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I2K INSULATOR & DUPTEF COUPLERS


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Posted · I2K INSULATOR & DUPTEF COUPLERS

Does anyone have any first hand experience with the after market parts from GR5 and 3dSolex?

Specifically I want to know about the following parts.

- I2K INSULATOR

- DUPTEF COUPLERS

- STEEL COUPLER V2

I recently replaced my PTFE coupler for the first time and it was a raging pain in bum. This is annoying because I have only had the printer for a few months and I haven't printed anything but PLA. One time I did screw up and accidentally cook my PLA at ABS temps (230c). But that was just one time.

What material is the I2K Insulator made from?

Does anyone have anything good or bad to say about these?

Do they actually help prolong the life of the PTFE coupler?

Do they have any affect on the prints?

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Posted · I2K INSULATOR & DUPTEF COUPLERS

I've been using both the I2K Insulator and the Duptef couplers with an Olsson block for a few months now. My experience so far has been positive. I've printed quite a bit of Colorfabb XT at 250C and haven't lost any performance when printing other materials like PLA or PLA/PHA.

I don't know what the I2K insulator is made from, but it seems effective at keeping the coupler from warping.

I haven't noticed any impact on the quality of the prints. Quality seems just as good now as when my printer was new out of the box.

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    Posted · I2K INSULATOR & DUPTEF COUPLERS

    I think its vespel. There is a topic on it when they were trialing different materials to find the best option.

    I use it. Its good and I haven't found any problem with it so far.

    The DUPTEF COUPLERS are a lot more slippery then the glass fiber filled ones but are more prone to deforming. that's where you will want the I2K.

    On my setup I use both and are very good. the only problem is there is more spring tension on it as it all sits higher. Anders checked this and apparently the amount of increased tension is not much higher. (cant remember the weight). I really recommend the using the DUPTEF COUPLERS.

    I have no experience with the STEEL COUPLER V2.

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    Posted · I2K INSULATOR & DUPTEF COUPLERS

    Maybe @swordriff can answer this question (maybe it's top secret also).

    Anyway, the I2K is not a placebo thingy that doesn't do anything! I don't know the material but it works well.

    The Steel coupler V2, is basically the same as the standard steel coupler, only thicker, it seems that the standard one breaks easily, the V2 will prevent this.

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    Posted (edited) · I2K INSULATOR & DUPTEF COUPLERS

    Hi! Thanks for asking this good question!

    I think the Ultimaker Teflon coupler on its own is the best one out there.

    I have tried various Teflons from China, and the plastic is so variable in quality,

    and size!

    Here is the story:

    Anders Olsson in  Sweden needs to print at 265C + continuously!

    Using the standard Teflon, it is destroyed in a short time.

    He then devised a small chip, from "Vespel", which has the following 3 important properties:

    1) Conducts thermo-power poorly

    2) Can take the heat

    3) PLA does not stick to it

    Since then we have changed the material to a Tecasint-type, increasing the toughness to a service temperature of 300C +-

    Anders is (afaik) still using the "good old Vespel" he first manufactured, and stopped logging after 500 hours at the said temperatures. The Teflon still looks allmost like new.

    There is one degrading factor here; If you have a lot of retractions, then the hot plastic is dragged into the teflon on the inside, heating it there, of course. This nullifies the effect of the I2K chip somewhat.

    Anders also placed a pt100 close to the bottom of the Teflon (inside the teflon), and never measured more than 110C, really close to the hot end top end.

    Teflon starts to decompose at ca 200C, slowly at first.

    This effect accelerates greatly at 225-230.  

    The chip saves it from being continuously heated from below.

    If this chip saves even 1 important print, we think it is worth every penny!

    Mind you, the Teflon can behave normallish at room temperature, and then start bending its knees after warming up!

    Edited by Guest
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    Posted · I2K INSULATOR & DUPTEF COUPLERS

    Thanks everyone.

    I will definitely be ordering these parts now.

    One last question for Swordriff. Why not make the whole coupler out Vespel / Tecasint? Would it be too cost prohibitive? Or is difficlut to manufacture that material into the shape needed. Just curious.

    Ok I lied, I have another question. It looks like there is also a IPM Coupler that better suited for printing ABS. Do you guys use the I2K chip with the IPM Coupler or do you use the IPM coupler by itself?

    I would be totally cool with having to change out the couplers when printing different materials.....IF changing out the coupler wasn't a pain.

    Has anybody tried do design a printer head housing that makes changing out the coupler easier? I looked but I couldn't find one. I know that the Olsson design makes changing the tip easier but I don't think it does anything for the coupler? Is this correct?

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    Posted · I2K INSULATOR & DUPTEF COUPLERS

    The Vespel spacer was not my idea. First time saw it was in 3Poro´s post, here in this thread: http://oldforum.ultimaker.com/index.php?/topic/7024-teflon-spacer-replacement/page-5&do=findComment&comment=71524

    3Poro seems to have disappeared since the forum change though, together with a major part of the advanced users and essential forum features like "direct link to a post"..

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    Posted · I2K INSULATOR & DUPTEF COUPLERS

    Yes @anders-olsson: He brought it up first! I remember writing him in the old forum but there is no reply!

    Ok. IPM: the IPM works with ABS only. So only 1 part, not 2 parts, (-even) less chance for leak.

    The whole part could be machined in "NASA-plastic" but material cost only for the coupler is ca 40 Euros. And also we do not know how it does not attract plastics of different makes.

    As it is now machined into a tiny chip, it does no "do much" except save you a lot of rebuilds.

    If you NEVER print higher than 225, you do not need it.

    I recommend for @BrayChristopher the I2K & Teflon combo.

    There is an even tougher Teflon on its way, with an "Upgrade Price" for existing customers of either Teflon or Teflon&I2K.

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    Posted · I2K INSULATOR & DUPTEF COUPLERS
    and essential forum features like "direct link to a post"..

     

    Click the "Share" button underneath any post and the direct-to-post-URL will be copied to the clipboard.

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    Posted · I2K INSULATOR & DUPTEF COUPLERS

    You definitely should not use IPM and I2K at the same time. The IPM can handle the high temps just fine. I2K is meant to be used with teflon isolators.

    I agree it's a pain to take the head apart but each time I do it I get faster at it. It's like learning a new recipe - the first time it takes much longer than the 3rd time.

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    Posted · I2K INSULATOR & DUPTEF COUPLERS

    For me the taking appart is simple. ... knowing when you need to replace a Teflon is the difficult part. But easier with the Olsson block as you can probably feel extra friqtion by manually feeding some fillament with bowden and nozzle removed.

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    Posted · I2K INSULATOR & DUPTEF COUPLERS

    Upgrading the UM2 to dual extrusion with spare parts, using one hotend with duptef/I2K and the other with the IPM coupler and selecting the extruder you need might be a possibility. One would just have to unscrew the unused nozzle to prevent collisions.

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    Posted · I2K INSULATOR & DUPTEF COUPLERS

    Now that's a good idea, I would probably go for one with the standard UM2 setup+ korneels spring replacement (for PLA) and one with an IPM for ABS...

    and cheap if done with only one motor/bowden, and 2 hot ends... but 2 feeders is probably easier and will avoid getting ABS in the bowden.

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    Posted · I2K INSULATOR & DUPTEF COUPLERS

    Isnt it a bit fiddly with the firmware to change hot end wrgt the heater and the sensor?

    Question guys; Is there a simple way in software ti accomodate dual but only 1 at the time, removing the cold nozzle?

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    Posted (edited) · I2K INSULATOR & DUPTEF COUPLERS

    Full extension to dual extrusion and using only one extruder by selection at a time is the way to go IMHO. Everything else results in rewriting Marlin partially.

    Except for some additional costs for motor and Bowsen tube as @ultiarjan pointed out I don't see any drawbacks on the full dual extrusion setup - as long as not used for dual extrusion...

    edit: With only one feeder one would have to edit pins.h to map the pins for feeder two with the pins for feeder one. But I don't know if that will cause any troubles.

    Edited by Guest
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    Posted · I2K INSULATOR & DUPTEF COUPLERS

    How about the doubling up of heater and sensor?

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    Posted · I2K INSULATOR & DUPTEF COUPLERS

    Yes, they have to be doubled and connected to the second extruder connectors on the Ultiboard. But as only one hotend is driven at a time, power limit of the UM2 should not even be a problem if >25W heaters are used.

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    Posted · I2K INSULATOR & DUPTEF COUPLERS

    I wonder what the temp will be on the idle Teflon I'd the other (ipm) is running at 260 celsius?

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    Posted · I2K INSULATOR & DUPTEF COUPLERS

    How about the  doubling up of heater and sensor?

     

    What do you mean? Connecting both heaters to the same connector? If you do that then both will get hot and that is not desired.

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    Posted · I2K INSULATOR & DUPTEF COUPLERS

    @gr5 @swordriff I guess we are talking about having one heater and one temperature sensor on each extruder, aren't we?

    @ultiarjan: Very interesting question indeed. I think it should not be too high due to the fact that the stainless steel coupler makes the connection to the printhead block. But aren't there not some investigations for this somewhere here on the forum?

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    Posted (edited) · I2K INSULATOR & DUPTEF COUPLERS

    @ultiarjan: Very interesting question indeed. I think it should not be too high due to the fact that the stainless steel coupler makes the connection to the printhead block. But aren't there not some investigations for this somewhere here on the forum?

     

    Unfortunately I don't have a thermal camera... i'll ask around tomorrow during the ulti-evening.... I may be able to do a test by adding a 2th block and stick a pt100 inside the PTFE of the unused head....

    Edited by Guest
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    Posted (edited) · I2K INSULATOR & DUPTEF COUPLERS

    Hey guys!

    We cannot have the heat on in a temperarily unused hot end. It will turn the plastic inside it

    into what the russians call Жевачка.

    @Dim3nsioneer  you must ask @gr5 to write a firmwarefix and consult @iroberti on the way. @ultiarjan can you oversee this? It is all beyond my understanding.

    Anyone else useful to bring in? @anders-olsson how about 2 Olsson blocks in every machine.. haha.

    This is meant to be funny!

    This is turning into quite a chat!

    Sorry cannot answer all PMs and comment so much, I am increadibly busy these days in a galaxy far far away and trying to make everyone agree to EXACTLY WHAT I WANT is something I have to give up, and see my own limitations.... <3

    Edited by Guest
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