Matterhacker Pro Series PETG

[LePaul 314]

Is anyone else using Matterhacker Pro Series PETG?

 

I am still trying to dial it in.

 

I started with the CPE Profile included on the Ultimaker 2+ (LCD Menu, Material setting).

 

I am also using the CPE profile in Cura 3.5.1

 

Like most PETG materials, I am trying to battle stringing.

 

I have lowered the temperature to as low as 235 (started at 245), increased the Retraction Speed to 45 mm/sec and also increased the Retraction Distance all the way up to 11 mm/sec

 

Apparently I have a ways to go!  

 

[geert_2 556]

I usually print PET (ICE brand) on my UM2 at ca. 220 to 225°C, and slow: 25...30mm/s. This gives very little stringing, but it does give some sort of blobs. While traveling through the air, the nozzle leaks a little bit, and that blob is deposited on the next item the nozzle lands on. If new blobs are deposited on older blobs from previous layers, this can cause a sort of "insect antenna" like features extending from the side of objects.

 

Layer bonding is still good, due to the slow speed, so the material seems to have enough time to flow into all corners and to melt the previous layer.

 

I don't know if this applies to your PETG too, but it might be worth trying?

 

[LePaul 314]

I appreciate any advice people can offer  ?

 

I print at 35 mm/s

 

Their advice page is somewhat useful, they do mention the blobs you encountered

https://www.matterhackers.com/news/how-to-succeed-when-printing-with-petg-filament

 

[kmanstudios 1,120]

I usually start with the Nylon preset. It has been a while but I will see if I can post something at a later time once I dig it up.

[LePaul 314]

Thanks!  I appreciate the assistance

 

 

[geert_2 556]

Forgot to say: I print PET on bare glass, bed temp around 80...90°C. And little or no cooling fan if the model allows it, which also helps with layer bonding. I tried using dilluted wood glue too for bonding to the glass, but that was too good: it took out slices of glass while cooling down, even before I started pulling the model off the glass...

 

The major problem I have when printing PET is that it is difficult to fill top gaps, thus to make a roof on a hollow model. Due to the fact that while extruding over air it rather tends to form blobs on the nozzle instead of stringing, it doesn't pull a nice string over a gap. So it takes way more top layers to close a roof, than for PLA. This may be a result of printing at the cool side, and no fan? But since most of my models are rather thin and solid anyway (see pic), this doesn't really matter for me.

 

If you need to bridge gaps and make roofs, you may need more cooling, and you may need to increase temp to compensate for the heat loss, to still get a good layer bonding?

 

 

[LePaul 314]

I'm printing on the glass heat bed with a coating of extra hold hairspray.  Prints come off easily once cooled 

 

[kmanstudios 1,120]

I just set up a file I will print. If it responds as the last time I printed MH Pro PETG I will post the project file so you can see everything. This should finish printing by tomorrow morning if all goes well.

[LePaul 314]

Thank you...and if you could, post some of the essentials (temps, retraction, etc) in here...so if anyone searches for solutions in the future, the search engine will lead them here  ?

[kmanstudios 1,120]

If they load the project files, they can find everything. You do not even have to have the same printer. But it is the easiest way to go through everything to see what would work for their specific printer(s).

[kmanstudios 1,120]

OK, print has begun and is starting out well. Only a few layers down, but so far, ok.....Should be ready for mass consumption by tomorrow morning Brooklyn time.

[kmanstudios 1,120]

Well, had a mishap with the print. Two of the parts came loose on the buildplate. My mistake. So, I am going to put the project file here without a pic. Pic will come later when the prints do not come loose. I should have not been too quick on the buildplate prep and done my usual thorough cleaning and such.

 

So, here it is:

UM3E_SubEngines_PETG-0.4Noz_0.1Lay.curaproject.3mf

 

Things to note:

Even though you can open the file with any cura version, and does not require the UM3E to be an installed printer, make sure you go into preferences and check to show all settings. Though I did not change much, it will give you full access to the settings for verification.

 

Also, some people use nylon as a starting point, some use CPE, all that really makes a difference on are the temps used to load the material and move the material. All settings you change in Cura will override those at print time anyway....well, depending on machine you are using. But I trust you know your machine well anyway.

 

This model does not use supports and does not use any second extruder.

 

I also increased the brim size for my machine after it came loose early this morning and started to bang around and create issues with the print.

 

And, yes, this is how I label all my prints so I have all pertinent info in the file name.

[Smithy 1,141]

1 hour ago, kmanstudios said:

Two of the parts came loose on the buildplate.

 

I always fight with PETG (Colorfabb XT) and bed adhesion. Often blue tape helps, but my last prints (very small filament clips) also came off twice. So I will try now 3DLac and Dimafix, I have ordered.

[kmanstudios 1,120]

This is the first time I have had a problem with PETG sticking. And, I am at fault here as I did not do my complete cleaning and PVA routine.

[LePaul 314]

Thanks for this....I am taking a look at it in Cura and see you are doing your initial layer at 240, then 235.  

I also noticed your bed temp is a lot cooler, at 60C, than what I use (80C)

 

8 mm retraction with the default 25 mm speed.   Given you are using a UM3, I wonder if those values mesh with the UM2+ ? 

 

This is fun to view, since I loose all the temperature values when I use the CPE Profile with the gcode set to Ultimaker 2.  That's all handled via the Materials.txt / LCD Menu - profile setting on the machine.

 

[kmanstudios 1,120]

This is why I provided the project file. I am not familiar with the other printers out there and how they operate. The temps I set are the base temps and things such as the first layer temps are what the built in maths set.

 

The only time I have had adhesion issues is when I fail to follow my own procedures on glass cleaning and setting up my surface.

 

Clean the crap out of it until fingers squeak. This means glass and fingers are both cleaned and will not be contaminated by handling.

 

Alcohol rubdown to remove any final contaminants. But, then again, this should be fine by the above issues.

 

Then a thin layer of PVA slurry with a touch of alcohol to cut down on surface tension.

 

I failed to do that full process on the last one and, well, dummy me.....duhhhhh......

[LePaul 314]

Ha ha.... no problem.

 

I've become a convert to the PVA Aqua-Net Extra Hold hair spray method.  Every few weeks I take the glass out, treat it to a very soapy hot water bath and scrubbing...then back.  

 

I also enjoy the purchasing of the hairspray...as I am bald, the cashier's facial expression at my purchase is always enjoyable.

 

I inquired with Matterhackers for some tips...

[kmanstudios 1,120]

1 minute ago, LePaul said:

I also enjoy the purchasing of the hairspray...as I am bald, the cashier's facial expression at my purchase is always enjoyable.

?

 

2 minutes ago, LePaul said:

I inquired with Matterhackers for some tips...

I hope you get good info. I noticed they had the CC 0.6 core listed as compatible with the UM3 series, but that is up for debate and they have not clarified yet, even though I asked about this on their preorder page.

[LePaul 314]

I'll share what they reply with.

 

I worry about layer adhesion printing too cool...but maybe it should go lower, below their suggested printing range.

 

 

[kmanstudios 1,120]

All I know is that the settings I shared worked for me if I clean the glass properly.

[kmanstudios 1,120]

Here is the printed model from the project file I posted.

[gr5 2,071]

Be very careful with PVA and CPE/PET/PETG/CPE+ as that combination can tear out chunks of glass because it sticks too well.  The safest solution is probably to use the glue stick so the layer of PVA is very thick.  Or use no glue at all.  using an extremely thin layer of pva can put some little holes in your glass (typically the size of a grain of rice but sometimes 10mm across).