3D Solex as 2nd Print Core Always Prints Too Low

[randyinla 14]

I wanted to see if I could print smaller text in a 2-color print so inserted my new 3D Solex print core with the .25mm Ruby nozzle.

  

No matter how many times I tried manual leveling or ran the active leveler (have it set to run Always), When it came time for the 2nd nozzle to print, it would be about .2mm or .3mm too low, digging into the previous layer, blocking any filament from coming out.  It purges the filament correctly and prints onto the prime tower (though, the color is clearly lower than the previous color's primed print), but it's too low to print onto the actual model being printed.

 

This happened with the last & latest U3Ext firmware as well as sliced with Cura 4.0 and then 4.1.  (I like the different prime tower behavior in 4.1)

 

I thought it might be active leveling misbehaving, so I turned it off and did a few manual levelings.  I even tried lying on the last z check step of the 2nd nozzle by having it at least .7mm above the build plate when it should have been as close as the paper as the 1st nozzle.  Nothing made a difference at all in the print height.  As soon as I swapped it out and put the original AA 0.4 in place, I had perfect z height on the 2nd nozzle.  The 3D Solex top clear thumb clip broke while taking it out.  That's another issue I have to get worked out!  The guy who sent me a few extra original print core nozzzles he had, mentioned to me that his clear clip had broken as well.  Anyway...

 

In the image with the multiple prints, the first four are the 3DSolex runs where the lighter color had dug into the darker previous layer.  The last two were printed last and are using the AA 0.4.  One with text printed on top of a plain layer, one with the text cut out of the top layer and the text inset into that cutout, both done in Solidworks, not by doing anything tricky in Cura or printing on top of an already printed piece.

 

Does anyone use the 3D Solex as a 2nd nozzle and does the z height work for it?

[gr5 2,234]

There are definitely issues with older 3dsolex cores not seating well.  There have been 4 changes to the cores to fix this.  I'd like to send you a free refurbished replacement so you have a good one and so I can see if you have the latest version or not.

 

A quick work around: The problem is worse in the right slot so one solution might be to swap slots - put the 3dsolex in the left slot and push gently forward on the nozzle block until the nozzle stops descending.  If you push up on the nozzle and let go, the older 3dsolex cores don't go quite all the way down - push nozzle gently towards the rear of the printer and it goes down the rest of the way.  At this point, as long as you don't remove the 3dsolex core - it will be fine for months.

 

But if you have the latest core you don't need to do this workaround.

 

Contact me at thegr5store@gmail to get a free replacement.  Free shipping (both ways) as well.

 

 

[randyinla 14]

That's awesome, GR5!  Thank you!  I'll get on this when I get home tonight.  I pulled the clear thumb lever off of my AA 0.8 and am using that for now, even though I haven't put the Solex back into the machine yet.  

 

The thing I'm trying to model and print out is a print core holder for the side of my U3Ext.  I noticed right away the geometry is ever so slightly different on the Solex than the original print cores.  Designing a holder that would accept either was challenging and fun.  They both easily glide into place in my holder now with a snap.  The main differences seem to be that the front to back placement of the nozzle is about .5mm or so closer to the front than the originals.  The spring is strong enough to force the nozzle down and into the hole that easily fits the originals, but it was also changing the natural angle of the nozzle, tilting it back a bit.  I could see where that could catch when trying to remove them from the machine.  I enlarged the hole in my holder a little so it can accomodate both nozzles without altering their natural angle.  The other difference is that the front curve is very different.  It doesn't matter when inserting into the machine, but I wanted the sides of my holders to match the contours of each type of print core.  Had to include a cut that allows the nozzle to slide competely into my holder that is only as wide as the Solex, while allowing the original slope to still be visible when storing one of those.  Can upload a rendering later tonight that better explains.

 

Have you experienced weird z height when using the Solex in the 2nd core?  I was planning on testing it in the left location with a standard AA 0.4 in the right.  As long as the original print core's height works in the right slot, I should be able to print in a smaller font.  Do you think the Solex was somehow not moving up/down correctly in slot 2?  I thought that might be the case, but it moves up and out of the way when the other nozzle is printing.  It just moves down too far (or the bed comes up too far) when it's time for it to print.  So it didn't seem like it was catching and not moving up/down correctly.  The X/Y calibration was a tad off, +2 & -3.  I don't know if the z height is set only from the manual leveling or from the active leveling or some combination of both.

Edited June 3, 2019 by randyinla

[randyinla 14]

Here's the print core holder I'm creating.  It will screw to the back right side of the U3Ext.  The shelf is more a roof to sit above all of the print cores to help keep things from falling into the open shafts.  Figured giving it sides was better than just a flat cover so I could have an extra place to put things.  So far, my shop magnification glasses fit perfectly.  Made a drawer insert with labels for each nozzle that sits directly under where the Solex will live.  I'll upload this and my other tool holder models to YouMagine when I'm finished.  

 

I re-edited the text using 2.8mm Helvetica and am about to try re-printing the label bar with the 0.25mm Solex in the left core and a regular AA 0.4 in the right.  Crossing fingers...

Edited June 4, 2019 by randyinla