UM knocks off the prime tower

[aag 6]

Is there some specific setting in Cura that minimizes the chances that UMS5 will knock off the prime tower? This happens of course with the largest/tallest prints, which are the most expensive ones, and typically ruins the model because it gets all stringed on one side...

[Smithy 1,144]

You can make the prime tower a bit wider with the setting "Prime Tower Size", with the downside, that you need also a little bit more material.

 

But you could also try if you really need a prime tower. For some objects, very fine dual prints, it can make sense and you will get better results with a prime tower, but for most dual prints, I rarely use a prime tower and get still decent results. And you have the advantage that you don't have the risk that the knocked off prime tower fails your print job.

 

 

[aag 6]

Thank you. Are there any Cura settings that would make a prime tower redundant? Does it make sense to print the "shield" with Extruder 1 (PLA), and would that to some extent replace the need for a prime tower?

[Smithy 1,144]

I never tried the shield, so I cannot give you any advice in this direction. But if you print with PLA/PVA you don't need the prime tower in my opinion or any other replacement for it. I don't print soo much with PVA, but never used a prime tower. @kmanstudios mentioned in another thread that he also doesn't use the prime tower anymore. 

 

I guess a dual color PLA print with fine details, like text in another color, could be a reason to use a prime tower to get sharp edges of the text.

 

If you need a prime tower, then put the tower near to your object, not in the corner of the build plate, to keep the distance low between the tower and the object, to avoid stringing and also put a thin layer of glue on the place of the tower.

 

If you try the shield solution and you have a result, please let us know how it works.

[Stefania Dinea 101]

@aag I have stopped using the prime tower like 2 years ago - it is a pain in the ass and you can print without it too - why are you using it though? any special reason? 

[aag 6]

I also stopped. I see no difference. The shield seems a good thing though. Less stringing, I believe.

[PaulK 14]

I've been printing some miniatures with a 0.25 core. My last one knocked over the prime tower.... this is printed very "low and slow" to maximize detail. The default profile uses a prime tower. I notice that I think the default profile with a 0.4 nozzle doesn't (Cura 4 beta) seem to use one by default. Has anyone printed miniatures without a prime tower? (PVA is a god send for this application)

[Stefania Dinea 101]

@PaulK i print everything without a prime towers - those towers are prone to fall down no matter how you do it. I don’t do miniatures but I do print very thin rings with dubious overhangs which requier pva. If you are really concerned do it with support everywhere 😕 but that is a waste of material. Slow speeds is the best solution for high quality.

[PaulK 14]

My typical miniature print will be buried in support; printing a horse at very high quality requires serious support. But material switches still have to happen. Maybe I'll just try it.

[aag 6]

Stef, what do you exactly mean with "slow speed"? How slow for 0.4 and for 0.25 cores, respectively? With which materials? I am experimenting with a lot of settings, and I am learning by trial-and-error - but I wouldn't mind avoiding (at least some) errors...

[Stefania Dinea 101]

@aag over the years I found the printer materials work best with the printer so by that i mean ultimaker materials work wonders with ultimaker machines, also I have my own custom settings which never failed me - for each diff layer height you should recalibrate your printer also for every nozzle change same thing - recalibrate. Recently I started using the ultimaker custom profiles which I found to be very good. As another tip is that the wall thickness should be a multiple of nozzle thickness and the top bottom thickness should be a multiple of the layer height. Slow speed for me is 45 mm/s 🙂 i usually run at 100 🙂 

[aag 6]

Thanks! Very useful tips. I also use UM materials, except for Dupont Hytrel which is a fantastic elastomer, incredibly malleable.