Custom UM2 hotend

[rick 0]

I'm thinking about making some hotends myself for the ultimaker 2. The reason why i want to do this is because i had to pay 50 euro's for a heater cartridge that is $16 when i get it from china. So i can only imagine what the cost of a full hotend will be.

Also i want to be able to make different sizes for the obvious reasons, .5 .4 .3 and so on. The material i will be using is copper, as it has a higher density than brass and thus a higher surface tention which will minimize the friction. Also copper has a better heat transfer rate, this is not realy important but it's better anyways.

My plan is to make it out of 2 parts, A "nozzle" part and a "heater" part so that the tips are interchangable without having to make the same amount of heater parts. Just like with the UM1 and basically all other 3D printers.

Does anyone have any tips, suggestions, or otherwise usefull info ?

 

[eldrick 65]

You may want a copper alloy, as pure copper is pretty soft.

 

[zoev89 73]

Have you thought about a E3D hotend? If you regularly print ABS is might be an option. Then you don't have to design parts and it has a verity of nozzle sizes. There are already some mounts designed for the um1. If I am not mistaken the axis are the same between um1 and 2 (correct me if I am wrong). You might loose some printer hight since the um2 head is quite compact. Compared against the um1 the latest design is comparable to the original print head I think you even gain a couple of mm in height.

 

[rick 0]

You may want a copper alloy, as pure copper is pretty soft.

 

I will have to look into that ! But do you think that it will matter ?

 

Have you thought about a E3D hotend? If you regularly print ABS is might be an option. Then you don't have to design parts and it has a verity of nozzle sizes. There are already some mounts designed for the um1. If I am not mistaken the axis are the same between um1 and 2 (correct me if I am wrong). You might loose some printer hight since the um2 head is quite compact. Compared against the um1 the latest design is comparable to the original print head I think you even gain a couple of mm in height.

 

Yes i have thought about this, but i dont want to take apart my entire UM2 to fit a new hotend. Also i'm already working on a H2O cooled system that is designed to fit the original assembly But those E3D hotends are very nice !

 

[pm_dude 27]

I wouldnt be against having a set of nozzles

Following...

[cleven 4]

something like this quick model?

Depending on the material you may want to have some copper gaskets rings to allow for a good connection between materials.

 

[pm_dude 27]

Should it not be the opposite? The nozzle would screw in the heating block? This way the seam is further from the totally melted plastic. Could make no difference too...

[ultiarjan 1,223]

If possible one that will accept a standard nozzle, f.e. the UM1 nozzle ? I would buy one ...

 

[pm_dude 27]

Yes thats what I was thinkng too.

[rick 0]

I'm just gonna go with the M6x0.75 threads that come with the original hotend. The only real difference is that i need to make a thread in the block part. And thread a piece of 6 or 7 mm copper bar and taper it at the end. Drill a couple of holes here and there.

 

I could make a 3d render but that's probably more work than actually making a hotend. I'll be goin to the metalstore tomorrow, So i guess i can post some pictures of the first stages tomorrow evening/wed morning.

Good to see there is alot of interest in this ! About buying/selling, i dont think UM would appreciate it if i sell them, because they are practically the same as the original. But if it works and it is possible i'll post all the details on where to get the parts and how to make them here.

 

[rick 0]

something like this quick model?

Depending on the material you may want to have some copper gaskets rings to allow for a good connection between materials.

 

Alltough this might work, it still is a overly complicated design. Because metal bars dont come with the nozzle holder already attached you'd have to either mill alot of metal away or weld a round piece to it. By just using a threaded rod you'll avoid all of that.

 

[cleven 4]

The threaded area would be pressed or brazed in.

[ultiarjan 1,223]

" i dont think UM would appreciate it if i sell them, because they are practically the same as the original. "

I promise I won't tell them

 

[pm_dude 27]

Well without wanting to blame anyone... Number of times Ultimaker have been requested to offer those on the store. Not all of us can make those. I wont mind buying one from anyone that makes those available at a decent price.

Plus if you make one that you can screw a nozzle to the heater block it wont be the same as what exist currently on the UM2.

[rick 0]

I've spoken to them at the ulti-evening here in holland, and they're gonna release the parts for the UM2 soon. But as i mentioned in the first post, what UM charges for the parts is close to criminal.

Which is why i wanted to start the project in the first place. If the parts were reasonably priced i wouln't even bother making them myself to save a few euros

 

[Anders Olsson 136]

I had plans to let a local workshop manufacture a UM2 heater block that would accept UM1 nozzles a few months ago.

Other things became more urgent though, so that project is on hold.

Here is a 3D-model of the original components that I made:

The UM1 nozzle dimensions are approximate.

As you can see, the heater block will have to be a bit larger to fit the UM1 nozzle.

It may be a good idea to increased some of the dimensions to improve the thermal conductivity to the nozzle too.

You will need to drill a larger hole in UM2 fan plate too, to fit the nozzle.

When I was thinking about this last time, I was a bit concerned that the tube that holds the hotend might not like the stress when tightening the nozzle.

I don't know if this is a real concern though.

 

[rick 0]

A day too late (because i forgot my wallet yesterday). But i've started working on the parts, I have found all the copper needed to do this.

As you can see in the pic i cut some small pieces of the larger rods, i have about 1m of both.

If all goes well i'll have my lathe tomorrow so i can start milling the parts.

 

[pm_dude 27]

The Store is updated with UM2 parts

https://www.ultimaker.com/t/spare-parts

 

[nick-foley 5]

I have heard somewhere that one reason people don't use copper for hotends is that molten PLA sticks to it to a much greater degree than brass. But that might just be FUD. Interested to see how this turns out.