M3 ID PVA + PLA builds

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zahn
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu Dec 21, 2017 10:54 am

M3 ID PVA + PLA builds

Post by zahn » Fri Dec 22, 2017 1:11 am

Hi Everyone,

I have been looking to purchase a new 3d printer for a while now (for work) and we have narrowed it down to the ultimaker 3 and the mg3. I am having trouble deciding between the two but think I am leaning towards the MG3. I was wondering if anyone who prints with PVA regularly, can tell me how the MG3 handles this? I know the Ultimaker 3 has a separate extruder for PVA and it works well, but how does the MG3 do with PVA and flexible materials like nylon?
Additionally I am leaning towards MG3 because of the ability to use both extruders independently to print multiple parts.How does the MG3 handle this? I am also leaning towards the MG3 because I have heard it is much faster than the UM3. I would appreciate any thoughts on this. Thanks!
Zahn

Explorer74
Posts: 17
Joined: Sat Aug 26, 2017 5:02 pm

Re: M3 ID PVA + PLA builds

Post by Explorer74 » Sat Dec 23, 2017 9:58 pm

I have the M3ID and I love it. I have used PVA with stringy, but good results. I recently discovered BVOH. This is water soluble like PVA. It actually dissolves faster and cleaner than PVA and it prints like PLA, little or no stringing and oozing. Verbatim is the only one that makes it as far as I know and it is very expensive, like $100 for 0.5 kg expensive. The other thing I have noticed is that all PVA is not the same. Some are much better than others. So if you go with PVA try to get some samples and experiment.

Bernie X
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Dec 19, 2017 5:26 pm

Re: M3 ID PVA + PLA builds

Post by Bernie X » Fri Dec 29, 2017 2:19 pm

Explorer74 wrote:I have the M3ID and I love it. I have used PVA with stringy, but good results. I recently discovered BVOH. This is water soluble like PVA. It actually dissolves faster and cleaner than PVA and it prints like PLA, little or no stringing and oozing. Verbatim is the only one that makes it as far as I know and it is very expensive, like $100 for 0.5 kg expensive. The other thing I have noticed is that all PVA is not the same. Some are much better than others. So if you go with PVA try to get some samples and experiment.
Here's a link to buy a sample BVOH filament http://www.verbatim-europe.co.uk/en/pro ... ite-55901/; availability is based on where you're located. The disappointing and misleading thing with MakerGear is that using anything other than their filament voids the warranty on the hot end (https://www.makergear.com/pages/warranty). On a related note, MakerGear resells Polysupport, which is not soluble. MakerGear is good; however, my next printer will be the Prusa i3 MK2s with the multi-material upgrade kit (4 extruders) for $1,200 USD. Prusa sells BVOH, along with a large variety of other filaments.

jslick_007
Posts: 13
Joined: Wed Oct 18, 2017 9:24 pm

Re: M3 ID PVA + PLA builds

Post by jslick_007 » Fri Feb 23, 2018 6:14 pm

BernieX,

I actually switched to the M3ID for soluble support as my Prusa Mk2/MMU did not work well. PVA works best at a lower temp, whereas PLA on the Prusa likes it a little hotter. Printing out of a single nozzle, there's not enough time between filament changes to sufficiently cover more than a 10C swing in temps. I've found PVA to work well at 190, PLA to work well at 215 well outside that range, and so soluble support has been problematic. For multi color PLA or PETG prints however (i.e. similar temp ranges), the Prusa works awesome. Wait however until the 2.5 MMU or v3MMUs with the filament sensors ship. You'll thank me. It took me 3 mos before I found my secret to getting the right amount of spring tension on the idlers and how to know which way to adjust it to prevent blockages (a common problem for newb's with the MMU).

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insta
Posts: 2007
Joined: Tue Sep 16, 2014 3:59 am

Re: M3 ID PVA + PLA builds

Post by insta » Fri Feb 23, 2018 7:36 pm

Bernie X wrote: The disappointing and misleading thing with MakerGear is that using anything other than their filament voids the warranty on the hot end (https://www.makergear.com/pages/warranty).
The warranty isn't immediately void in perpetuity because you put some eSUN plastic through the hotend. They're a small company staffed by actual humans, they will work with you if the hotend blows into pieces running normal plastic through. They also won't just drop-ship you a new hotend because your Chinesium eBay filament clogged the hell out of the nozzle and you got a 0.4mm drill-bit jammed upwards in it trying to clean it.

"Warranty void without X product" means they're going to require to use "X product" first as a baseline before honoring the warranty.
Custom 3D printing for you or your business -- quote [at] pingring.org

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