# Discussion on IDEX printers. **URL:** \ **Category:** IDEX Multi Material 3d Printers\ **Created:** [June 14, 2021, 12:27am UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/discussion-on-idex-printers/3235 "2021-06-14T00:27:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![roon4660](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/roon4660/32/35_2.png) [@roon4660](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/roon4660)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 12:27am UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/discussion-on-idex-printers/3235/1 "2021-06-14T00:27:39Z")
I think they are opening up a whole new world of possibilities. What do you think? ---
**Author:** ![Country\_Bubba](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/country_bubba/32/21_2.png) [@Country\_Bubba](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/Country_Bubba)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 12:07pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/discussion-on-idex-printers/3235/2 "2021-06-14T12:07:11Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![roon4660](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/roon4660/32/35_2.png) [@roon4660](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/roon4660)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2021, 1:20pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/discussion-on-idex-printers/3235/3 "2021-06-14T13:20:44Z")
Sounds like an ambitious project. ---
**Author:** ![Country\_Bubba](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/country_bubba/32/21_2.png) [@Country\_Bubba](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/Country_Bubba)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2021, 11:45am UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/discussion-on-idex-printers/3235/4 "2021-06-15T11:45:07Z")
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! ---
**Author:** ![roon4660](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/roon4660/32/35_2.png) [@roon4660](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/roon4660)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2021, 5:00pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/discussion-on-idex-printers/3235/5 "2021-06-15T17:00:38Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Geit](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/geit/32/44_2.png) [@Geit](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/Geit)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2021, 6:20pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/discussion-on-idex-printers/3235/6 "2021-06-15T18:20:32Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![roon4660](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/roon4660/32/35_2.png) [@roon4660](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/roon4660)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2021, 11:41pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/discussion-on-idex-printers/3235/7 "2021-06-15T23:41:38Z")
Nothing keeps you from switching in other filaments during printing. ---
**Author:** ![Geit](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/geit/32/44_2.png) [@Geit](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/Geit)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2021, 9:46am UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/discussion-on-idex-printers/3235/8 "2021-06-16T09:46:20Z")
> [@roon4660](#): > > 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. ---
**Author:** ![roon4660](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/roon4660/32/35_2.png) [@roon4660](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/roon4660)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 4:17pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/discussion-on-idex-printers/3235/9 "2021-06-17T16:17:48Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Ender5r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ender5r](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/Ender5r)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 4:20pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/discussion-on-idex-printers/3235/10 "2021-06-17T16:20:10Z")
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; ---
**Author:** ![roon4660](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/roon4660/32/35_2.png) [@roon4660](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/roon4660)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 4:27pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/discussion-on-idex-printers/3235/11 "2021-06-17T16:27:25Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![roon4660](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/roon4660/32/35_2.png) [@roon4660](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/roon4660)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 4:29pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/discussion-on-idex-printers/3235/12 "2021-06-17T16:29:31Z")
How does it know how much to purge? I have to think about that. G code? ---
**Author:** ![Ender5r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ender5r](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/Ender5r)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 4:53pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/discussion-on-idex-printers/3235/13 "2021-06-17T16:53:27Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![roon4660](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/roon4660/32/35_2.png) [@roon4660](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/roon4660)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 4:58pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/discussion-on-idex-printers/3235/14 "2021-06-17T16:58:16Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Ender5r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ender5r](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/Ender5r)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 5:00pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/discussion-on-idex-printers/3235/15 "2021-06-17T17:00:19Z")
Given how little filament is used for the tower, I doubt the purge bucket would be more economical or effective. ---
**Author:** ![roon4660](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/roon4660/32/35_2.png) [@roon4660](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/roon4660)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2021, 5:37pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/discussion-on-idex-printers/3235/16 "2021-06-17T17:37:25Z")
If that is the case the IDEX system is a success in general. I am expecting to see some things done with these IDEX printers in the next year or two that we can’t even contemplate now. Techniques and adaptions. ---
**Author:** ![roon4660](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/roon4660/32/35_2.png) [@roon4660](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/roon4660)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2021, 2:46am UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/discussion-on-idex-printers/3235/17 "2021-06-24T02:46:32Z")
I am really awaiting the results of your experiments. ---
**Author:** ![akc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@akc](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/akc)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2021, 3:37pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/discussion-on-idex-printers/3235/18 "2021-06-26T15:37:26Z")
Any opinions on dual-extruder vs IDEX❓ ---
**Author:** ![roon4660](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.makewithtech.com/roon4660/32/35_2.png) [@roon4660](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/roon4660)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2021, 7:19pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/discussion-on-idex-printers/3235/19 "2021-06-28T19:19:26Z")
IDEX is a dual extruder. Which dual extruder are you talking about? ---
**Author:** ![akc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@akc](https://forum.makewithtech.com/u/akc)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2021, 4:40pm UTC](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/discussion-on-idex-printers/3235/20 "2021-07-02T16:40:46Z")
> [@roon4660](#): > > IDEX is a dual extruder. Which dual extruder are you talking about? What I was getting at is direct drive dual extruder toolheads vs IDEX. Basically one toolhead with 2 extruders vs 2 independent extruders. [Next page](https://forum.makewithtech.com/t/discussion-on-idex-printers/3235.md?page=2)