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Robo Dual Extruder

Discussion in 'General Questions' started by Cbrown, Apr 5, 2016.

  1. Cbrown

    Cbrown Member

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    I read awhile back that with the release of the new Robo some time this summer that there was also going to be a release for a Dual Extruder upgrade for the R1's. Has anyone heard about this?

    Any updates?
     
  2. daniel871

    daniel871 Well-Known Member

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    Yeah, that's not going to happen. The current R1+ Cannot be upgraded to dual extruders without replacing the Ramps, since you currently have the extra Extruder stepper driver slot being used by the 2nd Z-axis motor (instead of how the previous R1 put both motors on the same stepper driver).

    The older R1s that have room to add an extruder on the control board will have to be modified on your own like a few other forum posters have done.
     
  3. BenMac

    BenMac Member

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    I assume that there is a reason why one couldn't just combine the two Z-axis on the R1+ board? Like insufficient current throughput, or something else.

    What board, and other items would be needed?
     
  4. WheresWaldo

    WheresWaldo Volunteer ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)
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    You could, but if the effort is to just get the Robo to do dual extrusion it might not be worth it. Time, effort, resources that for most of us are in short supply. Also the difficulty in tuning such an arrangement make dual extrusion on the Robo a bit less than practical. More about 'yes I did it' rather than 'yes I use it'.
     
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  5. daniel871

    daniel871 Well-Known Member

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    Exactly. I had it briefly set up on the original R1, but then had absolutely nothing I cared to print in different filaments.
     
  6. BenMac

    BenMac Member

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    Waldo, thank you for your reply, it was quite informative. So, would it make more sense to get a machine that was designed with dual extrusion, or it is simply just not worth it no matter what?

    Daniel, I will have to take your word for it. I kinda like the idea of using one extruder for the item, and the other for a support material. It seems like water soluble filament for support material would make items easier to finish. Though, that is coming from someone who has yet to try it.
    I also like the idea of having one extruder for regular filament, and another for flexible filament. One guy made some cool items through such a method.
     
  7. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    It is worth it if you need it.
    Now, by need it I mean dual material in a single print.

    If you can model around that (we have) then nope... you probably don't really need it.

    With S3D the supports remove almost flawlessly -- I usually can't see any effect on the surface and if there is one, it is minimal enough to sand/finish away easily.

    If you see the need for multiple materials then yes, you need it.
     
  8. WheresWaldo

    WheresWaldo Volunteer ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)
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    Most printers designed to allow dual extruders will allow independent adjustment of the height of each extruder. Many are also using a dual direct drive extruder. Fewer issues than using a bowden setup that trying to get the Robo to use dual extruders will force you into using. As Mark mentions, if you need it then you will figure out a way to make it work. I'm just saying, if you want to make it work on the Robo just be prepared for extra work and extra frustration.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk
     
  9. Cbrown

    Cbrown Member

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    I have a Da Vinci that is dual extruder and I use the ability to use two different colors maybe 2% of the time.

    I mostly use the printer for 3d Hub orders so not many people even know about two colors at once. Its a cool option just is seldomly used.
     
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  10. BenMac

    BenMac Member

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    Cool, thank you for your advice guys. I am still interested in having a dual extruder setup some day, but it sounds like this Robo won't be it.
     
  11. WheresWaldo

    WheresWaldo Volunteer ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)
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    @BenMac you are probably making a very wise choice. This hobby is hard enough as it is. Just peruse all the threads here or on any of the major 3D printer manufacturers and you will see this entire industry is built on pixie dust and moonbeams. The reality is so far from the marketing hyperbole. Why introduce more frustration and invest more resources into this than necessary only to end up with something that only works reliably part of the time. The only place mediocre performance is acceptable is in baseball, not in 'printers'.

    When you are ready for multi filament extrusion get something that was designed for that use in the first place rather than kludge something together.
     
  12. WZ9V

    WZ9V Active Member

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    I could see dual extrusion being handy for dissolvable supports also. I've been able to get by with single extrusion and strategic sanding/filing so far. I'm more of a parts for machines type than artsy stuff though so I don't need perfection in the surfaces. I wanted dual extrusion at first (who doesn't) but like WheresWaldo said its hard enough keeping one going when you are just starting out. Get good with a single extruder then see if you need dual later.
     
  13. KTMDirtFace

    KTMDirtFace Well-Known Member

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    I had a dual extruder printer, once. Used the dual extrusion like once. it caused more problems than solutions. My friend has a dual extrusion printer and both of us basically removed one nozzle and never used the dual features. The main problem I always ran into was the second nozzle getting drug across prints. It was really a more complicated annoyance than anything. in my opinion.
     
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  14. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    With the current state of tech in desktop 3D printing -- you nailed it.
    It is worth the hassle only if you have a real need for different materials and can get the model and slicer to work correctly. Even Simplify3D has a lot of caveats and cautions around this it is not a simple thing to do. We always just tweak our models to print different parts and join them. That is far easier.
     
  15. Cbrown

    Cbrown Member

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    I printed a multi-color Marvin and it was more of a headache then it was worth to get the model just right in Simplify3d.
     

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  16. KTMDirtFace

    KTMDirtFace Well-Known Member

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    James Bruton on youtube, does some really cool ninjaflex dual extrusion prints, ninja flex with abs inside them for stiffness.

    But I can't even print ninja flex most of the time, that guy is a wizard.
     
  17. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    NinjaFlex is one of the few materials out there that I would consider making a multi-material print with.
    So far I have managed to just use it as a standalone part that gets mated with whatever else we use it with :)
     
  18. Cbrown

    Cbrown Member

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    I was think about doing exactly what that guy did I guess, mixing a flexible filament with a ridged, but then I found Taulman PCTPE which depending on the layer thickness you can bend and make live hinges. The filament is nylon so it is strong 3 layers allows you to bed with easy and 5 layers makes it very ridged.

    It is also very easy to print on a R1+.
     
  19. aznhlfan

    aznhlfan Active Member

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    I build paranormal equipment, and 3D print my own housings, I would like to print a plaque with my logo, or the name of the piece of equipment that I can place on the housings. I was thinking of ninja flex as the housings are round and the plaque can bend around it. Is the PCTPE filament flexible enough for this?
     
  20. Cbrown

    Cbrown Member

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    Interesting you posted that question here. I can say from my experience with Taulman PCTPE if you use thin layers, 1-3 maybe 4 its flexible and with thicker layers it becomes rigid.
     

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