NinjaTek Cheetah...When??

[scampa123]

Anyone have any inside scoop on when we'll see Cheetah hit the shelves?

http://www.ninjaflex3d.com/products/cheetah/

I'm debating on whether or not to try the splashspools of Ninjaflex I bought, or simply wait for Cheetah since it sounds as though it will be simpler to print with.

Originally I believe they were claiming the end of January to release the product, but their page still says coming soon.

[jimc]

im sure no one here knows any more that you. i am setup as a dealer for them and they havent sent me anything. ninjaflex isnt difficult with a v4, its just slow to print with

[Farr0wn3d]

Isnt cheetah supposed to have about the same durometer as semiflex? I'm wondering what the difference will be between the 2. If you want something easier to print but is still somewhat flexible maybe give semiflex a try?

[insta]

I'd love to see something with a highly volatile component that is designed to boil off during printing, transforming the filament from a stiff plastic before the nozzle to a flexible one afterwards. Guess I should have taken organic chem

[Farr0wn3d]

I had thought of the same concept except I thought it could be useful is making metal FDM possible

[scampa123]

Isnt cheetah supposed to have about the same durometer as semiflex? I'm wondering what the difference will be between the 2. If you want something easier to print but is still somewhat flexible maybe give semiflex a try?

Yes I've read about Semiflex after I bought the spools of Ninjaflex...I'm sure I'll just try to print with the Ninjaflex since I have them. I'm just experimenting anyway...

JimC had given me the idea to dedicate a hot end to it...so if my cleaning filament won't purge it, I'll just dedicate that hot end to Ninjaflex going forward I guess!

[willnewton]

Looks like a Semiflex nudge-grade. Sure, you can print 10-20mm/sec faster with it than Ninjaflex, but calling it "Cheetah"?

If you bumped the Semiflex temp 15° to match the Cheetah print temp. you could likely print just as fast. Semiflex will already print at higher speeds than Ninjaflex with no issue. I have done experiments with both and can generate prints that you could not tell the difference between them in "feel" just by changing print fill and number of walls. The only separation is at the extreme ends. Ninjaflex can get down to super-flexy and Semiflex can make a barely flexible print.

This is a bit of marketing spin to me. Take an old product, claim an "advanced formula", create "improved" specs, and call it "innovative". Their older filaments have been around for a while and this feels like a product being released because they need to release something new.

Scampa, I think Jim has an entire machine for Semiflex/Ninjaflex, not just a nozzle.

You really don't need a dedicated nozzle for flex filaments, as the temp ranges and properties line up nicely with PLA. So just use your PLA nozzle. I don't use cleaning filament or any special changeover procedures between flex and PLA filaments. Just switch FFF profiles, loosen the feed idler bearing a bit, load flex filament, purge in quick 1mm increments, and go.

[scampa123]

Thank Willnewton, I'll give it a try! Hopefully I'll get my dual setup this weekend and plan to dedicate an extruder to PLA since I have allot of spools of it...Ill give it a try...

Yes Jim told me he has a dedicated Ninjaflex printer! I can't swing that!

[scampa123]

Will I need a different filament guide tube or lift the spool over my head or something?

I noticed some posts discussed feed tubes and gravity with Ninjaflex...just looking for some tips...

Thanks again!

[jimc]

i agree with will 100%. cheetah just sounds like a marketing gimmick to me. i think they just renamed semiflex with catchy name. yes i have a dedicated printer for ninjaflex but prior to that i had a dedicated hot end for it. i just found it was a pia switching from hard plastics to soft flex materials. ninjaflex is too soft to push out and purge the nozzle so you would have to do like will said and extrude 1mm at a time until you go clean flow of material which will take about 100-150mm lol. if you only print ninjaflex once in a while then its not too big a deal but when switching back and forth all the time it became a real nightmare.

as for feed tubes...you may need a new one. it depends on your spool of ninjaflex. if the outside of your filament has a texture to it then no you dont need a feed tube. if the ninjaflex is perfectly smooth then yes you will probably need one. if you need to buy one then order from matt at printedsolid.com. matt carries the real teflon tubes. they are white and really slick. the smooth exterior on the ninjaflex combined with the clear plastic oem feed tube creates too much resistance and the extruder cant pull the material through. texture minimized contact with the tube and it slides freely.