Getting new UM2+ ..

[RoySalisbury 0]

I just purchased a new UM 2+ and it should be here Friday. I spent a good bit of time researching different 3D printers and this seemed the most recommended choice. This is my first one. I got it mainly for creating enclosures and parts for my electronics devices (Pi, Arduino, NetDuino, ect)

I have read a lot on the different filament pro's/con's and will be sticking with the Ultimaker branded PLA for the short term until I get a handle on the printer. I believe a spool of silver PLA comes in the box, but I also ordered a spool of white and black. I have read that even different colors can require slightly different settings so that was my plan with 3 colors.. learn the differences.

I looked around to see what others have created, and even watched a LOT of youtube videos. Some helpful, some not so much. The ones that were more helpful than not were on the slicing software. I know UM comes with Cura, and while I will probable use that when I first set it up and get it going, I'll probably switch to Simplify3D. I knows it cost $$, but from the videos and tutorials I have watched, it just seems like the best solution.

One thing that I have not figured out yet is the "creation" of 3D models themselves. I know I will need to learn some type of CAD software. Since I get a lot of parts from McMaster-Carr I do know that there website provides a lot of the CAD drawings for parts. I have downloaded a few simple parts as a SolidWorks CAD file, and then imported them into the onshape.com CAD software (free version). Then I exported them to STL and loaded them into Cura. Wow! That's slick.

So, my question is this... is there any other "tips" that I should know about (like the McMaster-Carr one), or guidelines that I should review? For example, perhaps there is a filament temperature guide (UM PLA White should be at 205c, but black should be at 210c) ... Or some videos that show what common issues look like (underextrusion or indication that the hot end is too cold, ect), and how to fix them?

Thanks, and look forward to working with my UM 2+.

Roy

[Nicolinux 288]

Hi, and welcome to the forum. Congrats on the new printer, say good bye to your free time

Take a look at the Ultimaker app (for Android and iOS). There are many tutorials and it is pretty handy, especially when you are in front of the printer and want to check something quickly.

Other than that, don't go too hardcore on preparations. There are lots of variables that can change and if you try to tackle too many topics at once, you might confuse yourself too much.

[RoySalisbury 0]

Take a look at the Ultimaker app (for Android and iOS). There are many tutorials and it is pretty handy,

OK.. I'll make sure I have that available.

 

Other than that, don't go too hardcore on preparations.

Good advice .. I like being prepared, but don't want to over do it (considering I don't even have the printer yet).

Thanks!

[Nicolinux 288]

Oh and have pliers and paper tissues ready. Filament will ooze and you don't want to grab it with your fingers (yet). Keep the nozzle clean - when a print is finished, I always wipe the nozzle with a tissue as long as it is hot (mostly without burning myself ).

If you want to create enclosures for your projects, you should design them 0.1mm larger than measured. Sometimes you'd still have to file down some rough parts, but the Ultimaker 2 is one of the most precise consumer printers, so that should be rarely needed.

Don't print with too much infill. If you need stability increase the number of shells (like 1.2mm which means three times the 0.4mm nozzle size) instead of going to 50% infill.

[ultiarjan 1,223]

And you may want to keep those simplify3d $$ in your pocket for now. There will be a new cura version soon. Unless you have very specific needs cura will probably be all you need.

[RoySalisbury 0]

And you may want to keep those simplify3d $$ in your pocket for now. There will be a new cura version soon. Unless you have very specific needs cura will probably be all you need.

 

For now I will be using Cura (don't want to get to confused by all the options in S3D). But from what I can tell from the reviews and videos, it just has better control over the slicing and temperatures (per layer in some cases). But I will be starting with Cura.

[RoySalisbury 0]

Oh and have pliers and paper tissues ready. Filament will ooze and you don't want to grab it with your fingers (yet). Keep the nozzle clean - when a print is finished, I always wipe the nozzle with a tissue as long as it is hot (mostly without burning myself ).

Check! I have these from my electronic work (I'm used to burning myself ever now and then with a soldering iron).

 

If you want to create enclosures for your projects, you should design them 0.1mm larger than measured. Sometimes you'd still have to file down some rough parts, but the Ultimaker 2 is one of the most precise consumer printers, so that should be rarely needed.

That was one thing that I was going to have to figure out. I see the PLA does nto shrink as much as ABS, but there was still some.

 

Don't print with too much infill. If you need stability increase the number of shells (like 1.2mm which means three times the 0.4mm nozzle size) instead of going to 50% infill.

 

Good tip. I have seen the videos and software settings and was not sure if infill was better then a more solid shell. I guess there is a point when one is better then the other.

What about the nozzle's that come with the UM2+ ? I know the 0.4 is installed by default. When is using one better then the other? Say, the 0.25 vs the 0.4. I know the tech specs talk about speed and layer size, but if I used a speed and layer size that was compatible with both, then what would work better? Or as with all things, it just depends on two many factors for a general answer?

Roy

[Nicolinux 288]

Regarding nozzles - it depends

With bigger nozzles you can print faster. And you can't take the nozzle size as an indicator of the possible print size. For example, you shouldn't print 0.4mm layers with a 0.4mm nozzle. I don't have an exact formula for this, I do it by instinct. On the other side of the spectrum, you can go pretty low with the layer size, even with a 0.4 nozzle, but you have to take into account that the extruded filament does not only have a height (layer height), but also a width. With smaller nozzles you can print finer features in x/y direction but prints will take forever.

Bigger nozzles are great for functional parts which are part of an assembly. They don't need to be pretty and you can print them fast. Also do try printing vases with the "spiralize" option and a 0.8 nozzle - this is way too cool

Whatever you do, keep in mind that the feeder can push only so much filament. You can calculate the extruded filament volume: nozzle_size x layer_height x printing_speed (0.8mm * 0.2mm * 100mm/s = 16mm/s^3 - which I'd say is the max the feeder should do without problems).

[RoySalisbury 0]

Regarding nozzles - it depends

With bigger nozzles you can print faster. And you can't take the nozzle size as an indicator of the possible print size. For example, you shouldn't print 0.4mm layers with a 0.4mm nozzle. I don't have an exact formula for this, I do it by instinct. On the other side of the spectrum, you can go pretty low with the layer size, even with a 0.4 nozzle, but you have to take into account that the extruded filament does not only have a height (layer height), but also a width. With smaller nozzles you can print finer features in x/y direction but prints will take forever.

 

Ok.. So a large bolt with course threads would be good at 0.4, but a small bolt with very fine threads it might be better with 0.25 .. even if the layers are .2mm .. I can see that.

 

Whatever you do, keep in mind that the feeder can push only so much filament. You can calculate the extruded filament volume: nozzle_size x layer_height x printing_speed (0.8mm * 0.2mm  * 100mm/s = 16mm/s^3 - which I'd say is the max the feeder should do without problems).

 

For now I don't really plan on trying to "push the limits" with speed, angles or overhangs. So even its its slow, I'm ok with that. I'd rather stick with the things that don't cause issues just so I can get the basics understood. Having said that, I'm sure I will try a print or 2 just to see what it can do and what settings have different effects.

Roy