UM Air Manager for UM S5, is it worth it?

[orangepeel 3]

Hi, I am starting a sister topic, I am interested in the UM Air Handler/Manager for the UM-S5, I haven't seen a lot of discussion about it.  Is it worth the expense?  I am mostly interested in raising/keeping a steady temperature in the print chamber.  I have not seen a lot of safety issues from our current configuration (filter is nice, but not a major concern).... does the new air handler increase the quality of your prints?  Less warping?  Will it actually allow one to control the chamber temperatures?  What other benefits does it offer?  I have seen the promotional videos, I would like to hear from the users?

 

THanks in advance!

Edited March 2, 2020 by orangepeel

[Elfonerio 5]

I have the air manager and material station.  I think it's nice.  I do large flat ABS prints and they stay really flat.  You can adjust the build chamber temp in cura, but I don't think it actually reads build chamber temp, just ambient and then calculates volume, and adjust fan speed from there (someone correct me if I'm wrong). 

 

I print end use parts, and the machine runs nonstop, for me the combo is definitely worth it.  I will say with the combo I have a machine with much cleaner internals, which will definitely prolong its life, less dust, more better.  Haven't had a nozzle plug yet either, which I believe was always dust related before I got this. 

 

Before my prints were limited to PETG because of the warping, I tried ABS just too much warping, didn't matter the brand.  ABS IMO is just plane old great stuff, I don't care what anyone says.  It prints nice, easy to post process, and is tough.

[orangepeel 3]

Thank you for the comments, that helps answer my question here and on the related question in another post, about the material station.

[Link 34]

i did read some concerns about the air manager being able to keep the build chamber temp down low enough for PLA for example, also some people where saying when printing PLA is was really really loud as the extractor fan had to run full speed to try and keep the build volumes temperature down low enough ?

 

I like the idea of it and was tempted to get one but it sounded like a good solution for ABS but a compromise for more regular materials....

[Framar 38]

Link, 

 

Then why don't you keep the front doors open for PLA  Would it reduce the fan speed?

[orangepeel 3]

Is there a problem with printing PLA at a higher environment temperature? Wouldn’t it be like annealing it?  

[Elfonerio 5]

I've printed Tough PLA with the air manager and it's not a problem.  If it does somehow become an issue you can just open the top.  The fan will run at high, it's not that terribly loud.  This machine seems like a bit of overkill to be printing with just PLA.

[Link 34]

The whole point of the Airmanager is to reduce UFPs, opening the doors to the lid defeats the purpose. There have been a number of studies which have said that even PLA gives off a fair amount of UFPs. Unfortunately it also said that a normal HEPA filter like that in the air manager didn't work that well in filtering the really small ones which actually passthrough the linings of your lungs and into your blood stream.... A filter actually capable of removing UPS to a level which would make the value of UFPs negligible is very expensive.... really does seem like the industry needs a workable solution

[Elfonerio 5]

You can always print the adapter and vent it outside the building.

[SandervG 1,521]

19 hours ago, orangepeel said:

Is there a problem with printing PLA at a higher environment temperature? Wouldn’t it be like annealing it?  

 

Hi, a problem could be that PLA would get too soft and this would affect your overhangs and print quality. It could even get too warm in the print core and expand where it shouldn't expand creating extrusion problems. To prevent this, the fan runs on full speed to make sure the temperature doesn't get too high. 

 

The Air Manager indeed doesn't control the temperature itself, but as @Elfonerio says it can read the ambient temperature, build plate temperature and it knows the ideal build volume temperature and it sets the fan speed to the correct speed to get there.