Has anybody tried IGUS Tribo-filament yet?

[brett-bellmore 1]

We've sent for a sample of this stuff; It's supposed to be compatable with any 3d printer capable of ABS, but with 40 times the wear resistance. Formulated for making plastic bearings.

http://www.igus.com/wpck/11723/N14_4_1_iglidur_TriboFilament?C=US&L=en

We should have it on hand within a couple of weeks, I'll let you know how it works out.

 

[gr5 2,172]

Beware of 3.00mm filament as if it gets to 3.01mm it will likely get stuck in the bowden. Typically manufacturers know this and the filament will be something like 2.80 to 3.00 with the nominal at 2.9mm. Or nominal at 2.85mm. But some manufacturers don't know this and are 2.9 to 3.1mm and these get stuck in the ultimaker bowden and you will have to throw the entire spool away in frustration.

 

[brett-bellmore 1]

I did specify that I needed 2.85mm diameter. The product is not in production yet, they're sending out pre-production samples.

BTW, I've got a coil of 1.75 mm here, (Maybe a couple yards long.) which they sent us the first time. Can't use it, anybody in want to give it a try?

 

[gadgetfreak 7]

I just ordered a 3mm sample. It will be ver interesting to test it however I'm expecting it will take a few weeks for it to reach Sweden...

[jonnybischof 60]

Please keep us posted! This sounds very interesting!!

They claim their plastic bearings to be better (longer-life) than sintered bronze bushings...

 

[Titus 170]

Cool, free samples?

I've known Igus for a long time, they make cool stuff!

 

[brett-bellmore 1]

Doing a test part right now. No, the 2.85 sample didn't arrive, we just decided to see what would happen if we ran 1.75 through the current setup.

It's wiggling a bit in the boden tube, but extruding just fine. Not ideal, but we should get a part out of it, to see if we like the material.

 

[brett-bellmore 1]

Used the recommended settings, came out the crispest looking print I've gotten yet. Excellent definition, and the surface was noticibly harder than ABS or PLA.

Alas, it was the plastic equivalent of mica, the layers were quite strong, but the print could be split between them, right down to individual layers of plastic. We are now trying a second print, with the head at 230 instead of 220, to see if it remedies this.

I'm thinking you might want a heated enclosure for this material. Delamination seemed to be less of an issue near the heated bed.

 

[brett-bellmore 1]

We've run off several more parts, and put them into service. As we've pushed the nozzle temperature up, inter-layer adhesion has improved, but it still isn't great, the parts fail in service by delaminating.

I guess the next thing to try, short of a heated enclosure, is printing a full height skirt around the part as we go. Unfortunately our evaluation sample is starting to run low.

Anybody else have experience with this to report?

 

[brett-bellmore 1]

Final report for now, we've about exhausted our evaluation sample.

We printed a 12mm square solid part, 25mm tall, and periodically tuned the nozzle temperature up, marking the transitions.

Started at 240C, ended up at 260. With each 5 degree increase in nozzle temperature inter-layer adhesion improved. It never reached the point where the part could not be split, but by 255 degrees, the amount of force necessary to split it was comparable to what was needed to cut it in any other direction, so, good enough. It's obviously never going to be anisotropic.

I don't think this tells me that it needs to be printed very hot. Rather, a heated enclosure or full height skirt seems to be called for. Maybe less fan, too. Unfortunately, out of material for now, so we can't test these other variable.

I like the material, though. It's hard and slippery, prints very crisply, and the wear resistance claims seem quite plausible. Think we'll pre-order a roll or two.

 

[mutrax 5]

How do you keep it sticking to the bed?

I've tried abs slurry (is toughest in my opinion)

110° bed, 245° nozzle, fans on (their instruction says well ventilated, I'm starting to think they are talking about the room, not the print...).

BTW I'm printing wit a i180-pf roll

 

[mutrax 5]

Hey! after some tweaking I got the perfect prints...

Print@ 250° , 110° table, not to fast AND KEEP THE UM COVERED! Covering your machine up makes the part stick extremely well (use 10 mm brim to prevent some corner warping). Layer adhesion is excellent, also only after covering the machine!

Now the shamefull part, I used a fleece blanked to cover the machine. Doesn't look proffesional whatsoever, but does the job neatly!

TL;DR

Hot nozzle, hot bed, slow and fluffie huggie blanky

oh yeah, no fan!

Edited April 21, 2015 by Guest
Forgot the fan thingie

[mutrax 5]

Oh yea, I also sprayed some PTFE onto the filament (not sure if my underectrusion problems in the beginning where because of friction.)

[Nicolinux 288]

Hi,

thanks for the hints. I've tried to print with fans on and noticed the delaminatin issue. I'll try with fans off and a professional blanket

[Nicolinux 288]

I finally got it to stick to the bed. 100°, print teperature 250° and no fans! I changed the bed leveling to be extremely close to the nozzle. No need to cover the printer.

[BrayChristopher 36]

I used the settings that you guys recommended.

I tried printing straight on the glass, but that didn't work. For the second attempt I used blue tape. Success!

I covered the printer with an extra large oven bag. I cut it open along one edge and binder clipped it to the frame. It is pretty open at the top of the back where the bowden tube is.

This stuff did give me a headache. I moved the printer out of the office for the second attempt. I've been spoiled by PLA and XT.

[keen101 0]

Yup!

http://www.thingiverse.com/make:239140

http://www.thingiverse.com/make:239145