Ultimaker S5 | impressions & opinions

[Dim3nsioneer 557]

22 hours ago, SandervG said:

Did you/anyone manually delete any prints from your queue in between, or was there no manual intervention between having a full history - update - empty print history?

 

No manual intervention between having a full history - update - empty print history.

[Smithy 1,144]

21 hours ago, Shadowman said:

I have deal with spool wrap jams but not an out of filament situation so I await your results.

 

Sorry guys, not live update from my side, the filament on the spool was enough for the print.

[Shadowman 53]

13 minutes ago, Smithy said:

 

Sorry guys, not live update from my side, the filament on the spool was enough for the print.

Thanks for the update 

[LonRobinson3 0]

22 hours ago, kmanstudios said:

I stopped using the prime towewr ages ago.

Do you do something to replace the prime tower, or just run without one. I have printed using PVA and running in 2 colors, but I thought the prime tower was basically required when switching heads.

[gr5 2,167]

UM seems to recommend no prime tower.  It works pretty well without it.  I personally like the prime tower for most prints with pva but I know many who get great results without it.  The biggest problem is it might fall over.  So if it's a print taller than 5cm make the tower bigger and also move it away from the corner (where parts don't stick so well because the glass tends to bend down - not a problem on S5 with multi-point leveling).

 

[kmanstudios 1,120]

10 minutes ago, LonRobinson3 said:

Do you do something to replace the prime tower, or just run without one. I have printed using PVA and running in 2 colors, but I thought the prime tower was basically required when switching heads.

It is not required.

 

I just found it be a huge waste of time and materials when I used it. They did make a lot of changes about the time I stopped using it with the start print temp and end print temp and a few other things.

 

Oddly, when I stopped using it, I stopped getting strings of PVA stuck inside my other material. Probably because it was at temp and oozing when using the priming tower whilst traveling from tower to model.

[Shadowman 53]

12 minutes ago, kmanstudios said:

It is not required.

 

I just found it be a huge waste of time and materials when I used it. They did make a lot of changes about the time I stopped using it with the start print temp and end print temp and a few other things.

 

Oddly, when I stopped using it, I stopped getting strings of PVA stuck inside my other material. Probably because it was at temp and oozing when using the priming tower whilst traveling from tower to model.

Interesting 

 

I am in the midst of a long print using Ultimaker Breakaway filament  for the first time. Speaking of which; the print failed several hours in because there was a raft and the PLA would not stick to it. The PLA simply curled and lifted. I cleaned the build plate, changed it to brim and 12 hours later it seems to be doing fine.

 

Lesson learned......... “Breakaway can’t be used for raft”.

 

I will try the next print which has much PVA being used without a Prime Tower and see how it does. I always understood that using the Prime Tower purged and cleaned the Print Core making it ready for the next layer; I was told to do this by the Ultimaker support team on day one.

 

Thank you  

[kmanstudios 1,120]

53 minutes ago, Shadowman said:

using the Prime Tower purged and cleaned the Print Core making it ready for the next layer;

This would be something I am not familiar with

 

[Bigbrit 8]

It was also my understanding that you should use a prime tower.  I think Cura has it set to on by default.  Again shows the lack of literature on how you are supposed to use this printer and software.

 

As for materials running out during a print it has happened to me.  You just navigate to the materials section and tell it to change materials, it will unload the bit that's left and then you reload the new one and you carry on.  I really wouldn't suggest trying to push the material in behind the old one as the retraction would be a problem

[kmanstudios 1,120]

1 hour ago, Bigbrit said:

 I really wouldn't suggest trying to push the material in behind the old one as the retraction would be a problem

It is. I tried. It failed. I just recycle the bits for a few things. PVA for slurry. Other materials for cleaning out the nozzles.

[Shadowman 53]

Good information 

[neuronex 2]

Any chance of an update that allows manual heating of buildplate?

[Dim3nsioneer 557]

You can do that already: tap on the build plate in the configuration overview and then tap on the three dots in the upper right corner. This opens a menu from which you can select "set temperature".

[Brulti 177]

I tended to use prime tower every time I used two filaments, be it PLA + PVA or just two colors, then I progressively tried without it and I realized that it works as well, perhaps even better, without the prime tower. Settings for UM-brand filaments are quite good. I recently finished printing a sculpture for a customer that required quite a bit of PVA, and there was nearly no problem with the PVA: no strands, no mixing with the PLA, etc, while I would have more when using the prime tower. Plus it takes less material and less time, the sculpt was thin but tall (about 20cm).

 

That being said, the new prime tower that consists of basically two towers nested into each other, one per material, should help with the problem of towers falling that was caused mostly by the two materials (like PVA and PLA) not sticking together well as they're not really meant to be used on alternating layers.

[Bigbrit 8]

58 minutes ago, Brulti said:

I tended to use prime tower every time I used two filaments, be it PLA + PVA or just two colors, then I progressively tried without it and I realized that it works as well, perhaps even better, without the prime tower. Settings for UM-brand filaments are quite good. I recently finished printing a sculpture for a customer that required quite a bit of PVA, and there was nearly no problem with the PVA: no strands, no mixing with the PLA, etc, while I would have more when using the prime tower. Plus it takes less material and less time, the sculpt was thin but tall (about 20cm).

 

That being said, the new prime tower that consists of basically two towers nested into each other, one per material, should help with the problem of towers falling that was caused mostly by the two materials (like PVA and PLA) not sticking together well as they're not really meant to be used on alternating layers.

 

Have you had success with PVA and PLA? I had issues as the PLA will not stick to PVA

[Brulti 177]

1 hour ago, Bigbrit said:

 

Have you had success with PVA and PLA? I had issues as the PLA will not stick to PVA

 

I haven't had any problems, PVA sticks to PLA with no trouble at all.

[Shadowman 53]

2 hours ago, Brulti said:

I tended to use prime tower every time I used two filaments, be it PLA + PVA or just two colors, then I progressively tried without it and I realized that it works as well, perhaps even better, without the prime tower. Settings for UM-brand filaments are quite good. I recently finished printing a sculpture for a customer that required quite a bit of PVA, and there was nearly no problem with the PVA: no strands, no mixing with the PLA, etc, while I would have more when using the prime tower. Plus it takes less material and less time, the sculpt was thin but tall (about 20cm).

 

That being said, the new prime tower that consists of basically two towers nested into each other, one per material, should help with the problem of towers falling that was caused mostly by the two materials (like PVA and PLA) not sticking together well as they're not really meant to be used on alternating layers.

Well, once the new Ultimaker Cura deplyment is stable I look forward to the new Prime Tower design as I had another Prime Tower last night fail 48 hours into the print and as the result I have Breakaway filament intermixed with the print.

 

Ugh

[Brulti 177]

I believe 3.4 had the circular prime tower, which already helps with stability. You can make it thicker, like 3 or 4 mm thick instead of the default thickness and also move it away from the corner and into the middle of a side, so it sticks better.

[Shadowman 53]

1 hour ago, Brulti said:

I believe 3.4 had the circular prime tower, which already helps with stability. You can make it thicker, like 3 or 4 mm thick instead of the default thickness and also move it away from the corner and into the middle of a side, so it sticks better.

Yes it does however, I was not aware that I could modify it; I will try this as a stop gap measure; thank you.

[Brulti 177]

9 minutes ago, Shadowman said:

Yes it does however, I was not aware that I could modify it; I will try this as a stop gap measure; thank you.

 

You can modify nearly everything through CURA. Just make sure to go to the Preferences -> Configure CURA Then select the 'Settings' tab in the pop-up window and check the 'Check all' box. It will reveal all the settings and menus available, you will find that you have about absolute control on nearly every parameters of the printer.

[Smithy 1,144]

You could also try it without the prime tower, I have printed my break away supported model without a tower and it comes out great.

[Shadowman 53]

Thank you both

 

As stated previously; this was my first use of Ultimaker Breakaway filament and it was a mixed experience thus far.

 

The first print failed after 7 plus hours because the PLA filament did not adhere to it as such the PLA curled and lifted. Then about 40 hours in on the second attempt the Breakaway filament on the spool bound up causing an out of filament stop and then 48 hours into the print the Prime Tower failed allowing Breakaway filament to be embedded within the PLA layers.

 

An interesting few days..........

[Smithy 1,144]

Sorry to hear...

It is always hard when such things happen after several hours and the print finally fails.

[Shadowman 53]

9 minutes ago, Smithy said:

Sorry to hear...

It is always hard when such things happen after several hours and the print finally fails.

Certainly a bummer however, being my first use with Ultimaker Breakaway filament I was prepared to get to know it.

 

I considered doing a smaller test print however, decided to dive in blindly head first.

 

The next one will be much better.

 

Thank you for your comments.

[RudydG 62]

I was planning buying an S5, but in the end, i don't think the price for me is justified. After reading a lot here, and seeing one in action.

-Build volume is bigger, but i also have an old 300x300x200 transformed Leapfrog with Duet wifi and UM3 cores.

-Speed is not better than UM3, could even be worse, XY gantry is beefed up, more mass is less speed. (learned this when i bought my first UM2)

-Filament detection is nice, but in most cases one can "look ahead".

-External size is huge, surely compared to the elegant UM3

-No led off function, i know for most people no problem, but for me at this price range...

So probably an UM3 with some goodies (front door, some extra cores) will be the better choice.

Am i thinking right?