If you’d like to venture into the world of flexible, tough, tactile printed components, then you definitely came towards the proper spot. Right here is where you’ll discover to print flexible filament quickly and easily print the softest filament out there.
Using the Flexion To Print Flexible Filament
This article focuses on how to print flexible filament using the Flexion Extruder. Should you do not currently use the Flexion Extruder, then go get one particular and come back right here. Proper out of the box, Flexion produces rapidly (60mm/s), clean, void-free prints with TPU, TPE, Ninjaflex, along with other flexible filaments. Angus (aka Makersmuse) even uses it to test flexible filament: Assessment of Flexible Filaments (with X60!). Flexion eliminates the common challenges you encounter if you print flexible filament: jamming, buckling, and oozing. Study on to discover some tricks to optimize your settings and generate excellent prints along with your flexible filament.
Application Settings
Here’s an instance from the extrusion settings we use using a soft TPU for example Ninjaflex (about 85 Shore A). These settings are valid for speeds up to 60mm/s. Some items to note:
The extrusion multiplier above 1.0 – when the drive roller and idler squeeze the filament, they properly cut down the diameter of the filament. This requires far more extrusion. As you improve tension you might need to raise extrusion also.
Extrusion width decrease than the nozzle diameter – this aids generate gap-free upper layers. Even so, it can also make overhangs tough. You will ought to balance these aspects to optimize your very own prints.
Retract high and rapidly – this keeps the nozzle from oozing and makes clean prints. Longer drive paths (Bowden drive, E3D hotend, Mk11 extruder), might call for even longer retractions.
We recommend that you simply boost outline overlap above 75% to ensure a superb connection involving outlines and infill. Other settings are going to be equivalent to what you use for other components.
Hardware Settings
1st, adjust tension. Hold the filament among your fingers and load filament., then turn the adjust screw to maximize the pull-force on the filament. Most printers possess a function to load filament automatically. If yours doesn’t, then try this load/unload “printâ€.
The photo below depicts two identical prints (one still has support material attached). The print on the left was produced with a perfectly-functioning Flexion extruder. The a single on the suitable had a smaller hardware problem that triggered stress buildup and “blobbingâ€.
So ways to fix this problem?
Blobs/strings/pressure buildup – when the barrel (see the exploded view for element name reference) is not pushed each of the way up in to the mounting block, then the PTFE will likely be capable to float between the nip point along with the nozzle, enabling the accumulation of material among the PTFE and the nozzle. This can be a dilemma that can manifest as time passes. You could possibly get some number of “good†prints ahead of seeing this impact. The most beneficial way to repair it really is to disassemble your hotend, get rid of any material, and reassemble. Assure that the barrel is seated on its shoulder against the bottom of the mounting block. Be sure to tighten the nozzle when it’s at temperature to get a great seal.
Bumpy surfaces/inconsistent extrusion – this can be attributable to undesirable settings. Before you look at hardware problems, adjust temperature and extrusion up and down. If that does not support, you could have an under-powered extruder motor. This can “cog†toward a stable magnetic position when it really should be micro-stepping, causing visible places of over- and under-extrusion. To operate the Flexion, we advocate a minimum of 250N-mm of torque. Most Nema17 motors reach this, but some drivers do not provide enough present. This happens most normally on Wanhao (and related) printers, specifically one particular batch that shipped in early 2017. To adjust existing, stick to the guide here. You may also locate replacement motors on Amazon.
Design and style Considerations
Listed below are some fast tricks to optimize prints for flexible filament:
Preserve overhangs at 40° or less
Style in peelable assistance wherever feasible (see Ninjaflex Assistance Material right here)
Use slicer-generated support and take away with side-cutters. This works better than you might imagine
We hope this assists you print flexible filament together with the Flexion Extruder. If you have any inquiries, we’re always right here to answer them! Just send a message by means of our speak to kind.
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