I’d like to try one of the strong carbon filaments (nylon X maybe), so am looking to change the hot end and/or nozzle to something that can handle it. Lulzbot itself doesn’t seem to have any extruders available and I’m ok just changing out the hot end or nozzle if there are options out there known to work well. So, what would you all suggest?
By the way, this is for a Taz 6 that currently has a standard single extruder v2.1 installed. I have the v2 dual extruder, but had very poor luck using it, so it lives on a shelf. Anyone know if it has the same hot end as my single extruder v2.1? If so, at least I’d have spare parts in case I break the hot end trying to upgrade.
The dual v2 uses hexagon hotends and the aerostruder is titan based (E3D v6). So the nozzles won’t be compatible.
Different varieties of E3D nozzles should be compatible with the hotend on the aerostruder. They should be available on amazon or filastruder. Make sure to get a 3mm version unless you’ve modified the titan extruder.
As for the filament, I personally don’t think the carbon fiber will help strengthen the part. CF parts get strength from continuous fibers of the twill material. The CF in filaments are small particles which would only benefit the weight of the printed part.
I use a Taz 6 Aerostruder with an upgraded heatbreak and a 0.35 nozzleX to print NylonX for high load parts including experimental pulley driven slingshots. This is something I wouldn’t do with PLA otherwise I am asking for shrapnel if/when something fails. I am very happy with the results.
V6 nozzles for the aerostruder are available in various hardened or abrasion resistant formats. Get one or sacrifice a nozzle every time you print.
As for strength… What do we mean by strength. A 1mm thick layer of NylonX is much more flexible (that pla) but also more resistant to brittle failure modes. Nylon is not a hard material, but it has a much wider range of elastic deformation. The carbon fibers are a totally different beast than laminated carbon fiber, and can be used in a variety of ways in my experience, but none are really analogs to impregnated carbon fiber.
Ways I use NylonX that seems to yield better/tougher parts.
Force Distribution. If I run my line width wider than my nozzle, the additional “smoosh” causes the fibers to redistribute at angles to the direction of travel in the nozzle. With proper layer bonding, this causes there to be more “force lines” tangent to the layer/nozzle direction. This seems to reduce the deflection under load while not compromising the ductile nature of the Nylon. This doesn’t increase the bearing capacity directly as that is mostly a product of geometry/thickness.
“Stable but Flexible” parts. If I run my line at the nozzle size, and it’s significantly smaller than the filament bore, we start to see more aligned fibers. This allows for “weaving” of the directions of force and produces an overall shape/size stable object that is also flexible. This requires “speed” as well as too slow of printing can lead to more “smoosh”
Chopped the second image here of drone plates cause I’m new so can’t post multiple pictures.
TLDR v6 Hardened or Other Nozzle ( I use NozzleX), and don’t expect it to be super skookum unless you really pay attention to your printing directions and layer adhesion
I got a sample of the 1.75mm Protopasta composite carbon fiber PLA and have done some prints on a Taz 6 with an SE 0.5mm 2.85 tool head.
I really like the filament because my prints come out very precise. I have printed star nuts that will be used to repair an antique lamp with stained glass panels.
Although the prints go really well, I have an issue where the filament does not want to unload afterwards. I have tried to manually retract as soon as the print is done, keeping the temperature high, but the filament gets stuck. I have ended up disassembling the tool head after each print, which is a PITA.
The nozzle that comes on the SE 0.5 (nickel-plated copper) is not suitable for printing with carbon-fiber filaments. You’d want a hardened steel nozzle at least, or you’ll risk wearing the nozzle extremely quickly.
Are these antique lamps running standard incandescent bulbs? If so, their heat is enough to easily soften the PLA and cause premature failure of your parts. Even the electronics in the base of a LED bulb can get warm enough to cause softening of PLA. Carbon fiber in the PLA will not help it withstand heat.
I haven’t heard of CF PLA causing jams when left in a cooling nozzle, but if you have swapped nozzles, there’s a chance that you have not tightened the nozzle against the heatbreak properly in the heater block, leaving a gap where filament is able to swell into. If you haven’t replaced the nozzle, I would suggest just cutting the CF PLA filament after the print is complete and then using standard PLA to purge the CF PLA out the nozzle instead of trying to back it out.
The tool head is fairly new and I had not changed nozzles. I purchased this tool head to replace the aerostruder that became completely fouled with PLA while doing an overnight print. I just haven’t had the time to use a heat gun and try to pick out the mass of filament.
I have tried to run standard PLA through after a CF PLA print is done, but it wouldn’t go. The CF PLA bulb that is formed is not close enough to the hot end to melt and prevents the standard filament from feeding. I like the new tool head, for the most part, but the inability to get access, or even see down past the hobbes gear is annoying.
Thanks for the head’s up on the possible temperature issue.
