[PVA broke off in print core...]

@RayvenMaker  just a note. Never, ever, never, also never ever ever, use any 'cleaning filament'. They don't explain how the chemicals can bond with others and you can end up having to trash it. Also since the um3 doesn't has a full ptfe heatbreak but a very thin steel between the ptfe/hotzone it can be very very dangerous to atomic pull a cleaning filament because it can cold very fast on the heatbreak or mix with the residue + coldfast. If that happens you just need to forget about it or drill until the end of time itself...

I say this because last time I used cleaning filament was once after using a CF filament and the mix made a cement so fast that I broke one of the first Ruby Nozzle betas. So, stay away from the cleaning filaments.

 

Good tip! I'm going to be a little more cautious about using it now...

[PVA broke off in print core...]

@RayvenMaker - sorry no those nozzles aren't long enough in the threads.  But I do sell the hardcore which is like a UM core but where you can change nozzles easily.  And I'll sell you just a DIY kit since I know you now know how to take it apart and put it together without breaking the delicate steel core.  Or you can get a complete core already with the hardcore from my store and I'll pay you for your broken BB core.  Or you can send in your broken BB core and I'll upgrade it.  3 choices for you if you are interested.

 

Sorry that I didn't get back to you sooner... I've been busy.  I'll see what happens after I blowtorch it... But I think I might just want to buy a new BB core. Right now, I'm working with fbrc8 to get this straightened out—I only got this in November. Also, I'm probably not going to use my BB very much, so it doesn't really make sense for me to make it really versatile.

But actually, I'm looking into the upgrade for one of my AA cores—I loved being able to change nozzle sizes and hardnesses back with my UM2 (with Olsson block). CF filament has always been on my 3DP wishlist...

Make On!

RayvenMaker

[PVA broke off in print core...]

Ok, just reassembled the print core. I put it back in the printer, and tried to run some cleaning filament through it... all that came out was this coarse, orange, fragile powder that no one could call proper extrusion. Tried the atomic method—it seemed like it couldn't get a good grip.

Someone had to drill (or CNC) that 0.4mm hole in the nozzle (unless it was injection molded with some serious black magic), so there's probably a 0.4mm mill bit out there, right? Where could I find one... if that's a good idea.

What about replacing just the nozzle? I think I saw one on @gr5's store—would that fit in my existing heater block?

@SyntaxTerror, I've tried blowtorching before, back with my Ultimaker 2... ended up warping the nozzle. But there was a lot of filament jammed in there, and I probably got it too far into the red-hot spectrum... there isn't much left in this nozzle, so I think I'll give it a shot, last resort.

Make On!

RayvenMaker

[PVA broke off in print core...]

Ok, just took apart the print core... here are some photos of the parts with the PVA.

Yeah, it's really stuck.

I'm letting the two parts soak in water, and I'll see if that helps. If it doesn't get that caramelized part out, I'm going pro and drilling it out.

Thanks for all the help! I couldn't have done it without you guys.

Make On!

RayvenMaker

[PVA broke off in print core...]

Hey @tomnagel, @ultiarjan,

Thanks for the suggestions! I did contact the reseller... they thought I should just get a new print core. I'll try your second suggestion, @tomnagel, but it's really stuck in there. Last resort has already been passed: except at max temp. Nothing came out except smoke. I tried the wirebrush method... there isn't even any filament in the heated nozzle. As far as I can tell, the filament's tip was hot, and it somehow might've cooled down in the section of the print core with the heat sink. I'm not sure.

[PVA broke off in print core...]

I'm about to buy another BB core... but before I do, what can I do to get that piece of filament out? I really don't want to have to buy one.

[PVA broke off in print core...]

I suggest just "print it out"  at one point the broken area will be out if the nozzle and everything is in one piece again. Then you can make cold pulls and it all sticks together...

 

Thanks for the idea! Unfortunately, the piece is jammed, and even when I pressed on it with a screwdriver, it wouldn't extrude.

[PVA broke off in print core...]

Hey guys!

I'm looking for the best way to get this out.

The filament jammed, broke off inside the core.

I used that screwdriver to measure how far down it was, and it seemed to break off right where the heatsink starts. What do you think I could do to get this out? I've already tried hot/cold pulling it, with no luck. It's PVA, so I'm considering dissolving it, but that already sounds like a bad idea. What about drilling it? Thanks.

Make On!

Reagan

[Can UM2(+) glass buildplate spares fit on a UM3?]

The UM2(X), UM2(X)+, UMO+ and UM3 all use the same size glass plates.

 

Thanks Erin!

[Can UM2(+) glass buildplate spares fit on a UM3?]

I know they probably do... I just want to make sure.

[Which program for modeling?]

I'll go ahead and fill you in much like Ravenmaker did. (nice job on that by the way)

The 2D design capabilities are second to none in the industry. (After all, that's how Cadkey made history) you simply design what ever shape you want that odd looking block to look like and extrude to whatever distance you want it to be. (or to another face, or to a point, or dynamic, etc.) Much like RavenMakers images show.

Modifying the keyboard commands (and the mouse commands for that matter) is very easy and versatile as well. They have made it so that the user can basically set up the "platform" how ever they want. I myself have several different "workplaces" for the different design iterations I am working on. I have one for my normal 3D modeling, one for my tooling layout designing, and the default. (which I do not use) I have even heard of people creating the workplace to resemble Solidworks as that was the platform they just came off off at a different place.

I hope this gives you some more arsenal to put into your thinking cap for making this decision. It is not one that should be taken lightly if your going to be trying anything other than the free ones.

A lot (if not all) of the more expensive CAD programs out there have free trial versions for you to download and try. I would highly recommend you take advantage of these if you are seriously thinking of buying one.

My 2 cents.

 

Thanks for the mention! Direct modeling looks really cool! Yeah, I do cringe when I have to change complex geometries... But guess what? I found direct modeling in Fusion! https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/fusion-360/learn-explore/caas/video/youtube/watch-v-zbEZlny7OH8.html It's definitely not as established as Keycreator's direct modeling (Fusion is parametric by nature) but hey, it's there.

[Ultimaker PVA not sticking to BuildTak.]

Under build plate adhesion select type as Brim. Use PLA from core 1 instead of PVA from core 2 for adhesion.

 

I tried that at first... PVA still prints inside the brim if I do that when I'm printing support. What about a raft of the first material? Or, what about this—what if there was a setting where everything on the first layer was a certain material (e.g. ABS), and then everything else after that would proceed as normal. Then, if you had a glass build plate, you could print the first layer in entirely PVA to make sure it sticks, then print whatever else you want after that. SandervG, what do you think?

[UM3 glass buildplate adhesion issues... Buildtak with auto-leveling?]

Nylon and PLA can be combined with PVA as support material. Other combinations are not officially supported. But feel free to experiment!

 

Thanks, tomnagel! Let the experimenting begin, then. I'll post results here.

[UM3 glass buildplate adhesion issues... Buildtak with auto-leveling?]

The combination ABS and PVA will not work reliably. The 2 materials simply don't stick well enough to each other, even if you would manage to stick both to your build plate.

Ofcourse in some cases you can get it to work. For example, if you need to support a piece of overhang, which is connected to the rest of the object. But if a piece of the object needs a start on the PVA, you have to have a build material that sticks well to PVA. And ABS does not do that.

 

Thanks for the info! I didn't know that! Well, I do have some CPE as well... will that work better with PVA?

[Which program for modeling?]

Autodesk's Fusion 360 should do all of that! Screenshots below:

 

I want a program where I can make cone with a flat top and am able to specify the size of both ends as well as the height of the cone(without pulling out a tool to cut up a cylinder, which doesn't even result in an actual cone half the time).

 

I just used the loft command here, with two circles above each other.

 

It should let me define all dimensions of a cube to the point where i make the bottom square be 3x4x3x3 making the bottom left/right corner of the front be pushed out by 1 increment.

 

Line command in sketch mode.

Extruded the sketch.

 

I also want to be able to type in coordinates/use keyboard keys to move an object instead of messily trying to slide it around with the mouse only to have it snap to another object and slant at an awkward angle.

 

Move command. It's more of a relative coord system, though.

 

It should allow me to hollow out an entire object a certain amount (leaving anywhere between 1mm to 10mm walls and without cloning the object, scaling down a tiny bit, then subtracting it after centering it inside which can be a pain).

 

Shell command... although, this always deletes 1 or more faces. So you'll have a cone with an open top.

This is making it entirely closed off and hollow: I used a second loft inside of the cone.

 

Also using the keyboard to move camera instead of the mouse would be a bonus.

 

I wish it had that. But hey, Fusion's free. I hope this helps!

Make On!

RayvenMaker

[UM3 glass buildplate adhesion issues... Buildtak with auto-leveling?]

Why would you combine PVA with BuildTak? PVA and PLA stick to glass just fine.

 

Thanks for the reply! I'm using ABS with the PVA, not PLA. The ABS wouldn't stick to plain glass, or glue, so I switched to what worked for me before—BuildTak. But PVA doesn't seem to stick to it, so I'm pretty much stuck. Either the ABS or PVA won't stick, either way... unless we can find out what's wrong.

[UM3 glass buildplate adhesion issues... Buildtak with auto-leveling?]

Have you played with the z offset at all?

 

Thanks, Waternut! No, I haven't. Can't find the feature... I'm using Cura 2.3.1. Should I go ahead and mess with the g-code? Or can I just adjust the Initial Layer Height?

[Ultimaker PVA not sticking to BuildTak.]

Just posting a new topic here. Ok, I got the BuildTak, and the nozzle doesn't melt through it. score The only thing is, I can't seem to get PVA to stick. I haven't tried to put glue on the BuildTak (that just seems wrong), so I'm coming here for advice. What should I do? Has anyone else had this problem? Thanks.

Make On!

RayvenMaker

[UM3 glass buildplate adhesion issues... Buildtak with auto-leveling?]

Ok, I got the BuildTak, and the nozzle doesn't melt through it. score The only thing is, I can't seem to get PVA to stick. I haven't tried to put glue on the BuildTak (that just seems wrong), so I'm coming here for advice. What should I do? Has anyone else had this problem? Thanks.

[UM3 good quality but poor quality control]

I found on the three units I have had that the limit switch wires can just about be pushed away from the belt. The closer you push nearer the switch the better, but please be careful not to break the contacts that the wires are fixed to. I would recommend you check the LED wiring to. Same side, top front left, two of the units I had had the wires rubbing on the aluminium pulley. It's not easy to see, but you will clearly see it if it is rubbing, easily pushed clear.

The parts on this printer are generally very nice, I think if you have a good one you're good. The support team are excellent, I think if Ultimaker are aware of any issues with the earlier units it would only be decent of them to cover it under warranty later. Can anyone from Ultimaker can back this up?

Thanks for the tip! I'm pretty sure I have a good one, but I want to find as many faults (if they're even there) as I can before the warranty runs out. I checked the LED's wires, they're fine. Definitely—the Ultimakers are one of the best designed printers on the market: and that's coming from someone who works with SLS. I take a lot of inspiration from Ultimaker.

[UM3 good quality but poor quality control]

Just got my UM3 under a week ago, and it prints like a charm—the active leveling is just what this printer needed, and the dual extrusion is better than most (more like all) of the machines I've used. I love the new UI—it's minimalist, beautiful, and well-thought out. Quality of prints absolutely blows my mind.

But I spotted the same problem as Krasnoyask—the wire rubbing against the belt.

It's practically a ticking time-bomb—it'll probably print great for a couple of months or so, like nothing is wrong at all... then bang, the belt starts to wear down. Give it another two months, and you'd probably lose all accuracy on the Y-axis. All outside of the warranty. :/

So, I was just curious, and I looked at the files for the UM2, and guess what I found? It has this wire rubbing issue. (just measured this: the clearance from the wall to the belt on the UM3 is 4.5mm, and 3.5mm on the UM2) Now this is weird: I had my UM2 for two years, and nothing happened with the Y belt or the Y limit switch. And the design says that the tolerance is closer on the UM2 than the UM3. Now, I don't have access to the source files of the UM3, so some of the moderators might be able to check for this, but could this be a issue with the design? Or like with Krasnoyask, could this be more quality control issues? Is there a way to fix this, other than taping the wire to the wall? Thanks guys.

Here's a screenshot of the UM2's design:

[UM3 glass buildplate adhesion issues... Buildtak with auto-leveling?]

The Auto leveling has seen limited testing with BuildTak, tape and avery sheets. In those limited tests we saw no negative effects.

If you need ABS in your application, try Ultimaker ABS. Bed adhesion is almost too good, that's why we tell users to use a glue stick. The glue forms a breaking layer, preventing chips of glass to break from your printbed!

PLA and PVA should stick to your bed very well. Make sure the bed is clean!

Ok, that sounds good then. I'll go ahead and get some BuildTak and just see what happens. Just a question though: in your tests, does the nozzle melt through the BuildTak so it can touch the glass for auto-leveling? Or does it just touch the surface?

Thanks for the info on the Ultimaker ABS—once I get through my 2+ kilos of ABS from Matterhackers, I'll switch to the Ultimaker filament. I never thought ABS could be so enthusiastic about adhesion.

[UM3 glass buildplate adhesion issues... Buildtak with auto-leveling?]

The other thing I found really useful for UM3 adhesion, I think because of the increased fan power, was using the glue stick and a wet paper towel to have a very thin wash of glue on the areas of the bed I was printing on. I haven't attempted trying hairy spray instead of the glue yet; I'm having really excellent results with the glue on everything from 1 hour prints to 44 hour prints.

Thanks for the tip, Erin. I tried it out last night, and it worked great... for the PVA and PLA (if I'm ever printing in those materials, your tip will be a lifesaver). ABS was a different matter—the parts would get about 12 layers in, and then pop off the buildplate. :/ Is there any way to make the brim bond better to the print? Or just a way to make the ABS stick better?

And if there isn't, then how could you get the Buildtak to work? IRobertI, any ideas?

[UM3 glass buildplate adhesion issues... Buildtak with auto-leveling?]

Hey Ultimaker!

I just got my UM3 4 days ago after having a UM2 for 2 years, and printed out the Ultimaker Robot with no problem. After that though, nothing I could do would predictably stick prints (ABS or PLA) to the glass buildplate—not even PVA will stick. I've tried the glue that was included, wider brims, fully PVA first layers, and even the dreaded raft. Nothing will stick... unless I get lucky. Sometimes, the print will randomly stick like a charm to the plain glass buildplate. And nothing I do can replicate these lucky strikes. What happened? And what should I do?

That brings me to my next question: Can you use Buildtak with the new active leveling in place? I don't want to start leveling manually again (one of the main reasons I bought it), and flipping the buildplate over every time it levels seems a bit convoluted. (yes, I read this thread... I wanted to start a new one.) I know that with the Printrbot Simple, you can adjust the offset from the buildplate in Pronterface... is there a similar feature with the UM3? If not, what would be a good work-around for this? Thanks guys.

Make On!

RayvenMaker

[BuildTak possible on UM3?]

Is there any way to adjust the auto-leveling's sensitivity (or offset) to compensate for the BuildTak?