Adding 1.0mm nozzle to Cura 3

[kevin-osborn 9]

 

It used to be you could just type in the Nozzle width. I think in an attempt to save us from ourselves, (and show only supported Ultimaker products) the interface only shows up to .8mm nozzle.

 

I searched around in this forum and  I managed to get a print out by settting the "line width" in cura.

 

I grepped around and found a bunch of files in:

/Applications/Ultimaker Cura.app/Contents/Resources/resources/variants

 

 Note: this is on the Mac, other platforms, YMMV....

 

and copied one of them and edited to add 1.0mm nozzle size

It shows up in cura.

From various forum readings, the setting

machine_nozzle_tip_outer_diameter

is used to determine the "squished"line width"

I measured (as best I could) the tip outer diameter (this is the flat "ring" around the hole)

Create a file for the printer you want to change (In my case UM2)

I copied one of the other files and used the naming convention to follow:
ultimaker2_1.0.inst.cfg

[general]
name = 1.0 mm
version = 2
definition = ultimaker2

[metadata]
author = Ultimaker
type = variant
setting_version = 4

[values]
machine_nozzle_size = 1.0
machine_nozzle_tip_outer_diameter = 1.40

 

[gr5 2,071]

It's my "neighbor", Kevin!  Hi there!

 

I don't think Cura does anything with the "outer diameter" yet.  not sure.

 

The old cura (versions 14.X and 15.X) indeed had a nozzle diameter but it was a confusing feature because if you told cura you had a 0.45mm nozzle but set the shell width to 0.8mm it would ignore your 0.45mm and set it's internal line width to 0.4mm.  At least now you can set the line width directly.  I feel that is an improvement.  I had to tell people thousands of times on the forum to set the shell width to an integral of the nozzle width or cura would override your settings to suit it's needs.

 

So really the only thing you need to set is all the various "line width" settings in cura 2.X and 3.X.  No need to create your own custom profile.

 

However if you want a 3dsolex core to show up as "AA 1.0" or "HC 1.0" and want to create profiles to auto load your settings - I can help you with that.  I already have software that does most of the work to do that.  You could just make a small change and it will create all the profiles for an alternate UM3 core in seconds.

[kevin-osborn 9]

Cool. I was just pleased to get such fast print times. A part that used to take 30 min at .15mm layers now takes 8 min with .5mm layers and 1mm lines.

As you said, I had to make sure the walls in my design were a multiple of the nozzle width (plus a little for some reason when the multiple was 1).

When I set the walls to be exactly 1mm in my design, I got gaps in the perimeter (in layer view, hence actual gaps in code) especially on circular features.

Probably some sort of roundoff error. made the shell width 1.1mm and all is well. (though it may be going over some lines twice.)

[Bossler 8]

On 22.1.2018 at 8:15 PM, gr5 said:

However if you want a 3dsolex core to show up as "AA 1.0" or "HC 1.0" and want to create profiles to auto load your settings - I can help you with that.  I already have software that does most of the work to do that.  You could just make a small change and it will create all the profiles for an alternate UM3 core in seconds.

 

As I am already considering the 3DSolex cores - if and when I finally get the UM3e - I'd be interested in learning more about the sw you mentioned.

Is that some self-made tool?

[gr5 2,071]

Core's come with a tiny eeprom and are labeled typically "AA 0.4".  3dsolex cores usually are also labeled "AA 0.4" for convenience.  The older 3dsolex cores were labeled "HardCore".

 

This caused some consternation with the printer firmware and also with cura if cura is reading your printer over the network.  It was pretty minor (just hit "ignore" a few times) up until Ultimaker updated how they allow you to print over the network.  The latest version of cura refuses to let you print over the network if the core name doesn't match what you sliced.

 

3dsolex and I created an "installer" that creates about 80 files in the %appdata%/cura folder.  I put installer in quotes because it doesn't contain any files like a normal installer would.  Instead it's a script that copies the files from your existing cura installation into the %appdata% and then modifies where they say "AA 0.4" to instead say "HardCore".  This installer isn't needed for newer customers.

 

Why 80 files?  Well there are about 10 different materials (abs, cpe, pla, nylon, pva, PP, ...) and about 4 different quality levels for each one.  Each combination (that's 40 so far) requires a different file.  There are 3 types of files (e.g. material files).  Some files say if things are compatible.  Other files say what temperature to print at.  It's a big mess.  It's pretty cool how UM did it but it ends up being a LOT of files for just one core.

 

Anyway - please don't worry about any of this.  When you get a hardcore and use it everything is soooo simple.  It's really no big deal.  Just set the "line width" to your nozzle size.  It's a single parameter in cura - it's the only thing you must change.  As you get more advanced you will also probably change the nozzle temperature as everyone finds a temperature they prefer and different nozzles perform slightly differently.

[Bossler 8]

Thanks, gr5.

 

So despite the advantage that I can change the nozzle size of the print core -

what other advantages do the Solex printcores offer?

[kmanstudios 1,120]

Buying a new, much cheaper nozzle instead of a whole core when it gets old and cruddy. The brass nozzles and steel nozzles are what I am referring to.

[Bossler 8]

Well, certainly, that's the advantage of being able to change nozzles.

 

Any experience regarding print quality/reliability/ease of use of the Solex3D-Printcores?

Are they comparable with the original ones or do even have advantages here?

[Bossler 8]

On 24.1.2018 at 5:30 PM, gr5 said:

Just set the "line width" to your nozzle size.

 

So when using a Solex3D PrintCore with say a 1 mm nozzle I would set Line Width (under "Quality") to 1 mm and that's it?

 

And no influence of the "Print core" selection in Cura (e.g. leave that at AA 0.4)?

[kmanstudios 1,120]

I am still trying to suss out a few things when it comes to my personal cores as I had issues with the nozzles and trying to print metal filled filaments. I am still trying to figure that out. And, the Solex folks were quite responsive and are actually waiting for me to catch up.

 

But, when I tested it using regular filaments, worked as advertised and had no issues. But the ability to change nozzles is a plus for me.

[kmanstudios 1,120]

1 minute ago, Bossler said:

 

So when using a Solex3D PrintCore with say a 1 mm nozzle I would set Line Width (under "Quality") to 1 mm and that's it?

 

And no influence of the "Print core" selection in Cura (e.g. leave that at AA 0.4)?

I would tell it to be an AA 0.8. That way you are as close as possible to the starting point. You should know that I have pushed my 0.4 nozzles from 0.26 to 0.64 line widths. Why? Just 'cuz I wanted to find out how it would work. Seemed to be good as I got thicker walls when I needed them and thinner details when I needed them. The Cura algorithms are quite good at 'knowing' the appropriate relationships to adjust and allowing you to mod them for your environment and filament choices.

[Bossler 8]

I wonder, how that works, kman.

If you have a 0.4 mm nozzle and say it's 0.26, wouldn't that lead to a massive overlap of lines?

And teh other way around I would suspect bad to no adhesion between the lines in the horizontal direction?

[kmanstudios 1,120]

It has worked for me. I cannot explain it. I just punch buttons to see what happens. So far, no issues that I can see. I do know it gives an advantage to details. And, the kicker is that I ahve the 3D Solex with a 0.25 core. So much to just experiment on and learn. And, that is what I have been doing for the last year. I am still soaking this piece to get the PVA out of the fine cavities, but you can see that I got decent resolution on the buttons on the 'keyboard.' 0,4 nozzle, 0.28mm on line width and 0.1mm layer height. The model itself is this one:

 

Here is a closeup of the control keyboard I just took. It is with a standard kitchen match for size comparison. Sorry for the bad pics as I was holding while taking the pics. Also, the PLA it is printed with kinda does not really show detail all that well at this level. But the layer lines are 0.1mm and the buttons would not slice until I shrunk the line width to 0.28. I have to find a print that I did at 0.26 line width. It may be in the queue at the moment too. Even picked up the ring on the 'scope' mounted on the panel. It is so fine of detail, I am wondering if the painting will be thicker than the details and wipe it out.

 

Edit: I just checked, a 0.26mm line width will come off tomorrow morning. It is another part of the same concept of this piece. I will post it when it is de-PVA'd.

Edited February 7, 2018 by kmanstudios

[kevin-osborn 9]

My one negative on the Solex is the fit isn't perfect. It clicks right in, but the fan shroud won't stay closed. I ended up adding two small disk magnets to the end of the existing fan shroud magnets, and that works fine.

 

I was sold on the Solex for two reasons, both nozzle related:

1. Much cheaper than extra cores for the occasional nozzle size swap. I'm mostly interested (today anyway) with printing big layers, faster. And as @kmanstudios says, nozzles do get cruddy and it's good to replace them now an then.

2. Filled filaments. Carbon fiber, metal filled, etc. Notoriously hard on nozzles. There are new sapphire/ruby nozzles and cheaper hardened steel that last longer. I figure I can go through a lot of steel nozzles or a few sapphire before having to replace a whole core.

 

BTW, don't use a blow torch to clean a nozzle with bronzefill filament. It works great for regular PLA, but I ended up sintering the bronze in the nozzle. But hey, it was just a nozzle! < $20 to replace.

[gr5 2,071]

4 hours ago, kevin-osborn said:

but I ended up sintering the bronze in the nozzle.

 

Lol - it must have gotten red hot.  I use a gas flame to clean out my nozzles - on a gas stove.  I always put a drop of water on whatever it is I'm heating up (hardcore block, olson block, block v3, nozzle, whatever).  I count how many seconds it takes to heat enough for the water to sizzle away.  Then I add another 1/2 to whole amount of seconds again.  For example it might take 8 seconds to heat a nozzle so after done sizzling I heat for another 4 to 8 additional seconds.

 

For an olsson block it might be 20 seconds so I add another 10 to 20 seconds.

 

At this point I figure it's probably around 150C and ready for me to clean it out or unthread something or remove some pla or whatever.

 

[gr5 2,071]

6 hours ago, Bossler said:

If you have a 0.4 mm nozzle and say it's 0.26, wouldn't that lead to a massive overlap of lines?

And teh other way around I would suspect bad to no adhesion between the lines in the horizontal direction?

Yes - the infill and wall lines would be .26mm apart but the amount of filament going through the feeder and out the nozzle is the exact right amount for .26mm wide lines.

Similarly for "the other way around".  That little nozzle is making fat lines - it takes a lot more pressure to do that but it works if you don't print too fast or too cold.  I've seen a .4mm nozzle make 0.8mm wide lines.  This is the default for the old cura in spiralize mode (used for cups and vases).

[gr5 2,071]

6 hours ago, Bossler said:

So when using a Solex3D PrintCore with say a 1 mm nozzle I would set Line Width (under "Quality") to 1 mm and that's it?

Yes.  You probably also have to adjust layer height and temperature.

 

The whole point of using a 1mm nozzle is for speed.  Half the speed benefits come from taller layer heights.  e.g. 0.5mm or even 1mm layer heights.

 

The other thing you might have to play with is temperature.  I found for 0.8mm 3dsolex nozzles which are "race" meaning they have dual paths to heat the filament more thoroughly, I have to print 15C cooler.  Initially I just played with this in the TUNE menu but I had to print a lot of things with that nozzle so eventually I adjusted all the temps in cura down by 15C (by my 4th print).

 

Also I had 2 UM3's at the time and I was printing 100 of the same object in the same color with the same brand pla and I had an ultimaker AA 0.8 in the left printer and a 3dsolex with 0.8mm in the right printer.  This is when I realized how much better the 3dsolex heats the filament.  At least with the 0.8mm.  I suspect the difference is smaller with the 0.4mm nozzle.  BUT THIS DEPENDS ON LAYER HEIGHT and print speed and filament and filament color.  So no matter what you do you will have to play with temperature.  Even among UM filaments - the white filament I find I have to print cooler.  So the profiles only get you so far.

 

 

[Fulv 1]

On 1/22/2018 at 7:15 PM, gr5 said:

It's my "neighbor", Kevin!  Hi there!

 

I don't think Cura does anything with the "outer diameter" yet.  not sure.

 

The old cura (versions 14.X and 15.X) indeed had a nozzle diameter but it was a confusing feature because if you told cura you had a 0.45mm nozzle but set the shell width to 0.8mm it would ignore your 0.45mm and set it's internal line width to 0.4mm.  At least now you can set the line width directly.  I feel that is an improvement.  I had to tell people thousands of times on the forum to set the shell width to an integral of the nozzle width or cura would override your settings to suit it's needs.

 

So really the only thing you need to set is all the various "line width" settings in cura 2.X and 3.X.  No need to create your own custom profile.

 

However if you want a 3dsolex core to show up as "AA 1.0" or "HC 1.0" and want to create profiles to auto load your settings - I can help you with that.  I already have software that does most of the work to do that.  You could just make a small change and it will create all the profiles for an alternate UM3 core in seconds.

Hello, sorry I am new to this

I wonder if you could help me please.

I have recently bought a 3d Solex print core (set of 4).

I am using CURA on an Ultimaker 3 printer and I don't know how to change the Print core size. The drop down menu doesn't give me the choice I am after.

I would like to change a core size to 0.6mm and having all the correct settings in CURA that work well with it.

Your help is greatly appreciate it.

Thank you in advance.

Fulvio

[kevin-osborn 9]

The answer is above in GR5's post. Short answer is (unless you got one programmed differently) just pretend it's an AA 0.4 and change the line width. Cura seems to calculate slightly less than the rated nozzle diameter for the standard cores, so YMMV.

(e.g. 0.75 for 0.80 mm nozzle)

 

[kmanstudios 1,120]

18 minutes ago, kevin-osborn said:

The answer is above in GR5's post. Short answer is (unless you got one programmed differently) just pretend it's an AA 0.4 and change the line width. Cura seems to calculate slightly less than the rated nozzle diameter for the standard cores, so YMMV.

(e.g. 0.75 for 0.80 mm nozzle)

 

Or get closer to the functionality of the full software and load it into the slicer as an AA 0.8 nozzle. Then all preset temps and extrusion rates are calculated closer to the actual nozzle use.