Recommend me acessories for UM2+ ext

[RAMONESMO 0]

Hello everyone,

I am planning to buy new UM2+ extended for my Faculty, and I would like if you can recommend me some additional useful equipment (parts, maintenence kit, filaments and etc.)

It would be used by assistants and students so I also need a recommendation for filament materials.

Thank you in advance

[LePaul 331]

For equipment...a Battery Backup (UPS). In the event the power blips, your print isn't trashed.

I like ColorFabb filaments for their consistent good quality.

[fbrc8-erin 298]

Depending on what material you plan to print with, you may want a door (I recommend it for ABS or anything with a high bed temperature or shrinkage rate). There's an official one in the advanced printing kit, or a lot of DIY design options available on YouMagine, depending on what tools you have.

[geert_2 558]

What I would recommend: have everyone who will use the printer study the main aspects first:

- How the technology works.

- User manual.

- Troubleshooting and maintenance manuals on Ultimaker site and 3dverkstan site.

- How to get good bonding of the model to the glass plate (very important, so the models don't come off and damage the print head with molten filament spaghetti).

- How to load/unload filament in a safe way.

- How to do atomic pulls in case of blockings.

- To not let filament sit in the nozzle when heated, so it doesn't burn and clog the nozzle.

- etc...

And implement a good polici on how to use, maintain, and report about any issues.

The correct use of the printer will be more important for good quality and for printer-life than accessories, I think.

[Job_van_gennip 23]

I would recommend some sort of glue spray to improve bed adhesion. Oil for sewing machines for the maintenance of the axis. Some small pliers and small files, maybe a stanley knife. And definitely some sort of filling knife to get your prints of.

But as geert already mentioned learning how the machine works will be the most important

Edited June 21, 2017 by Guest

[SandervG 1,521]

Depending on safety regulations and what materials you will print with, you can consider an enclosure that helps with ventilation, if the room is not ventilated by itself. Depending the materials you want to print with, a nozzle (like a ruby nozzle) that can handle abrasive materials (like bronzefil) could also be worth considering.

As for materials, of course I would recommend to use Ultimaker filaments You have room to use third party filaments as well, but make sure that if you do, they fall within the 2.85mm category (or 3mm as sometimes advertised) and be aware that cheap is not always good (usually it isn't).

[BrayChristopher 36]

Start with Ultimaker brand filament. Once you have everyday success with that, then branch out to other filaments. You want to reduce the number of variables.

Get a small desk fan. I point this at the bed after prints are done to cool them down faster. Then they pop of them glass. Be patient. If you are wrestling prints off the bed all the time, then you will be spending a lot of time re-leveling the build plate. Be patient.

I print on glass with some glue stick. That's it.

We have our printer set up on a rolling cart. On of the heavy duty plastic ones. You might want to use a wire rack shelf/cart instead. This will let the under side of the printer breathe easier.

https://ultimaker.com/en/community/26114-dramatic-layer-shifts?page=2&sort=#reply-164290

https://www.youmagine.com/designs/ultimaker-2-extended-enclosure

Get some extra PTFE couplers.

[JamesBarr 0]

I am selling dust covers to keep the 2+ clean, tidy and keep the spool reel covered so it doesn't pull dust through the tube into the hot end.

James@jamesbarrdesign.co.uk

[jonatanrullman 17]

I second the door. Recently upgraded my two UM2s with a door and its very nice. I can finally print ABS and it blocks out quite a bit of noise as well.

I purchased from a guy called Cristoph in Germany. His ebay account is shopfablab. You can search for Fronttür Ultimaker 2 und 2+.

He doesn't officially sell extended doors but since it is just a 100mm taller version of the small he did one specially for me. I'm sure he could do it again if you messaged him and asked.

Very nice price (about €20 for a the regular door with shipping) and the quality was superb.

Since I use different bed adhesives depending on the project I am considering buying another glass bed to be able to switch easily. I most often use blue tape but also glue stick and on rare occasions hairspray.

Hairspray doesn't hold very well but gives a very nice finish. Glue stick holds quite well and it is easy to remove the print but I find that the surface is very uneven. Tape holds incredibly well but is very hard to remove the prints from and easy to damage so that is best for small pieces with difficult first layers or a small footprint. There are also other methods. I would suggest you get a couple of different adhesives and try them out.

For filament I almost exclusively use Torwell and have done so for the last three or four years. If you can get hold of them is another matter.

I would suggest you buy name brand filament and if possible stick to one manufacturer per type (pla, abs and so on). This is due to color matching and because different manufacturers plastics can behave slightly different. So it is easier to stick to one and learn what temperatures it likes and so on. Though settings can differ somewhat between different colours within one manufacturer as well of course. This is btw not something that is exclusive to 3d printing. My best friend works with injections moulding and even though they mostly use one color of plastic and add colouring in a mixing hopper in the machine they need to calibrate it for different colours as they can behave slightly different.

Anyway. If you buy torwell, colorfabb, ultimaker of whatever doesn't really matter. Get the one that has a good reputation as well as good price and availability for you.

Cheers