v4 Status

[Dale Reed]

I really hope Rick doesn't mind my posting this photo. But if the dual V4 kits are available, I guess folks should know what it's about. Here's a photo with the fans removed:

V4-dual with fan assembly removed

DSCN0761.JPG (126.66 KiB) Viewed 12754 times

Note how the two (tiny!) hot ends are mounted with the clamp to the bottom plate. The bottom plate extends straight back and mounts on the X-carriage slide bearing. The vertical plate holding the two extruder steppers mounts to the bottom plate, about halfway back from the hot ends to the carriage. Note how the steppers are offset vertically so the hot ends can be closer together, maximizing the area of the build plate that both nozzles can reach.

In my setup, the PFTE lined hot end is on the left, the all-metal is on the right.

Not sure if it's clear in the photo, but there's about a 1.5 mm gap between the bottom of each filament drive and the top of the hot end barrel. The one in the left on the photo is threaded with black PLA, and the one on the right is not threaded.

Hope this helps you see how the filament drive only touches the stepper motor face and doesn't (directly) touch the plate with the hot ends mounted.

The fan assembly is ducted so that the extruder fan blows on the drive gears and down on the plate, between the hot ends, to keep them from pushing too much heat toward the steppers.

Get the idea?
Dale

[caenan]

The new dual kits, are they one PTFE one all-metal like the betas? Lot of my printing is in nylon and PC, I'd like to keep the ability to push 260 and beyond comfortably before committing to the purchase. Also, looks like nozzle changes would be... discouraged on the hot ends, is the recommendation just to buy several nozzles with different diameters?

[insta]

The new dual kits, are they one PTFE one all-metal like the betas? Lot of my printing is in nylon and PC, I'd like to keep the ability to push 260 and beyond comfortably before committing to the purchase. Also, looks like nozzle changes would be... discouraged on the hot ends, is the recommendation just to buy several nozzles with different diameters?

I'm pretty sure they're defaulting to 1 PTFE, 1 all-metal. I use the all-metal with everything except PLA, PVA and Ninjaflex. It works great with ABS and Nylon

The V4 is actually the easiest nozzle change I've ever done on any hotend I've ever owned -- even easier than the Budaschnozzle. I love it.

[rpollack]

Thanks Dale.

It will be two PTFE v4s. We've run a lot of PC at 290C pretty much without issue.

Officially, we will not suggest going above 260C with the ptfe v4 but you are free to experiment.

[sthone]

Are new M2's going to be shipping with the V4 or still the v3b?

-Steve

[insta]

Thanks Dale.

It will be two PTFE v4s. We've run a lot of PC at 290C pretty much without issue.

Officially, we will not suggest going above 260C with the ptfe v4 but you are free to experiment.

Mwahaha that means my all-metal hotend is now a collectors item!

[caenan]

The new dual kits, are they one PTFE one all-metal like the betas? Lot of my printing is in nylon and PC, I'd like to keep the ability to push 260 and beyond comfortably before committing to the purchase. Also, looks like nozzle changes would be... discouraged on the hot ends, is the recommendation just to buy several nozzles with different diameters?

I'm pretty sure they're defaulting to 1 PTFE, 1 all-metal. I use the all-metal with everything except PLA, PVA and Ninjaflex. It works great with ABS and Nylon

The V4 is actually the easiest nozzle change I've ever done on any hotend I've ever owned -- even easier than the Budaschnozzle. I love it.

Good to hear about the nozzles, thanks!

[hybridprinter]

what would be the better setup.. a new M2 with the v4 PTFE or a new M2 with the e3dv6 hot end? can you buy the M2 with the hot end missing (not a kit but pre-built unit)?
this question pertains more to printing Ninjaflex material with both hotends.

[jimc]

v4 or e3dv6 for ninjaflex. probably nothing to be gained from one over the other. i have not used the v4 but i think other guys on here that have converted their m2 have done ninjaflex with the ptfe version of the v4. since the m2 doesnt ship with the v4 though it will have a v3b which is probably not anywhere near as good for that material since its not lined and the hot zone is large. unless the m2 starts shipping the the v4 then swap out the v3b with an e3dv6. trying to buy one without the hot end is probably a waste of effort. i dont think there would be any kind of significant savings there plus since the e3d comes with a standard 12v heater cartridge you can use the 24v one out of the v3b.

[insta]

v4 or e3dv6 for ninjaflex. probably nothing to be gained from one over the other. i have not used the v4 but i think other guys on here that have converted their m2 have done ninjaflex with the ptfe version of the v4. since the m2 doesnt ship with the v4 though it will have a v3b which is probably not anywhere near as good for that material since its not lined and the hot zone is large. unless the m2 starts shipping the the v4 then swap out the v3b with an e3dv6. trying to buy one without the hot end is probably a waste of effort. i dont think there would be any kind of significant savings there plus since the e3d comes with a standard 12v heater cartridge you can use the 24v one out of the v3b.

I've been using the v3b with Ninjaflex, and it does feed fine, it just doesn't tolerate high speeds before it winds around the drive gear. The v4 PTFE was a bit more tolerant (which I think was a side effect of the redesigned filament drive, actually), the v4 all-metal was a big bag of nope with Ninjaflex.

jim, you should probably just hit me up on gchat sometime -- bryan.boettcher [at] gmail [dot] com, we probably have a lot of notes we can compare