Looking to get dual printer

Did you see my thread on converting the C2 to dual?
Not a trivial task and just getting one designed for it is probably a better move.
Going to be expensive if you want it large.

I personally just cad around needing one 90% of the time and with the way Simplify3D generates supports I don't need water soluble ones.

@Geof can make some specific recommendations (on printers he has actually used). Suggestions by folks not actually using one are not as useful

 

You could build a custom plate that mounted on the poles and was larger. There is room to make it a little bit larger, but if you want a lot bigger then you really need a larger printer.

 

I've used the raise 3d, UM3 and sigma. I own the sigma (bought before the raise and the UM3 came out). My sigma prints PVA beautifully (ESUN). None of these machines are "large" printers to me but in my personal opinion the only dual extruder machines worth it are the UM3 and the Sigma R17 (my sigma is upgraded to the R17). I like the sigma's IDEX system personally, which is what won me over.

I have successfully made a dual extruder with a single nozzle (promethius system that I abondoned off my robo due to not being able to use S3D) and old school 2 hotend carriage machines. frankly my opinion is to buy a machine built to do it.

 

The R2 having 2 hotends on one carriage is in my opinion a few years outdated and a poor execution of dual extrusion, likely the reason why its not a dual extruder machine from the factory. Material contamination, ooze shields, prime towers bleh. There are better options out there for dual extrusion.

as a single extruder machine I'm sure its fantastic.

 

http://www.matterhackers.com/store/printer-kits/bcn3d-sigma-3d-printer

 

I despise matterhackers, lets do this one

https://designbox3d.com/collections...igma-r17-independent-dual-extruder-3d-printer

 

Only way to really rock at dual extrusion.

 

Thats my opinion as well . Not without its issues but mechanically superior. Software is getting there.

 

BCN has their own cura for the sigma

 

The MK2 multicolor cant do dual extrusion, just multiple colors.

 

if you say so lol. I still see it as a useful upgrade for prototypes and the such, but not as a multimaterial kit. Extruder takes to long to cool down and heat up.

 

promethius isn't multi material pla/pla or abs/abs. Multi extrusion, not multi material. Same issue. Pallete is the same way. Color change only, anything else is ineffective and "unsupported" lol

 

ex. would be promethius system. I actually asked about that and there is no temperature control other then what you set it at in the slicer (per layer or overall). You can run PVA/PLA etc etc but the temps have to be similar. When I was running it even different brands pla ran togather didn't give the best results. Same brand PLA/PLA is recommended. PLA PVA does work yes, but not PLA/ABS and the such. Or Flex and XT etc etc. to wildly different.

Others use may vary but I use multimaterial exactly as it states. PLA/Flex, XT/PLA, Flex/Ngen etc etc. wildly different flow characteristics to where two extruders in my opinion is really the only way. Still sticking with 2 colors has its real world applications (think of a cutaway mechanical device using drive train as red, case blue or the such)