DrR1pper

Wow. Thank you for the very detailed and length responses guys. They've answered most of my questions but also given me some new ones. Maybe i should ask whether the um2+ is the right printer for me another way. I have a series of print jobs down the road that require me to print models of boats and rockets that i need to be very strong and stiff. The models are only for display but they really need to stand the test of time and feel really solidly built/printed. I plan on smoothing the print surfaces with something like etching primer (or bondo) + wet sanding if it's not possible to directly sand smooth the printed material. They will be painted as well ofc. With these requirements, do i really need to be looking at PolyMaker PC-Plus/XT-CF20? Ideally i don't want to have to buy new nozzles and replace them frequently due to the filament, etc, if possible. But i am willing to if the benefits of using said materials is what's needed to satisfy my requirements. In short, i'm really naive about other materials (only ever printed with regular PLA) and i'm bouncing all over the place with how that factors into which printer i need or should use. The PC-Plus/XF-CF20 are two filaments that i've seen mentioned a fair few times when searching for material best suited for my needs. Would you guys also agree or would you suggest something else too that achieves very similar results with less hassle/mess. Thanks for all your advice and help. I really appreciate it!

I'm really tempted to get the UM2+ but i'm still a little hesitant for a few reasons and was hoping some of you might be able to shed some light on them please. 1) Is it really worth the money (£1800) when you can buy 3d printers these days that cost less than half the amount and that appear to print as well too (based on 3rd party testimony and picture comparisons of prints...in no way a great way for me to judge but the best i can do given the circumstance). Or even printers such as the BCN3D Sigma that costs the exact same as a um2+ and yet seems to be of much better construction, feature dual extruders, ~30% larger print volume, superior looking axis rail design, etc. 2) Is the bowden design on the UM2+ a real benefit? I'm seeing a lot of people printing in the 30-40mm/s range which makes me think that's no better than what typical direct drive printers run at to print well. Or am i missing something here? Does the bowden on the UM2+ print as well as some of the best direct drive 3d printers out there? 3) I'm concerned with the 260*C hot-end limit on the UM2+. I want to print with some strong filament, e.g. PolyMaker PC-Plus but i've seen/heard it ideally requires 270*C to be structurally strong with good adhesion strength between layers. I also saw XT-CF20 as another candidate for my requirement but saw the issues with rapid nozzle degradation which is off-putting to me to say the least. Anyone have any experience with either of the two and can weigh in? Or perhaps even offer a better alternative filament that i have yet to consider? Lastly, can anyone think of any cons with getting a UM2+ over another FFF/FDM printer? I'm struggling to decide on which/what to get as it's a lot of money to spend and i can't change once i've committed so i really want to make sure i'm making the right decision the first time. Your feedback would be much appreciated as i also wish to make a decision asap. Thank you, Martin

Once again, thank you for the super helpful response gn5! Really appreciate it!

Quick question please. What temperature do you print PLA at on the um2/2+? Would i be right in saying that sufficient heating of the PLA just as it leaves the extruder is as important as how rapidly it cools once it leaves the extruder? Would i also be correct in saying that this is why/where the UM2/2+'s shines the most, in it's cooling fan arrangement/design? I've just realised how important sufficient heating of the PLA and rapid cooling of the pla just as it has been laid down is.

Thanks. Helpful response.

Does this mean the driver has been poorly made/configured/paired with the motors used on the UM2/2+ and other printers (e.g. including my d5s mini) also experiencing this issue if there are some printers out there that don't experience this issue at all? Is the UM2+ still worth it despite such issues? I've been contemplating on buying a duplicator 6 and now thinking about a um2+ but can't quite decide. I know what some must be thinking....not even in the same league. Ofc it's a lot of you get what you pay for but i'm also thinking in terms of price to performance ratio which is better for me.

Right, gotcha, thanks! + 100 I wonder who will be the first to mass produce servo based fdm printers.

I think the D6 maybe using the exact same motors. Will double check with D6 owners. Whilst i wait for a reply back from D6 owners on what motor it uses and whether they also suffer zebra strips on a benchy print, this is the D5S mini stepper motor: http://s597.photobucket.com/user/DrR1pper/media/IMG_1927_zpsebg5epfr.jpg

Great. Thanks for the update. I wonder if there are other printers that suffer from this or is it just the Ultimaker? As I had mentioned before my Wanhao Duplicator does'nt. It might be interesting to ask the Creative Tools folks if they have seen the same artifact elsewhere. If they did you might have a shorter list of possible combinations anyway. In any case, good luck! Sorry to resurrect an old thread but i recently purchased a Wanhao Duplicator 5S mini and have this exact same issue as you can see here: http://i597.photobucket.com/albums/tt54/DrR1pper/IMG_1923_zps9tk6gvys.jpg The only OTHER common denominator that i can think of between my 5S mini and your UM is the bowden design. I will be asking Wanhao Duplicator 6 owners if they have the same issue or not with the benchy.