From Ultimaker Original to... ?

[LePaul 331]

I'm doing a little "thinking out loud" and debating whether to upgrade my existing Ultimaker to the UMO+ (heated build plate + electronics updates) or the Ultimaker 2.

The financial side of my brain is tempted by upgrading to the heated build plate offered by the upgrade option. It isn't a terribly difficult upgrade to install based on the documentation I have seen. And the heated platform would give me the ability to use some of the impressive ColorFabb XT materials

However I keep looking at the Ultimaker 2, wishing I had bought that all along (it came out 10 days after I bought my kit, non-refundable!).

If I go with the Ultimaker 2, I would go for the Extended Size since there are some larger sized prints I would like to print.

Another factor that has me leaning to the U2 is the noise my Ultimaker makes while printing. It works well but they do make a lot of noise doing so! (Mostly from the extruder feeder) The printer resides in the basement. It was too noisy for my sleep!

As I re-read this, I think I may have answered my own question!

[neotko 1,417]

My personal opinion it's that if you upgrade pulleys to gt2 and change the extruder to roberts with the same um2 motor (0.9-400steps) (this kills the noise big time) and you place a noise barrier so it doesn't reverbs on the wood. Then you can have a very very nice printer. And much cheaper.

But I use umo+ so the board it's different. There is also a post about changing the stepper chips to make the movement silent.

Edited August 3, 2015 by Guest

[Dim3nsioneer 558]

As I happen to have both UMO and UM2 I can tell you that I mostly use the UM2. However, I decided to upgrade the UMO with the HBK as I have some plans for this machine as well.

And yes, there is a significant noise level difference; it's just the wooden frame of the UMO which makes it extremely difficult to get the sound level somewhere near the UM2.

I think the UMO is the right choice if you want to significantly modify it, e.g. with a different hotend, direct drive, cross-flow fan, etc. If you just want good prints, buy an UM2, extended or not. If you want really good prints, add an Olsson block to the UM2...

I don't know if upgrading the UMO electronics to the 2.x board makes sense. Be aware you have to replace the hotend temp sensor.

[LePaul 331]

Well the electronics upgrade is part of the Ultimaker Original upgrade package.

Someone mentioned upgrading the fans, from one on the left side to copying what the U2 has (on each side).  

I know someone had better pulleys available but I have yet to hear from that person.

What's the Olsson block? New hip hop band?

I admit I surf here often but don't always catch what's available for 'factory approved' upgrades.  

I'm hoping to improve print quality all around.

Edited August 3, 2015 by Guest

[rigs 735]

What's the Olsson block?  New hip hop band?  

 

Good joke @swordriff , no ?

[danilius 118]

What's the Olsson block?  New hip hop band?  

 

I think it's a wrestling move.

[neotko 1,417]

For the sound. When you take the feeder of umo+ out of the picture and place a roberts (just did the change 2h ago because the plastic of the feeder broke in half) the noise it's just sooo little. First time in 3months I can leave the door open of the printer while my 2years old sleeps. There's a good model to sprint and post about it somewhere on the forum. https://ultimaker.com/en/community/view/11453-ultimaker-original-mod-irobertis-feeder-on-umo

Not only physically the motor move less but also the feeder isn't made of wood. I asked ultimaker and they sold me a pack called 'motor pack' for um2 that comes with the right motor (and two x/y motors) for 95€ (cheaper to buy other places but they sell it wired and connects nicely on my umo+ board).

[Labern 775]

Well UM history shows UM2 came out in September 2013 2 years after UMO.

So the 2 year mark is coming up again

Olsson Block is a hot end block with changeable nozzles. You can use E3d nozzles and @swordriff sells his own brand.

[mastory 44]

I think there are some printable isolators that you could place between your extruder and the frame.... This would be quick and cheap solution to mitigate noise. It wouldn't preclude adding the heated bed. These are basically printed springs that go between your extruder and the UM back panel. I just searched for them to no avail on Thingiverse. I seem to remember they were raved about at the time they were developed. They were essentially 'S' shaped leaf springs that coupled to both the extruder and the frame. Maybe they are on Youmagine??

I upgraded my extruder long ago to a GeoHagen design (has been great - goodbye feeder issues). Aside from other benefits, is a lot quieter than the original. The mounting plates (hooks that engage frame) are plastic which I think reduced the vibrations transmitted. Having a less of a reduction helps too since it turns less/slower. Although it's worked well for me, I'm not necessarily suggesting this upgrade. No one has really talked about this it a while. I'm not sure if the machined parts are still available. The point is that the plastic frame helped noise reduction alot.

On the heated bed, you won't regret upgrading. I can't relate to the UM kit (my HBK is also home spun), but an understated advantage of having a glass bed is that it is nearly perfectly flat, and very repeatable - requiring much less leveling. When I first installed mine, I was more impressed with the flatness and repeatability than the heating capability. Now I am in the habit of almost always using the heat. Sometimes I still prefer the blue tape. If UM's solution were available when I wanted one, I would have bought it instead of building one. I'm sure it is the way to go now - especially with the other upgrades to the platform.

Matt

[IRobertI 521]

Here's one example of what mastory is talking about (note, I have not tried this one myself):

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:53690

De-coupling the feeder from the frame makes a HUGE difference in noise. Just try unhooking the feeder during a print and hold it in your hand and you'll see what I mean. It's night and day.

Buying the heated bed upgrade is a hell of a lot cheaper than going with an UM2 so that's probably what I would've done in your situation. The platform from the UM2 is a great upgrade as the original platform isn't the best.

Or maybe you could try selling your UMO to lessen the price difference for an UM2? Both the UMO and UM2 are good printers and both of them have their weaknesses and strengths.

[Dim3nsioneer 558]

De-coupling the feeder from the frame makes a HUGE difference in noise. Just try unhooking the feeder during a print and hold it in your hand and you'll see what I mean. It's night and day.

That's only true for the original stepper drivers. With other drivers such as the DRV8825 from Pololu the difference is much smaller, almost negligible.

[LePaul 331]

I'm not sure how enthusiastic I am about printing that mod for the stepper motor

What's about dual fans? I see the U2 has them, is there any advantage to the UMO having them?

[Dim3nsioneer 558]

What's about dual fans?  I see the U2 has them, is there any advantage to the UMO having them?

 

It certainly helps for parts with overhangs in all directions but there is also a 'blind' spot of the right fan on the UM2... only a radial symmetric hotend design with fans all around would not have this problem (or to some degree an equal laminar flow over the whole bed).

Edited August 4, 2015 by Guest

[falc 6]

i upgraded my ultimaker original from early 2012 with heated bed and it was actually pretty straight forward, including the electronics.

If you build your UMO yourself the heated bed upgrade should be no problem

Edited August 5, 2015 by Guest