Loving my 3.5 now thinking of MMU….
So when I upgraded my 3s+ I was question my sanity but it brought better ease of use, easier upgrades, and most importantly natively sending prints over my network!
I am really liking using other filaments for supports such as PLA for TPU and PETG for PLA on my XL. That being said, I can’t do this with my current 3.5. And it is so wasteful on my P1S (yes I went there…)..
Real questions….
1) do you need to have all 5 paths populated all the time?
2) is there a way to manage it without the buffer system as I have very limited space for the mk3.5.
3) how reliable is it with the 3.5 setup?
RE: Loving my 3.5 now thinking of MMU….
To 1: you don't have to populate all 5 path. You can choose how many path you want to load. You can use the MMU3 with only a single loaded filament if you want to.
To 2: the MMU3 needs the buffer system. There are a lot of create modifications out there, some replace part of the buffer mechanism, but as a note: the MMU3 has even in its basic setup some tendency to need a certain amount of tinkering. If you change it, you really should know what you do ...
To 3: For me it works, but I lack long time experience.
As note, since you wrote about TPU: The MMU3 does not support TPU. You change the filament sensor at the extruder, and the changed mechanism needs a certain amount of pressure by the filament. Of course you can change this, but ...
Mini+ and a MK3.5S with Revo6 Hotend and MMU3
RE:
For the second point: At work we did not install the buffer mechanism because we first had the MMU2 and a lot of problems with friction. Since then we have the Repkord Box and then it goes into the tubes of the MMU3. It buffers in mid air between the Box and the tubes and works since 3 years this way. Even if it looks like they are tangled up they are not. It works super reliable. For your case I would probably consider printing those self-rewinding spool holders without the buffer.