Custom heater block to fit E3D nozzle on Ultimaker 2 ("The Olsson Block")

[gr5 2,167]

180 is a fine temperature for colorfabb especially when printing slowly or printing thin layers. For example if you are printing with "normal" ultimaker PLA at 180C and .05 (very thin!) layers I wouldn't want to go over 40mm/sec. But for .2mm layers I would stay under 10mm/sec. But colorfabb I believe is less viscous and can be printed faster than those speeds at 180C. This is from other people's posts - I have never tried colorfabb.

 

[bob-hepple 59]

Swordriff

Order Placed, on the sight it says the Dupont Teflon is shipping end of March I can wait a week if thats any good to ship altogether also ordered spare Temp sensor Just incase

Thanks Gr5 I thought 180 was fine but I'm still Leaning and have a tendency to drift in my thinking

Bob

 

[izzy 33]

For ColorFabb PLA im usually printing at about 205'C - 210'C.

I'm doing a load of UM2 extrusion test using the cylinder test part for different materials and will post the results when ive completed them, I'm going to do one for each colour to see if there is variation.

For ColorFabb PLA, ive run std black and sky blue so far I think the recomended range is 190 - 220,

Starting at 190 and increasing in 5 degree steps, the maximum rate that still held the print in mm3/s,

Standard black, 3, 4, 5,6,7,7,10, and I tried 225 and got 10

Sky blue, 5,6,6,6,7,9,10.

Usually running at 205 or 210 that's about 6-7mm3/s for both.

BambooFill gave we 9mm3/s at 200' and 205' as they recommend running cooler.

[Labern 774]

I have been designing my own fan shroud to accompany the Olsson block. I will start a new subject on this.

I haven't optimized my settings, I just used default ones but here are my first test results. (note that the Venkel shroud has been lowered to the correct height)

 

[meduza 191]

So, i am missing the picture of the fan shroud above

 

[netsrac 4]

To be honest, I haven't read through this whole thread...but...

I would like to print with ColorFabb XT-CF20 Carbon fiber material which is known to wear out the nozzle. So I don't wanna ruin my original UM2 nozzle and additionally install the E3D heater block and a stainless steel nozzle in the second whole of the print head.

So basically when printing with XT-CF20, I simple place the feeder tube into the second nozzle and use this. When printing regular stuff, I would like to use the original nozzle.

I know that the UM2 electronics was prepared for a second extruder, so I guess there should be connectors for a second heater block and a second temperature sensor. So beside the hardware installation all you'll need to say in the software is that you wanna heat Nozzle2 instead of 1 while still using the same feeder stepper.

Is this possible? Anyone has a shopping list for what parts I'll need.

If there are articles about this already in this thread, please feel free to point me to the posts.

Thanks, Netsrac

 

[Labern 774]

the nozzles on the olsson block sit about 4mm lower then the original nozzle.

 

[meduza 191]

I would not reccomend doing that since you will run into problems with getting the nozzles exactly level and so on.

Better just replace your original heater block with this one and swap out the nozzle when you want to print XT-CF20, it takes about 20sec to swap out the nozzle for a stainless one.

[reibuehl 42]

Since the nozzle on the Olsson Block sits lower than the original, it should work as long as you always remove the filament and unscrew this nozzle once you want to use the original one.

The easiest modification could be to just add a second heater and temp sensor and coupler (metal and PTFE part) and then switch the bowden. But this might be difficult from the software side since you would need to convince the firmware to run feeder 1 even though temp1 is not correct.

So in the end you will most probably need the whole set including a stepper motor.

So I would also recommend to just install the Olsson block and just change to the steel nozzels if printing abrasive material.

 

[netsrac 4]

Is there any disadvantage from moving out the original UM2 nozzle and fully replace it with the Olsson Block?

 

[swordriff 119]

netsrac:

There are two disadvantages.

1) You may destroy the temp sensor when removing it from the standard block, requiring a replacement.

2) Build height is reduced by a few millimeters.

However, when you have installed the Osson block the temp sensor is easier to remove in one piece, should you require to do so..

[ultiarjan 1,223]

@netsrac;

I tried to find the difference here;

http://umforum.ultimaker.com/index.php?/topic/7689-custom-heater-block-to-fit-e3d-nozzle-on-ultimaker-2/?p=99079

Obviously a different nozzle shape will have an impact, whether it's better or worse depends on the type of thing you print. I'm usually not printing lot's of "difficult" stuff, but maybe others tried some delicate parts.... I'm generally very happy with the Olsson block, also with the E3D 0.4 (still need to try swordriff's 0.4)

I would say just start with the olsson block, and only go the complicated route with 2 extruders if you feel you have to based on testing the stuff you print with the Olsson...

 

[gr5 2,167]

I'm told all the wear and tear of carbon fiber only happens on the *outside* of the nozzle at the tip. It's like sanding down the tip of the nozzle. You can get a stainless steel e3d nozzle. Plus the nozzles are so damn easy to change and they are only about 10€. Anyway I think you can get them here:

http://e3d-online.com/Extra-Nozzles

Those nozzles work great with olsson block - just make sure not to get the 1.75mm filament ones. and if you scroll down you will see there are stainless ones. Also note that Swordriff's nozzles are probably slightly better and cheaper.

 

[izzy 33]

Hi Swordriff, just ordered a block and all the bits. Beats a cholocate egg for Easter

[neotko 1,417]

Guys can I drop a question? I was wondering after reading about the design of a new 3d printer in kickstarter (no news there) that what would happen if the upper throat of the heater (the heater insulator on umo and the upper barren on um2) where made of titanium. Titanium has much less thermal conductivity so (the idea that I had, and I could be toyally wrong) it's that if the heat that goes up it's less by a great % then the plastic ptfe and that other brown one, might never get around the dangerous 260C+.

I found a chinashop that can make me a few heat insulators in titanium to check this idea and I was wondering if it's crazy or good crazy?

[gr5 2,167]

Steel also doesn't conduct heat well but the problem with steel is that PLA sticks to it much too well. That's what is great about teflon - things don't stick to it. I don't know if things stick to titanium or not.

The high temp feature is common in all metals

The low-conductivity is common in many materials

The non-stick is rare

 

[neotko 1,417]

It's weird that they use titanium on their nozzles for this 3d printer if it sticks. Maybe one titanium alloy that doesn't...

The printer that seems to be using it it's called Tiko, ofc it's a totally different kind of printer, but the titanium did call my attention.

"TITANIUM NOZZLE

Achieving our demanding thermal performance criteria also required the use of a one-of-a-kind aerospace-grade Titanium alloy nozzle. The nozzle minimizes conduction to the heatsink without the need for an insulating barrel. The reduced heat flux results in a nozzle that requires very little energy to maintain its temperature, making it exceptionally energy efficient."

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tiko3d/tiko-the-unibody-3d-printer

 

[Labern 774]

Just found today that even with the element / thermocouple locking screw really tight, the thermocouple is still loose and slides in and out easily.

 

[Labern 774]

just replaced the washer with a new one but it still doesn't grip it :(

 

[Anders Olsson 136]

You got one of the 30 blocks from the first batch, right?

There was a manufacturing error on those ones, as you might have read: http://umforum.ultimaker.com/index.php?/topic/7689-custom-heater-block-to-fit-e3d-nozzle-on-ultimaker-2/?p=87291

I tested all of them before shipping though, and all of them worked then, you just had to tighten the screw quite hard. In fact I used one of those blocks myself until recently.

Anyway, that does not mean your block is still okay and swordriff has already been talking about sending new replacement blocks in case customers have problems with blocks from the first batch

So contact him and I am sure he will help you!

(If not, I will personally send you a signed block from the second batch :smile: )

 

[Labern 774]

Yes I did. I must have missed that post. I put a lot of force on it and it did bite but with a little tug it comes free again.

thanks for the update though.

 

[korneel 176]

so, time for a review

will post some more extensive stuff on my blog, but so far, i really like it

i have 2 Ultimaker 2s running and have put around 300 hours on the olssen block (replaced both).

additional change i did make was that i replaced the spring with a tension tube that i designed myself (design available on youmagine).

so far, i encountered an issue where the head was not screwed in tight enough and i had some leakage. i heated up the nozzle, retightened it, and all was well..

i usually replaced the head every 300 to 500 hours to burn them out completely to make sure they were clean and nice. i found that if you don't clean the heads, the filament tends to stick to it and the atomic pull only goes so far..

so my summary

The Con's or gotcha's

-you have to be careful when screwing in the nozzles to make sure they are tight enough. I have not heard any other complaints so I think it was just me being too careful

-replacing a nozzle can be tricky if you don't perform a good head cleaning with a hot/cold pull first because of left behind filament.

the pro's

-i'm using the JET Nozzle (not E3D) and this seems to be oozing a lot less than the original one

-verify your PTFE coupler by screwing out the hot end and feeding some filament through!

-both heater element and temperature sensor are very well protected because you don't have to keep replacing the heater block

-material is extremely easy to clean! it seems PLA, XT and ABS just slide off the hot end if you heat it up! unexpected but extremely useful

-ability to change nozzle sizes. although i don't use the smaller or larger nozzles, i can see how it's a huge plus.

-ability to just throw out a nozzle if you don't trust it anymore. if a hot-end\nozzle is no longer working perfectly, for 9 euros, you can just throw it out.. the original ones that get to yiur dorostep for 50 euros including delivery.. not so much..

summary :

if you have an UM2, you want this. it's just that simple. the flexibility, improved printing quality and just ease of use make this one of the best and cheapest upgrades you can get.

 

[swordriff 119]

Labern,

The hole for the temp sensor in some blocks is outside spec, so 20-50 microns too large.

To make it work; put a l ittle aluminium foil around the probe, covering the tip so it wont slide back when you insert it,

It will work perfektly!

You have choice:

I send you new and you send me the wrong ones back, Ill incude a nozzle for your trouble..you can use the ones you have until you receive the replacment.

Or you just fix them the way I suggest, and Ill send you a Dupont Teflon or something else

as a compensation.

Aluminium is a fantastic thermal conductor (twice brass) and your syste cannot detect the difference, actually it is better than just "air" which it will be in most cases anyway.

Anything for you!

Let me know!

[gr5 2,167]

It's weird that they use titanium on their nozzles for this 3d printer if it sticks

 

I did not mean to imply titanium is sticky! Sorry! I'm just saying it *might* be sticky. I'm just saying *most* materials are going to stick to liquid PLA that then cools to solid. I don't know about titanium.

It's not a problem in the nozzle - it's a problem in the zone where it is sometimes liquid, sometimes solid. That's the job of the white teflon isolator - to transfer between the liquid and solid stages.

 

[neotko 1,417]

gr5 I order 10 (minimun amount) of titanium tc4. In two weeks or so I'll be testing it on my umo. It this works it might help for the heat to no go up on materials like wood that jam with retractions.