LesHall

Oh yeah gr5 - definitely enjoy the robotic whirring gear train sound! The only issue is of course waking the neighbors when I operate the printer at night. Points taken all around, will grease the Z rods both threaded and non- threaded as UbuntuBirdy mentions and will try to figure out the other comments of gr5. Thanks so much! Les

it's Z. every time the bed goes up or down the loudness is way more that you'd think it should be.

OK TY will do.

Greetings Earthlings, lend me your ears! Oh wait, that's mixing metaphors (or quotes or whatever). How can I make my UM2+ quieter? It's really loud and seems to be playing audio on a speaker. Les

Also along the same lines is an extra recent idea: dissolvable infill for single-extruder machines. In that idea we use bridging and other techniques to make very thin, fine structures that perform the support role, yet are so delicate that a bath with solvent will erase the structure. Along with this concept is a parallel notion in which the dissolvable structures may be external and used for printability. A case in point is printing springs or stalks. I am sure that researchers have explored these ideas, I just wonder what keeps them from appearing in practical use (i.e. in Cura). Maybe I am just uninformed? Les

This is an idea on this topic from one year ago. In this case the internal support is optimized for low material use. It could be a tree of rings, etc. By now surely this is in practice, just in case it isn't here is an image to convey the concept.

Many thanks for your well wishes. I do feel better tonight. I am printing a tough print on my Ultimaker and it is doing a fine job! A while ago - this is funny - I referred to it as "a cupcake with a paint job" haha. Of course we all know better than that but it was humorous to me at the moment. Cheers! Les

Today I had a test of faith and I'm sorry to say I did not do so well. I understand enough to know to act better, and some of my response to the stimulus was OK, but when the real pressure - fear of death - occurred, I failed. I also have made mistakes in other areas like my favorite Christian cross design is actually a credit card holder - money wrapped by a cross! How did I ever miss that one. At this moment I am de-stressing. It's all voices outside my door and window, so I really don't know what to believe. I don't know if i will die soon or not, none of us do. Les

OK Bob, I'll try a torque meter from Anders Olson. I think now after some more use that the Olson block is not in fact stripped but actually there is some filament residue in the threads. This is because I saw and removed filament residue (color: black, texture: brittle) from the nozzle threads and also by the way it tightens, more continuously that only at the end. Les p.s. the print bed heats just fine now. It was a setting or something, I forget what.

hmmm now the buildplate is not heating up.

Sander, TY for info. Mention of looking too close into printer due to nearsightedness and too many spools galore on the lower shelves of the print cart are unrelated. Fortunately my hair is short, lol. I looked closely at retraction issue - apparently over time (printer is a year old I think) the Bowden tube has worn and is too small a diameter by maybe 1mm or 2mm. So it is now loose. blue plastic horshoe is in place just fine. Will run prints with setting of no retraction for no to temporarily remedy the issue. So I am swapping nozzles properly - good! Les

AreDigg, by PID settings I meant the motion control PID settings. Slic3r for example has these controls. Sander: The worst thing of all is I think I have messed up the threads in my Olsen Block from over tightening and tightening / removing nozzles while hot. I believe the point of the Olsen Block is to act as a heat sink to deform the threads somehow such that the nozzles can be swapped when cool??? Also I have a tendency to stick my hands and even my head into the workspace while hot! I don't know what to do with old spools or old desiccant packets. I have recently discovered that my retractions are incorrect because the bonded tube at the entrance of the motor housing on the back where the filament is keeps moving and down with every retraction. So yeah, a lot of little things and others I can't think of right now. Les

TY Sander, this I recall except the last point which I guess makes sense. I am glad you wrote it though because my memory is fading and I seem to need constant reminders. I was also hoping to learn about PID settings - where to set them and what values are good? As much as I love 3D printing, I feel that I will have to give up my machine for safety reasons. I've recently noticed that I take too many chances with improper techniques. Then again, maybe I can learn by staying current with some basic skills... I guess I love it too much to leave it. Les

Ah yes, thanks for the reminder. I'm a big fan of the 0.8mm nozzle and have one in hardened stainless steel. I'm also interested in pushing the envelope of print speed a little bit - nothing outrageous mind you, just some PID values and how to enter them, some such like that. Ideas and experiences are welcome! Les

Hi all, could someone point me to any advice on reducing print times on a UM2+? I'd like to run the print head faster using PLA for now, or I can switch to another filament if it helps. Please advise and thanks in advance. Les

Yes like that but with a flat bed. The existing bed in fact, because the 45 degree angle allows for the "infinite length" feature, but that is not necessary in many cases. I want to print Christian crosses mostly, and also perhaps small musical instruments and cases. Just to add a conveyor, even a small one, would be sufficient. maybe a good solution is to just get a robotic arm and have it reach into the printer to grab or push the part out the front. Suitable arms can be purchased as kits for a few hundred dollars, or since it's a specialty motion, perhaps a simple one-motor rotating hook type thing. I'm sure there's a simple way to do this without modding the printer. Then select a material and bed that separate easily and print without glue, etc. and there is a working system! Les

Is anyone working on a continuous printing accessory for our beloved Ultimakers? Blackbelt Printer Les

There is one more concept that I have proposed... Candy Cane Filament Concept Les

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the nozzle carriage (or whatever you call it) kind of designed for dual extrusion? The nozzle as shipped is off to the left as you look into the printer from the front. To the right is, IIRC a hole and space for guess what? Another nozzle! Then a printed upper plastic part of the carriage to convey the filament and a second filament feed mechanism... we're done! Or am I missing something here? Please advise, thanks in advance. Les

This is yet another way to print dual-color or dual-material objects with a single nozzle printer. It's so simple I can't believe it's not being done yet (and I have occasionally mentioned it to folks for over a year now). It goes like this. In the filament manufacture process, create a "candy cane" filament (for lack of a better name) with 10cm alternating segments of each material. For example, the popular PVA and PLA would be a good place to start. 10cm of PVA followed by 10cm of PLA followed by 10cm of PVA and so on for the entire length of the filament. Then write a slicer that directs the printer using standard G-code to print with discard areas between segments of each material. For example, print 2.5cm of waste, 5cm of PVA, 2.5 cm of waste and the first segment of PVA is done. Then flush with 2.5cm of PLA, use up to 5cm of PLA if and as much as required, and finish with 2.5cm of waste. The waste draws meaningless shapes in the corners. Of course, the operator must load the filament with the start of a PVA segment leading the way. And so it goes, alternating, wasting a lot, printing a little, and making the desired object with typical Ultimaker quality. It's a wasteful approach, for sure, however it does require absolutely no equipment purchase or installation. You just buy a spool of this candy cane filament, install the slicer, and print to your heart's content. If spliced filament is not your style because it tends to snap every so often, consider nylon filament dyed as RGB (or RYB, or whatever works) for true color prints, tye dye prints, patriotic prints, company logo prints, or any kind of print requiring multiple colors. Well, the mind can run amok with ideas here but what I would suggest is a simple test with a well written slicer and a two color dyed nylon for strength and simplicity. I could maybe just barely handle the task. Could you? Les

yes, the nozzles made all the difference. I choose PETG because of its higher temperature coefficient. I want to use a filament that won't melt in a hot car. Les

I'm finally able to print out Ivan's parts and if you'll reference this forum thread: forum thread on PETG printing and heat transfer you'll understand why the big base part has a poor surface yet the gears are fine. Anyway, I have things tuned up right now. The design is also evolving as I go, with the gears much thinner and added posts instead of hollow gear mounts, etc. Les

I had further trouble when I got back from a month in hospital so I swapped the steel nozzle for the stock brass one. The problem disappeared! Have a look at this photo: The poor surface finish of the base is due to the steel nozzle's poor heat transfer coefficient. The gears, however, are printed with the brass nozzle - nice fix! Thanks everyone for this thought-provoking discussion! Les

Hi Sander! One "s" in "Les" please. The hospital stay was somewhat serious, but I feel 100% better now. I am currently making adjustments and some design changes to Ivan's planetary gearbox. It is thinner now which will improve print times. The tougher part will be to lower print times and improve printability of the arm pieces. Thanks for your interest! Les

Here is the latest version of Ivan, I am back home from hospital and beginning to print out the parts! (click for animation.) Les