Discussion on IDEX printers.

[roon4660]

I think they are opening up a whole new world of possibilities. What do you think?

[Country_Bubba]

I agree and think this is a fantastic innovation. As I am presently in the process of upgrading my Tronxy X5S-400, I decided to make it into a magnetic parking head extruder system with two extruders. I have previously done some two color printing, but the idea of being able to change colors on the fly in the middle of a layer fascinates me. Then again there is the possibility of multi types of filaments also.

I perceive this as being a much more stable system than one that changes tool heads and simpler in operation. We will see how it goes.

This weekend, got the new SKR 1.4 Turbo board compiled with V2.08 Marlin in a base configuration. The next thing to do is mount that motherboard on the machine and get a baseline of its working.

[roon4660]

Sounds like an ambitious project.

[Country_Bubba]

Yep, but I like the thought of innovation and trying to do stuff.
I may succeed or I may fail, but along the way will surely learn something new. I would much rather do something like this than a lot of other things people do!

[roon4660]

Ever since I learned about the possibilities with IDEX printers I have lost interest in printing with one nozzle.
I wouldn't be surprised if they start capturing a major part of the market.

[Geit]

Well, the only real useful stuff IDEX provides is the possibility to print solvable supports and parallel/mirrored prints to speed up printing.

For real multicolor you usually need more colors anyway.

[roon4660]

Nothing keeps you from switching in other filaments during printing.

[Geit]

Nothing keeps you from switching in other filaments during printing.

This only work when there are only two colors per layer.

A multi color print may have more than two colors per layer and I don´t think you want to swap filament multiple times for each layer and several hundred times per print.

[roon4660]

I'm just saying that it adds another dimension to 3d printing especially if the nozzle wiping system keeps you from having to waste filament on purge blocks.

[Ender5r]

When printing multiple colors, I've been using a priming tower. Since it's IDEX, & doesn't need to purge, it doesn't waste much filament;

[roon4660]

So the cleaning system of running it through a brush isn't doing the job? At least you don't have purging blocks bigger than what you are printing.

[roon4660]

How does it know how much to purge? I have to think about that. G code?

[Ender5r]

I use the priming tower to ensure that filament is coming out readily from the nozzle. Don't want to end up with gaps in the model.

[roon4660]

Couldn't that be avoided by doing a wipe and squirt as the head starts out? Maybe it wouldn't be faster or more economical, or even do as good a job.

[Ender5r]

Given how little filament is used for the tower, I doubt the purge bucket would be more economical or effective.