Printing TPU on UM2+

[kpporsche 0]

Hi Everyone,

 

Need some help please, has anybody successfully printed the Ultimaker TPU 95A on a UM2+ or can give me a modified profile that you've created ??

 

Seems I've tried everything and to be honest I'm losing the will to live with it!!

 

I know a Bowden set up is not ideal for TPU, but Ultimaker sell it as an easy to print filament

 

The attached images show what I'm getting, the 2nd image also shows the same part printed on a BambuLab X1E, as you can see they are a million miles apart, but I just don't trust BambuLab's security with log files etc and their cloud, so at the moment I've been holding off getting one.

 

Many thanks in advance

[gr5 2,265]

1) Add a drop of oil to the filament before inserting into the bowden.  Add another drop every meter (about every hour or so).

2) 10mm/sec print speed

3) Loosen feeder tension to minimum

4) Print at max recommended temperature

5) Is there any way you can print this on it's side?  Or will that require support?

6) increase flow

 

#1 is the most important and the one people are most hesitant to do.  So unfortunately I have to explain it the most.  It will not add holes into your print as some people expect.  It will not harm your printer or the filament.  It just works and it works very well.  Of the 5 things above if you only do one, do #1.

 

#6 - even at lowest tension, it will squish the filament such that the cross section is smaller.  Which means less volume of filament is moving through the feeder than expected.  I don't know how much less.  Start with 10% extra (110% in the TUNE menu on the UM2).  Maybe play with that until the layers are looking as good as the left image above.  If you set this too high you risk the filament ending up in the feeder all curled up and making a mess in there.  And that problem may take several minutes to appear as you are adding extra filament, then more, then more and slowly it builds up.

 

You can do #6 only and skip #3 if you set the flow right.  As 6 is basically compensating for #3 not being loose enough.

[kpporsche 0]

Thanks so much gr5, I'll give it a go when the current PLA print finishes. In that case, is it worth printing one of the "oiler" sponge things I've seen on Thingiverse and the like?? I was even thinking of repacing the standard extruder with the Bondtech DDG V2 but not sure if this will make any difference or not.

[gr5 2,265]

If you will be doing hundreds of prints then yes probably print out an oiler.  If you are doing one for now and have no plans for others for the next month then having to visit the printer for 30 seconds every hour is probably not a hardship.

 

 

[kpporsche 0]

I do have loads of these things to produce, so I'll probably just print an oiler after I've done a few test prints.

The flexible bit actually goes inside one of these amongst other things.

I currently print the other parts, which are under the aluminium section and the carbon body, out of Markforged Onyx

Once again thanks for all your help and advice

[medicalmodeller 5]

Does it matter what oil one uses to lubricate?

TM

[gr5 2,265]

For lubricating very flexible filament like ninjaflex or for oiling the rods try any light mineral oil including:

3-in-1 oil

sewing machine oil

 

Don't use food oils that can go rancid such as vegetable oil.