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Carbon fiber filament

demillertimedemillertime Posts: 35🌟 Super Member 🌟
in Getting Started & Troubleshooting
will the extruder on the A5 handle the temps required for the PLA carbon fiber filaments? They recommend 240-260/270 C....

Comments

  • Samuel PinchesSamuel Pinches Posts: 2,997Administrator
    If its PLA then 250 sounds excessive.... it won't go above 250C. Plus, carbon fibre is very abrasive so you would need a hardened steel nozzle (or similar) too - the brass nozzle will be eroded like cheese.
  • demillertimedemillertime Posts: 35🌟 Super Member 🌟
    I do use the steel nozzle. All of the amazon reviews say they are around or above that... maybe I will give it a shot and see how it turns out
  • Samuel PinchesSamuel Pinches Posts: 2,997Administrator
    You can probably get away with pushing it to 255C, but the hotter you go, the faster the PTFE liner in the heatbreak will degrade. It also releases toxic fumes as you get hotter, so I really really don't recommend going above ~250C.
  • demillertimedemillertime Posts: 35🌟 Super Member 🌟
    Oh the one I was looking at was a polycarbonate mix. Any options to upgrade hotend to one that gets hotter? Limitations on motherboard/marlin/ or just the hot end itself
  • Samuel PinchesSamuel Pinches Posts: 2,997Administrator
    The first limitation is the firmware - which I've set to prevent heating above 260C. The reason for this is the PTFE tube which is a major health hazard. Even the fumes given off at ABS temperatures can kill pet birds! If you replace the heat break with an all metal heat break, not one with a PTFE liner, then its easy to unlock the temperature to go up to around 280C. Unfortunately, there is no easy drop in replacement part I've found yet :disappointed:. Beyond ~280C you'd probably be looking to upgrade the heater cartridge and the thermistor to a thermocouple as well.

    The best option would be to completely replace the hotend and x-carriage with something that supports an E3D all metal hotend. You could even convert to a direct drive while you are at it, for better printing quality, and faster printing (reduced retrations).
  • demillertimedemillertime Posts: 35🌟 Super Member 🌟
    https://www.matterhackers.com/store/l/v6-hotend-full-kit-1.75mm-universal/sk/M4UK0AVU?rcode=GAT9HR&gclid=EAIaIQobChMInpja6onS2wIVnrjACh3m0QBjEAQYBCABEgIiSPD_BwE

    Any thoughts on this?
  • Samuel PinchesSamuel Pinches Posts: 2,997Administrator
    That's the same (genuine) product as I mentioned, but sold by a reseller. E3D is the gold standard in hotends, highly recommend.
  • demillertimedemillertime Posts: 35🌟 Super Member 🌟
    Gotcha. So what would I need for a direct? Basically an extruder to mount on the top of my x carriage? I would like to not have to get a custome machined heat sink block... and the thought of adding more weight to my x carriage makes me cringe with ghosting issues.

    also if U have affiliate links for any of these items let me know.
  • Samuel PinchesSamuel Pinches Posts: 2,997Administrator
    edited June 2018
    In terms of weight, the y axis already is significantly heavier - that is currently the bottleneck.

    Maybe have a look at the titan Aero - its an extruder/hotend combo that is lightweight. Maybe you can design and 3D print a new mounting system? CNC aluminium is nice, but not really required.

    Filastruder is another reseller in the USA. I've used them too, and they're great.
    https://www.filastruder.com

    thanks, but I don't have affiliates for any of these companies... only the chinese drop shippers. They sell clones of these products, the performance is not quite as good, and I prefer to support the inventors and resellers rather than the copycats.

    Maybe also have a look at some of these:
    https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2947511
    https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2885819
    https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2884481 <- uses e3d hotend and e3d titan extruder, the "more bulky" version of the titan aero basically.


    Post edited by Samuel Pinches on
  • demillertimedemillertime Posts: 35🌟 Super Member 🌟
    I have my printer at work so I cannot verify but is it running 12v or 24?
  • Samuel PinchesSamuel Pinches Posts: 2,997Administrator
    24V.
  • demillertimedemillertime Posts: 35🌟 Super Member 🌟
    U da man. Any idea where to buy a hardened steel Bowden drive gear until my aero gets up and running?
  • Samuel PinchesSamuel Pinches Posts: 2,997Administrator
    I don’t sorry... I normally try searching eBay, maybe if you search for 3D printing companies in your country you might find something closer?
  • demillertimedemillertime Posts: 35🌟 Super Member 🌟
    Found it, just had to search by the technical term “Hobbed gear”. Also ordered all metal throat. Can I pass 250 with the e3d all metal throat? Says it only goes in to guide the filament and not lined throughout...
  • Samuel PinchesSamuel Pinches Posts: 2,997Administrator
    Great!
    If its a genuine all metal e3d it should be fine to go above 250C. If its a clone, then its very likely that it will still have PTFE inside. Its easy to see when you get it.
  • demillertimedemillertime Posts: 35🌟 Super Member 🌟
    Yea e3d sells for 20 on amazon prime. Should tide me over until I work up the energy to design an aero mount... thanks a bunch Sam
    Thanked by 1Samuel Pinches
  • Samuel PinchesSamuel Pinches Posts: 2,997Administrator
    No worries.... good luck! Hope the install goes smoothly.
  • TeraWalesTeraWales Posts: 1Member
    edited June 2019
    hi...I've tried Proto-Pasta CF-filled PLA, Colorfabb XT-CF20 and Atomic CF PETG. All print slightly textured, so not glassy smooth although a very nice finish. The immediate difference is rigidity. The parts are much stiffer than the regular materials. Perhaps a bit more brittle. They resist bending, but are prone to snapping when they do give. The Atomic PETG is my current favorite. Colorfabb's is very nice, but must be printed at very low flow rates to prevent jamming.

    electronics pcb assembly
    Post edited by TeraWales on
  • cs2000cs2000 Posts: 56🌟 Super Member 🌟
    I also had no issues printing with CF based on ABS on previous printers that is, but the principals are the same.

    I upped the temp by around 10 degrees and also switched to a 0.6mm nozzle. The CF fibres are tiny, but they can block up a standard sized nozzle pretty easily. A brass nozzle printing with CF is good for a couple of prints, thats all they can take before the nozzle diameter is ruined.
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