Ultimaker 3..... Time to start telling Ultimaker what we would like next

[ronniiraygun 0]

I have a UM2 and a Robo3D door stop (It has to go so I'm looking for a replacement). In the office and have been wanting to add a machine at home too but was waiting to see what was coming at CES 2015. I'm not using the printer to tinker it is a tool. My job is to innovate and invent and I need a tool to help me in that endeavor. I'm willing to share my thoughts of items UM could do in the next version since announcing their end of the dual extruder for the UM2.

My company also has a sister company that does rapid prototyping AM so I have access to many other methods for a pence. The FDM machines there just don't seem to make as smooth of a part but they have washable supports which is nice.

My UM2 is great when I keep up on the maintenance and replace the teflon insert and the hot end every 500 hours or so. The UM2 has been working almost non-stop accept for the weekends since it was purchased last April 2014. I have about 1500-2000 hours on it now (I think that would be considered a heavy a user). I do R & D and use the UM2 for everything for prototyping, jigs, fixtures and making stuff for around the office and the occasional practical joke. Also I exclusively print in ABS over PLA.

With that said I was waiting for CES to buy the next gen UM or UM3 or whatever you would like to call it. I don't think what they came out with was bad but I yearn for the next little white box that can do cool stuff. So her is my start of a dream add ons. I will be buying 1 or 2 more machines this year but I'm also looking to the future.

1> Dual Extrusion with multiple materials. I know as an engineer I could get this to work and I know you can to. I don't know what patents are out there to work around but there are retraction systems out there that work. One idea off of the top of my head would be to still use the same relative footprint but use a piezo electric element on top of the head and away from the heat to retract the hot end unit .5-1mm. The spring would still be there to push the element down in a de-energized state. Two things would be low, the voltage and the cost. I've done something similar so I know I could move the hot end without an issue. You could maybe have a feed gate on the tip also to block out any dripping.

2> Auto bed leveling. PrintBot did it and so can you. There are a plethora of options here from very cheap to really expensive. I think a low cost unit is easily doable.

3> On board memory.. Why? See the next post

4> Wifi.... Full control over wifi with fire and forget.

5> Higher temps for nylon and poly carbonate.

6> Filament Feed sensor. If the unit clogs it would be nice to know and have it shut down or email you letting you know.

7> Maybe a webcam.... Not sure but maybe.

 

[jonnybischof 60]

...

4> Wifi.... Full control over wifi with fire and forget.

...

 

There is no fire and forget with 3D printers. It's just not that simple.

I'd prefer an actual ethernet LAN connection over wifi. Ethernet is more stable, and perfect for businesses (!). And you can always connect a wifi access point to an Ethernet port.

You'll just need to accept that this means the electronics will at least get 50 EUR more expensive over the current platforms.

My #1 priority would be a solid documentation for absolute beginners, teaching the basics about the machine, about Cura, about troubleshooting and about the necessary steps one needs to go through in order to get good prints.

I know most of this is out there somewhere, but it needs to be compiled in one place and every customer should be made aware of this documentation. (I don't have an UM2, so I don't know what it's actually shipped with today...)

 

[tommyph1208 55]

Some more ideas:

A feeder that works?

Easy exchange nozzles (so you can print with different nozzle sizes)?

Possibility for a pretty enclosure?

Fancier stepper drivers (silentStepStick TMC2100? or similar?) to make the printer more silent?

 

 

[jonnybischof 60]

Oh, and a Trespa HPL frame

 

[Daid 306]

Oh, and a Trespa HPL frame

 

We looked into that. Not going to happen. For two reasons. First, it's not forgiving enough with push fittings. Quite a few of our tests broke the panels when inserting the Z rods or bearings. Tuning the milling process is much harder.

Next it's the environmental aspect of Trespa. It's very low on the recyclable list.

The auto bed leveling on the printrbot is "meh" in my opinion. The sensors they are using has a large variation on depending on temperature and between each unit. And thus requiring calibration.

And, just because we gave up on dual-extrusion upgrade for the UM2. Does not mean we gave up on dual extrusion. Naturally, multiple materials is what is making dual-extrusion interesting.

The feeder of the UM2 isn't the best. We know, we're working on it. Good things are happening here.

And, wifi/network for a next printer is a bit of a natural next step.

 

[ultiarjan 1,223]

Am I correct that the auto bed leveling on printerbot is not bed leveling at all, but software correction based on the sensor measurement ? In that case my gut feeling says real mechanical bed leveling is probably always better ..

Anyhow I think bed leveling on UM2 is easy and very stable.

 

[DidierKlein 729]

I really don't see the need for auto bed leveling, i level my bed and i'm good for a few months without leveling again. I can even transport my um2 and it will still be good.

I like the filament sensor to detect failures or clogs it's something that could be usefull.

 

[ronniiraygun 0]

I just haven't seen the issue with the feeder. I printed a new one when we first got the printer but issue never arose. Any issues we'd had have been with the hot end and Teflon insert. I have seen the feeder issues though but I don't think it's that difficult to solve and many of the users have come up with some good stuff. On that topic.

Okay say I'm taking the Wi-Fi and putting it in the win column for now...... One small victory for the users.

In regards to the auto bed leveling I have to reset mine every time because it moves every time. In lean manufacturing setup time is wasted time if that's why we automate processes that are repetitive and repeatable.

Team Ultimaker

I know you haven't stopped working dual extrusion but I agree it's not about the colors, it's about the multiple materials. Getting the tips so they are the same height can be done but it could be hard to do in the machine but I could see a click in system where you could adjust the tips outside of the system aka a quick change nozzle. Not a Makerbot system but one that works.

 

[DidierKlein 729]

If you have to relevel your bed after each print on the um2 then you have a problem (there was a bug in the firmware a couple of months ago i beleive it's corrected since the 14.07 version)

 

[nallath 1,122]

Team Ultimaker

I know you haven't stopped working dual extrusion but I agree it's not about the colors, it's about the multiple materials. Getting the tips so they are the same height can be done but it could be hard to do in the machine but I could see a click in system where you could adjust the tips outside of the system aka a quick change nozzle. Not a Makerbot system but one that works.

I agree. Two colors is not that interesting. It might be that there are people who want this, but i'm not interested in dual color at all (but multiple materials can be awesome).

On the leveling;

I've not leveled the bed of our machine in ages. It prints non-stop with constitantly good quality. Weird.

@ Ultiarjan:

You are. There is bed leveling (moving the bed so it's level) and compensation (find out orientation of the bed and compensate). Both have their pro's and cons.

 

 

[schneck007 1]

for the the dual extrusion i found something interesting the guys from "builder" made.

one nozzle and two color (matrial). maybe is possible to do same with the ulti.

@RonniiRaygun

the problem with bedleveling was fixed.Do you use the newest firmware?

But was caused trouble is when you removing and inserting the glasplate again.

then I have to relevel my printer too.

 

[alexwimjan 0]

Hallo all

How about this,

Cyclops - from E3D.

http://e3d-online.co...trusion/Cyclops

The Cyclops

2 In, 1 Out - Switching HotEnd Cyclops introduces a new way of printing multiple materials not yet seen before in commercially available hotends. By taking 2 input materials and printing them alternately from a single nozzle Cyclops is able to eliminate ooze problems that are inherent in most conventional dual extrusion systems. This new approach has been working excellently for us in testing at E3D, but we are releasing it now as an experimental product as we are still figuring out the best techniques for using this new HotEnd type.

- See more at: http://e3d-online.co...h.xUj1XmP2.dpuf

 

[ronniiraygun 0]

for the the dual extrusion i found something interesting the guys from "builder" made.

one nozzle and two color (matrial). maybe is possible to do same with the ulti.

@RonniiRaygun

the problem with bedleveling was fixed.Do you use the newest firmware?

But was caused trouble is when you removing and inserting the glasplate again.

then I have to relevel my printer too.

 

I do remove the glass enough for cleaning that it doesn't stay level. I use a glue stick on the place w/o any blue tape or slurry. The ABS really stick well with just the glue and can take a little work to get it off the build plate. I tried the slurry with ABS but that's too much work for little benefit. I have not tried hair spray since I never remember to pick it up when I'm shopping (I shave my head).

 

[nallath 1,122]

Hallo all

How about this,

Cyclops - from E3D.

http://e3d-online.co...trusion/Cyclops

The Cyclops

2 In, 1 Out - Switching HotEnd Cyclops introduces a new way of printing multiple materials not yet seen before in commercially available hotends. By taking 2 input materials and printing them alternately from a single nozzle Cyclops is able to eliminate ooze problems that are inherent in most conventional dual extrusion systems. This new approach has been working excellently for us in testing at E3D, but we are releasing it now as an experimental product as we are still figuring out the best techniques for using this new HotEnd type.

- See more at: http://e3d-online.co...h.xUj1XmP2.dpuf

 

Actually, I believe that the printers from build3r have had this for some time already.

 

[Daid 306]

Actually, I believe that the printers from build3r have had this for some time already.

 

Also, limits the material you can use quite a bit.

Just try ABS in one side and PLA in the other (most common materials right now). And I'm 100% sure you'll run into problems with the single nozzle setup. Unless you purge a lot of material when switching, which is a waste and generates a huge mess.

(Oh yes, I've tried this)

 

[meduza 191]

Yes, that is only intresting for multi-color printing, not for multi-material (multi-color does not intrest me that much)

 

[randyinla 14]

I liked the additional 4" height of the UMextended, but what I'd really, REALLY love is 4" more in the X & Y! I realize that adding height alone doesn't introduce much more in the way of stability compared to wider/longer XY rods. Would thicker rods help? Anyway, larger build area would be #1 on my list.

 

[ronniiraygun 0]

I looking at the Fortus 250 yesterday and the rods in there are about 16mm Dia with drive belts that are about twice and thick. The stepper motors look to be about 23's too. You could make the unit more heavy duty or use a carriage and rail system. The price point has to be kept in mind too. I think it would be less expensive to do some of the electrical upgrades then some of the mechanical upgrades.