Orb Polymer - anyone try it?

[skinny-kid 65]

I was wondering if anyone has had any experience using Orb Polymer's PLA? They are a newer company based in Texas, USA and they offer a range of colors in PLA at a very reasonable price.

They had no tech detail about dimensional tolerance of their 3.00 mm filament and so I contacted them.

This is the reply I got:

"Orb Polymer 3.00mm ABS/PLA 3D filament, is extruded at 2.93mm, range would be 2.88 to 2.98mm which will run on most Ultimaker 2 3D printers.

Orb Polymer is in the process of extruding true 2.85mm spec Range 2.80mm to 2.90mm PETG HP (High Performance) and this will be available online in a week. Initial Orb Polymer PETG HP colors Black, White and Clear."

Thanks

Orb Polymer Customer Service

Assuming the roll comes out at 2.98 mm, will it fit through the bowden tube? Seems problematic, especially with the "most Ultimakers" part of the response.

Thanks in advance

SK

Edited May 25, 2016 by Guest

[skinny-kid 65]

Anyone have input on the diameter being 2.98 at worst? As long as its under 3.00 will it get through the bowden tube?

[DidierKlein 729]

Hi,

It should be ok, i think the bowden tube is a bit larger than 3mm. Maybe you'll get more friction, and also in the Teflon isolator.

Some people are happily printing with 3mm filaments but it all depends if the diameter is constant enough. you'll maybe need to print a bit slower

[calinb 11]

3.00 mm nominal is marginal in my UMO. I installed a slightly larger diameter Bowden tube for it, after I bought two cases of the original Taulman 618, which ran 3.00 mm nominal. Taulman now produces the industry standard 2.85.

[gr5 2,265]

The UM2 bowdin ID is about 3.175mm (1/8 inch) but when filament goes through the feeder it gets squished a bit so it may start off as a 3mm circle but end up as an oval when it comes out of the feeder.  So it's really hard to say for sure.  The bowden's I sell in my store are I think 4mm ID but it can *still* get stuck in the teflon part (or at least have excessive friction).

Typically the problem is not the teflon part but the bowden. Being a bit tight in the teflon is not as serious since it isn't so long like the bowden.

So I really don't know if this ORB stuff will be okay.  Probably it will be fine.  Their *actual* tolerance is probably tighter than their published tolerance but who knows.

Edited June 9, 2016 by Guest