1st printer MK4S+MMU3+Enclosure
zoweee!
Long time lookylou finally prints 1st object. I’m an avid DIY and open source advocate so choice of printer (MK4S+MMU3+Enclosure) was easy to make, or so I thought.
Been ogling printers for about a decade and finally on Nov 19th I hit Apple Pay on the Black Friday MK4S kit special.
While waiting for delivery I happened up the Core One announcement and immediately felt regret. Why didn’t Prusa inform me they had a brand new model for almost two weeks which is better in all respects to the aging MK4 bed slinger when I placed one in the basket?
Ah well it came and I started the build. Stroked by Prusa’s web site claiming the fastest time to build a mk4 is just two hours I cleared a space and set out Saturday morning. About 20 hours later I set off the preflight check
My expectations at that point had hit a deep low. The meagre crappy tools included (Joe - either add a proper tool kit as an option or at least include a sensible bit driver)
Eventually I had to dig out a multibit driver to keep from screaming.
Some of the component designs and fasteners had me thinking there must be better pieces and connectors that don’t rely on you to fidget with assembly, dissasembly and reassembly wondering why it has to be so contrived. (I know it stems from reprap ideology, but until QA and material strength improve it makes more sense to just injection mould or stamp out more metal parts. Heard the Core One is all steel. Excellent decision!
After one broken X-end-idler and many nearly stripped threads, one lost nut (big thanks for the spares!) I finished exhausted and my back aching from being hunched over the skeleton.
After the preflight finished without complaining I sent off the spatula example from the USB. Wow, the euphoria that followed was amazing! Prusa has really iterated his reprap design to a kit product that lives up to (most) of his promises.
My next adventure will be tackling the MMU3 build with enclosure. Keep up the greatness Prusa people and thanks for keeping (most of) the business in EU!
2nd print - obligatory benchy, while printing this I noticed how it’s slinging the huge metal archive cabinet it’s sitting on. Gonna have to build a better base.
RE: 1st printer MK4S+MMU3+Enclosure
It's a bummer about missing the announcement for the Core-One. Did you at least get the discount voucher for upgrading to it in the future? A friend of mine was in a similar boat, but did catch the core-one announcement before ordering. Despite that knowledge, he went ahead and jumped on the black Friday Mk4S deal anyway because of the discount voucher, and will be hopefully building his own kit soon. He worked out that by first building the Mk4S and upgrading later, the price difference was reasonable compared to waiting and going directly to the kit Core-One. At least this way he can get printing in the meantime with what is already a great printer. I'd say the only bummer for you is that you included the enclosure as well. Apart from that, I think there is little room for regret. Since you haven't built it yet, could you possibly return the enclosure and just use the open printer and put the refund into the Core-One when it comes available?
-J
RE: 1st printer MK4S+MMU3+Enclosure
To give the silver lining out of this, you'll be more prepared for the Core upgrade kit when the time comes. Having modded an assembled MK3S, I wasn't bumbling through the MK4S kit build.
I expect Bambu and Prusa's competition will bring many new innovations in the next few years as they go back and forth one upping each other.
RE: 1st printer MK4S+MMU3+Enclosure
Thanks for the bright side POV J.
Printing things like microwave knobs and xmas ornaments have put me in a better mood.
Getting ready to attempt the MMU3 and enclosure build (figure it would cost to ship back so I’ll keep this printer as an M4Sfor now). I did get a $100 discount voucher for the ML4S ->Core One.
There doesn’t seem to be a best way to mount 5 spools. However one person uploaded a few printable pieces to get the cassette inside and 5 spools on the top of the enclosure. Then there’s another which mounts spoolers to the sides. Difficult choices to make without enough experience to know what would be most convenient and trouble free.
RE: 1st printer MK4S+MMU3+Enclosure
Good luck with your adventure with the MMU. It's definitely not something you should expect to "just work", and will likely be the source of a lot of frustration.
But when it works, it's amazing.
My personal recommendation starting out, if you're going the enclosure route, is to make sure you have the ability to open the lid for troubleshooting. You will want to have easy access to the MMU to clear jams and fix mid-print when things go wrong, and trying to maneuver via the front is a complete PITA. It's possible, but you definitely need to know what you're doing, as well have a modification to allow quick access to the filament paths (i.e. the No Tool Idler mod -- IMO, this is a must, regardless).
As far as spool management, there's really 3 main schools of thought for how to manage things:
- Use a buffer (official, or otherwise)
- Use auto-rewinders
- Use an air buffer (i.e. put the spools far enough away so that the retracted length doesn't tangle things)
The MMU3 comes with the "official" buffer, and makeshift spool rollers to get started. I highly recommend at least giving this a shot, since it comes at no extra cost and will give you experience with the actual MMU operation.
Once you get a handle on things, that's when I'd recommend looking at what others have created. Specifically for use with an enclosure, there are a lot that focus on the routing and mounting of the spools to the top of the enclosure. Buffer placement is always a personal choice, but I will say that dealing with a buffer that exists *inside* the enclosure is fairly annoying to work with, since you need to still be able to push the filament from the buffer to the MMU during loading.
Personally, I got fed up with buffers entirely and went entirely down the auto-rewind rabbit hole, eventually designing something specifically for the enclosure and internal/external mounting (CARSH).
The MK4S's front fan mounting unfortunately conflicts with the right side mounting now, but I still use this system, just with the 2 spools relocated external to the enclosure now (attached to the table underneath the enclosure, not the enclosure itself).
RE: 1st printer MK4S+MMU3+Enclosure
Hey!
I have the same config and I can only recommend familiarizing and fine tuning your print quality with printer and MMU3, getting the enclosure set-up right and stable (highly recommend the quick PSU release, it makes maintenance far more easy). And once I had these completed I ended up with the same conclusion you can already read from @carlmmii: I built an external dry box and auto rewinders to remove the buffer (which was the main inconvenience) but also the external spool placement/storage that creates a long route for filament to be feed to the MMU unit, it can create a lot of friction and tension which I don't want my MMU motor to fight for every print.
RE: 1st printer MK4S+MMU3+Enclosure
Glad you got through the MK4s build successfully.
Check my links below for video guides on the MMU3 - it may help you with the build, even if you just watch the videos to see the process before you start yourself!
Personally I would say if you have plans of converting to the Core One any time soon, I wouldn't bother with the MK4s enclosure at all. Run the MK4s with the MMU3 as it is for now, and then convert to the Core One, since the MK4s enclosure won't be used and it'll be a wasted effort setting everything up in the enclosure only to have to take it all back out again in a few months. Of course, if you're not looking to convert any time soon, or you absolutely need the enclosure for printing some filament types, then go for it!
Ive also been looking at spool placement with the MMU3 - I have my MMU3 built, just need to configure and mount to the printer now, but spool placement is also my issue. Ive actually been looking at this - seems to be the best solution at the moment:
https://www.printables.com/model/551828-unoriginal-prusa-drybox
--> MK4 - MK4S - MINI+ - MMU3 - Accelerometer Guide - BambuLab A1 Combo <--
RE: 1st printer MK4S+MMU3+Enclosure
[...] but also the external spool placement/storage that creates a long route for filament to be feed to the MMU unit, it can create a lot of friction and tension which I don't want my MMU motor to fight for every print.
Funnily enough, there's a balance that needs to be met for PTFE tube friction when using auto-rewinders. If you remove too much friction, then the tension of the rewinder might have enough force to pull the filament back from the parked position in the MMU.
In general though, if you're dealing with longer PTFE runs, definitely opt for wider ID tubes. The ones I go with are Capricorn's Filament Guide (reverse bowden) PTFE tubes, as they're 3mm ID. Works like a charm.
[...] Ive actually been looking at this - seems to be the best solution at the moment:
https://www.printables.com/model/551828-unoriginal-prusa-drybox
That has to be the most beautiful drybox/rewinder solution I've seen, by far. That's ingenious.
RE: 1st printer MK4S+MMU3+Enclosure
Wow Thanks for all the advice and tips!
I'm taking things a little slower after trying to print with TPU and getting the nozzle clogged as well as destroying the nozzle thermister somehow, even with the /[MK4SNozzle Replacement Tool]( https://www.printables.com/model/980297-mk4s-nozzle-replacement-tool/files) in place.
Have the enclosure built and feel that it might be best to run with it sans MMU3 so I can contemplate where to place the spools and buffer or go all out with a rewinder. Getting familiar with all the maintenance tasks and how well they can be achieved without the quick connect option which I did not purchase seem daunting enough without the enclosure and doubly so when I wire it up inside the enclosure. Even just dealing with cleaning the nozzle is becoming a worry. I'm hearing glitter and bits of carbon in the filament are often responsible for clogging.
From your advice to keep the printer accessible I'm currently printing parts to allow for a hinged lid and an external xLCD. I suppose ideally having the 5 spools inside dry boxes with rewinder mechanism on top or behind the enclosure makes most sense. However the design with 5 spools inside the enclosure and MMU3 on the lid inside make for a compact solution which I may try first of all. It certainly is tricky with only one printer, having to make sure the parts for the build are printed before disassembling and reassembling inside the enclosure. Beginning to see why these machines tend to multiply with other hobbyists. ;o)
RE: 1st printer MK4S+MMU3+Enclosure
Super - thanks for your input. I'd really like to spend more time printing than tinkering with the machine. Curious about why Prusa doesn't offer a kit rewinder solution with a second enclosure for the 5 spools. Will be interesting to see how the recommend multi-material units on the C1.
I'm beginning to realize that there is lots to experience with running even a single head single filament setup. I've already encountered tangled spools and clogged nozzles which is difficult enough on an open 3D printer. My desire to print ABS, ASA and other exotic materials with multiple colors is still strong though. Will need to work out what to do with the fumes in winter since I can't have the window open all the time. Now I'm regretting I didn't think to order the charcoal filter option as well as the quick disconnect cable thingy.
RE: 1st printer MK4S+MMU3+Enclosure
Makes sense to absorb as much guidance as is available before botching the build. It seems like no two units with MK4x and MMUnits are the same. I'm beginning to think that the MK4S will be a multi-material unit and might pick up a C1 next summer for single materials. I'm learning it helps to have a printer working to create parts for rebuilds and accessories. I've already received the spare parts kit and have begun printing various solutions for mounting spools and hinging the lid. Next this evening is reading about rewinders. Glad to have the holidays to focus on getting through this build.
RE:
I'm already ordering parts from Czech Republic, France, Sweden and the UK. Will keep a note with my supply list about these Capricorn's Filament Guide (reverse bowden) PTFE tubes. Starting to print boxes for all the fasteners and parts. It will get really tricky when I have multiple material types of the same color. The link with the 6 spool Drybox "unoriginal" doesn't appear to have rewinders. https://www.printables.com/model/702217-mmu3-mmu2s-5-spools-auto-rewinder-adapter-for-unor does though and is a beauty. decisions decisions and sooooo little time to explore them all. ;o(
RE: 1st printer MK4S+MMU3+Enclosure
Just got all the bits for my drybox (with rewinder) - will create a video of the build soon 😉
--> MK4 - MK4S - MINI+ - MMU3 - Accelerometer Guide - BambuLab A1 Combo <--