 2: Add a helper disk. This gives the tail broader base and connects it to the rest of the base of the model. Increasing the thickness of the helper disk will give the tail an even better chance. Trick 3: The overhang of the tail directly around its base doesn't need support material, but you can manually add supports in S3D. These could act as a cage to keep the tail from tipping over. Trick 4: This might be cheating too much. Flip a help disk on its side and position it under the tail. Now the tail is connected to the rest of the model from the ground up. Good luck.

Somethings just are not very printable. Every manufacturing process has its limitations. Have you tried adding "helper disks"? You can add them to a print right in the slicer software. The slicer then merges the objects and prints them as one part. Then you have to cut them off with a sharp knife or clippers. You can also use these on corners to help keep parts from warping off the bed. [print=3440][/print] I was pretty surprised that this actually worked! We almost didn't try it because it didn't fit in the printer in a normal way. We had to stand this up on just one edge and add a bunch of helper discs. You could also try cutting the model in half and putting the two cut faces on the bed. https://ultimaker.com/en/community/9712-cutting-up-and-printing-model-with-meshmixer-to-avoid-overhangs https://blog.adafruit.com/2014/07/31/split-large-designs-into-printable-parts/

New settings! The part looks very good. At least for what I need it for anyway. Retraction Distance: 5mm Extra Retraction Start: 0mm Retraction Vertical Lift: 1mm Retraction Speed: 1600 mm/min Coasting Distance: 1.0mm Wipe Distance: 2.0mm Layer Height: 0.15mm Top Layers: 3 Bottom Layers: 3 Shells: 2 Out Line Direction: Print Inside-Out Print island sequential with out optimization: On Use Random Start Points for All Perimeters: On No Supports Extruder Temp: 240c Bed Temp: 70c Fans turn on at layer 8 Fan speed: 50% Default Printing Speed: 3000 mm/min Outline Underspeed: 65% Solid Infill Underspeed 70% X/Y Axis Movement Speed: 6000mm/min Only Retract when crossing open spaces: Off Force Retraction between layers: On Minimum travel for retraction: 0.02mm Perform Retraction during wipe movement: On Only wipe extruder for outer most perimeters: Off I have only tried a small batch of these (16 at a time). Soon I will try a larger batch.

I am trying to print a bed full of small parts (50ish). Normally I avoid the stringing issue with XT by just printing one part at a time. But I need to make about 3,000 of these parts...... so it would be nice to print a whole bed's worth over night. Has any body else run into a similar challenge? I use Simplified 3D as my slicer. Currently my setting are: Retraction Distance: 4mm Extra Retraction Start: 0mm Retraction Vertical Lift: 0mm Retraction Speed: 1500 mm/min Coasting Distance: 2.5mm Wipe Distance: 3.0mm Layer Height: 0.15mm Top Layers: 3 Bottom Layers: 3 Shells: 2 Out Line Direction: Print Outside-In Print island sequential with out optimization: On Use Random Start Points for All Perimeters: On (I was hoping this would spread the pimples out so that they don't build on one another) No Supports Extruder Temp: 240c Bed Temp: 70c Fans turn on at layer 8 Fan speed: 50% Default Printing Speed: 3000 mm/min Outline Underspeed: 65% Solid Infill Underspeed 70% X/Y Axis Movement Speed: 3000mm/min Only Retract when crossing open spaces: Off Force Retraction between layers: Off Minimum travel for retraction: 0.02mm Perform Retraction during wipe movement: On Only wipe extruder for outer most perimeters: Off I think those are all of the settings that matter..... Please and thanks.

I am so jealous of your set up. That is beautiful. Board games and a 3D printer! Nice drawer slide.

While you are making upgrades, you might want to add some cooling for the controller board under the printer. It probably isn't a problem now, but this might save you a headache a year from now. https://ultimaker.com/en/community/26114-dramatic-layer-shifts?page=1&sort=#reply-162074

I might pick up one of these. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=0SS-0082-00018

If you have ruled out everything else, then yes. It is hard to check and swap out, so it is always the last thing you check for. Clean nozzle? Quality material? Clean knurled thing in the feeder? Tangle free spool? Easy spinning spool holder? Same settings you have had success with before?

I know settings differ from brand to brand, but 235c sounds hot for PLA. I run all of my PLA parts at 210c (3D Universe and Atomic brands). With really good results. I run Colorfab XT at 240c. Like Labern said, have you changed out the PTFE coupler.

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:570165 http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:223801 https://ultimaker.com/en/community/7695-polar-wind-air-cooling-system-for-the-ultimaker-2

If I had to do it all over again, I would have put the printer on a wire rack shelf. I hate the idea of taking a drill to the printer. Partly because I don't own it. Do the electronics really need that sheet metal cover? You could probably get a couple small radial fans and put them at the back bottom of the printer so that they create cross flow air under the printer. Maybe someone has designed a more cooling friendly electronics cover that can be printed.