mtf.white 1.3 upgrade

My meta.frame.white has reached version 1.3 and has just got:

  • sliders (slider2.0-xl1.8)
  • carriages(carriage1.0)
  • actuator(actuator1.5-xl1.3)
  • combo extruder(extruder1.8-xl1.5)

These are all confirmed natural evolution from previous versions. Currently this model we call white is in version 1.3.

easy switch fast all material 24 cm print surface delta 3d printer with all plastic and aluminium frame

meta.frame.white v1.3
meta.frame.white v1.3

movement is improved, broken parts are replaced and now only thing left to worry about is increased level of noise since i like this machine so much i tend to use it as is, a fast desktop printer. Noise has roots in some geometry problems that reach far in history and i will fix this in version 1.4. For now enjoy in demo and keep posted for .stl files and code.

mtf.white 1.2 fat extrusion

Another mtf experiment, my reasoning was:

how would it look like if instead of trying ever thinner and finer printing i try another way?

Said, done! I found one nozzle that always used to clog, one dremel 2.6 mm diameter drill bit and combined the three. Drill, drill bit and old nozzle allowed for extremely wide and high layers. Almost 2.4 mm height with 3.1 mm trail width.

mtf white 1.2 bigger nozzle.experiment
mtf white 1.2 bigger nozzle.experiment

Since at this time i am working on firmware for xl model it was risky to experiment here but i gave it a try and got full print, with many problems but never underestimate knowledge base of problems.

one thing is that prints are very fast, material is also speedy spent since pressure is 3 mm filament to 2.6 mm nozzle so not much friction.

Temperature will also need to be higher because sometimes perimeters pull inside whole side. This rocket bottom took only 30 minutes start to finish so potential is here. Part is rough and slick at same time.

mtf white 1.2 xl extrusion experiment
mtf white 1.2 xl extrusion experiment

this is bottom untouched after print, brim is still here and part is very tough and heavy. I have need for more precise prints so this will be only experiment.

mtf white 1.2 very fat extrusion
mtf white 1.2 very fat extrusion

Do you have use for this idea?

Case at hand will be finished and hopefully launched this spring.

mtf.white will be going for upgrades to 1.3 next, then hopefully some more precise prints with new sliders and actuator.

 

mtf.xl 2.0 diamond

Ok, mechanical and movement segment of this metaframe.xl upgrade is pretty much complete. Firmwire is still in progress but i will keep you posted. First lets see full blown two major segments of this upgrade.

metaframe.eu xl 2.0
metaframe.eu xl 2.0

Print heated surface has grown to 42 cm diameter and is made of two melted toughened glass segments with nich wire on kapton tape. Also visible here are diamond hot end with custom adapter to accept default heat shield which comes with diamond. Print bed has easy leveling in three points and thic whole configuration is made for three 1.75mm filaments of your choice.

delta 3d printer meta.frame.xl v2.0
mtf.xl v2.0 with diamond triple hot end extrusion

Also horizontal beam tension is added and it dampens all of movement of top side. It had to be done since we added two more kilograms of spools and also motors for triple extrusion. Whole actuator hot end is much more stable and leveled than with any extrude combination i used before.

side view mtf.xl 2.0 diamond
side view mtf.xl 2.0 diamond
view mtf.xl 2.0 diamond bottom
view mtf.xl 2.0 diamond bottom
top view mtf.xl 2.0 diamond
top view mtf.xl 2.0 diamond

So this is top view and this space thingy is actually placeholder for filter since ventilation is vertical so lots of dust and plastic particles find their way into vents. So this was mechanical part, movement and extrusion is done using mega2560 / ramps 1.4 / extruder expander combination and all is left to do is some firmwire thingies to mix colors or support PVA material. Will keep you posted.

mtf.xl 1.8 slider upgrade

Since actuator segment was undergoing major changes i managed to spot few weaknesses in slider/carriage segments so i made this new, simpler and more sturdy sliders to try them on both machines since flaws i spotted in version one would appear for sure, so why wait when you can, which is major advantage of this business, always make things better.

So here it is mtf.xl 1.8 in full glory:

delta 3d printer meta.frame.xl v2.0
mtf.xl v2.0 with diamond triple hot end extrusion

and here are slider/carriage delta combination on metaframe.eu xl 1.8:

mtf.xl.1.8.new .slider side view
mtf.xl.1.8.new.slider

This will provide me with more stable movement when mtf.xl 2.0 gets its diamond upgrade next week. Stay tuned for .stl files and more information.

mtf.xl 1.5 ceramic voyages

Testing ceramics hot end segment to avoid usage of ptfe tubes inside of heat sink above heater. Unfortunately it turned out that even at low 185ºC extrusion temperatures pla tends to stick to it for some reason, like it enjoys the contact with ceramics. It managed to work a bit but not very reliable, tested with 1.75 and 3 mm PLA filaments.

xl.1.5 ceramic hotend
version 1.5 ceramics experiment

Big thanks goes to mr. Ivan Gloc from 3dforum.com.hr for providing this interesting part. This was short lived experiment since there was no time to loose. My best guess is there is very high resistance when two materials meet as opposed to slick ptfe. Next up are slider modifications and upgrade on v1.8.

thermoplastic wars!

Two main material selections when dealing with everyday 3d printing using layer deposition technique are shorthand ABS and PLA. Broadly speaking both materials are thermoplastic but in essence are completely different beasts.

Polylactic acid or polylactide (PLA, Poly)

3d.print.filament.pla.polyactic.acid.aliphatic.poliesterBiodegradable thermoplastic aliphatic polyester derived from renewable resources, such as corn starch, tapioca roots, chips or starch, or sugarcane. In 2010, PLA had the second highest consumption volume of any bioplastic of the world. The name “polylactic acid” does not comply with IUPAC standard nomenclature, and is potentially ambiguous or confusing, because PLA is not a polyacid (polyelectrolyte), but rather a polyester.

biodegradable thermoplastic aliphatic polyester PLA requires 185°C minimum temperature for print and 50°C min. temp. for heated print bed but can be printed without heated option.

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)

3d.print.filament.abs.acrylonitrile.butadiene.styreneABS (chem. (C8H8)x· (C4H6)y·(C3H3N)z) is a common thermoplastic polymer. Its glass transition temperature is approximately 105 °C (221 °F). ABS is amorphous and therefore has no true melting point. ABS is a terpolymer made by polymerizing styrene and acrylonitrile in the presence of polybutadiene. The proportions can vary from 15 to 35% acrylonitrile, 5 to 30% butadiene and 40 to 60% styrene.

amorphus thermoplastic acrylonite butadiene styrene ABS requires 225°C minimum temperature for print and 110°C min. temp. for heated print bed.

Meaning of this?

Having used now extensively both materials for long period of time on multiple machines and from different material manufacturers i can say PLA is way to go.

I still use ABS in some production scenarios but for prototyping and everyday usage PLA is more economical, ecological, to be more precise, 100% more biodegradable than ABS. First temperatures, PLA has much wider spectrum of temperatures that can be used so it is easier to find sweet spot for every spool but at generally lower temperatures than ABS. This leads to much more durable hot end parts and also less heat lost and power used. Also heated bed can sit at 65-70°C with PLA vs 125°C with ABS.

For sticking to print bed with PLA i use just fresh water vs acetone-abs slug when printing with ABS. Less time in wait to reach printing temperature is also significant advantage.

There are some cons also, PLA has lower melting temperature so for some applications ABS is better, also ABS is somewhat harder, tougher and more rigid when printed than PLA. PLA is somewhat more flexible and slippery so in some cases this is advantage and in some this is problematic.

3d.services.printing.makingThermoplastic wars, the conclusion!

There are tons of materials, vendors, colors to choose from and also everyday there is new material to start with and generally speaking it is very case related to say which is best, but somehow i always have some PLA available, just in case! I keep PLA rolls in storage box with lots of dehumidifier substances like rice or silica bags.

PLA is more ecological, completely harmless when printing and also completely biodegradable after, it is reusable, less power required and for me easier to work with. Machines also tend to last longer and if one can use 0.3 or wider nozzle to avoid clogging problem just be smart and use PLA.

Sisak 3d print show

This was first public display of our machines, add to that troubles during transport and you get only part of nervous state we were in. However experience gained and knowledge shared made it all worth while.

Homebrewed, professional, big, small all in all lots of different machine and people profile.

Thanks to great hosts and hope we make it next year too.

sisak_3d_print_show