MMU2 now obsolete?  

RE: MMU2 now obsolete?

yes it works.  however it took me months to get it dialed in.  TPU, no, but solubles even with non-prusa filament mostly works ok.  I would never count on it for something like a business though.   I happily preordered a 5 extruder XL which I believe is the proper way do multi-material. The XL will be my third prusa printer.  Most of the issues with the MMU came down to the tightness of the bolts.  I spent time working with support in a last ditch effort before chucking the thing and got it working.  I can now do multi day prints with 1700+ tool changes and no interventions.  I don't use the filament buffer.  I simply don't do TPU on the MMU.  The way it works simply isn't compatible with flexible filament.  Of rigid filaments, I've only had one that I could NOT get to work at all regardless of anything I tried, and that was Aquasys 120 soluble filament.  I have nearly a whole spool of that stuff I'm hoping to maybe be able to use when the XL comes in.  The best success I've had with solubles for both petg and pla is Verbatim bovh.  I just got two more spools of it.  The prima select PVA+ I have gotten to work, but not well.

There are a number of nagging firmware issues that plague the MMU.  I agree with you that I feel prusa has sort of abandoned us MMU owners in that way.  If you're not going to get the the XL and you want to try to make your mmu work, you could try the tzb extruder mod.  There are a few extruder pieces changed and they have custom firmware for the printer and for the MMU that they claim allows tpu to even work.  I was about to go that route before I got things kind of working.  And with the XL coming may just leave it.

RE: MMU2 now obsolete?

I can use TPU as well as PVA+ on my MMU.

But to answer your question: Yes, MM units like the MMU2S or the palette no longer have a lot of value in the face of the coming tool changer implementations.

RE: MMU2 now obsolete?

TPU is not officially supported on the MMU.  I know folks have hacked their printer and filament profiles to make it work, however given how finicky the MMU is with rigid filament TPU just seems like an exercise for a masochist.   Most issues I've come across with the solubles, except for the aquasys 120 which just blobs up and jams)  is adhesion on the wipe tower.  Given the much lower temps you need to help shape the tips of the filament, it usually results in the soluble not sticking well on the wipe tower.  The whole idea of a single extruder for multiple filaments is really just a kludge.  Pretty excited to get the 5 extruder XL and chuck the MMU all together lol

RE: MMU2 now obsolete?

I see the TZB mod looks smart, I am weary of custom firmware on it, But I could give it a go.  I ditched the buffer as well, and thats what makes it print sort of ok.  Using a repbox and have nearly zero issues on unloads now.  Its all down to loading and ugly tips that it cant seem to push through the nozzle, like it gives up, even with the cutter enabled and a fresh tip, it will randomly just not make it.   I agree, I will be getting the 5 head XL, but the abandonment of such hyped hardware doesnt make me very confident in their toolchanger.

RE: MMU2 now obsolete?

yeah I'm leary of custom firmware myself, but I was getting desperate towards the end.  They seem like they know what they are doing though.  They are putting more work in on the mmu and printer firmware than than prusa is.  Once I get the xl and dial it in, maybe I'll mess with the tzb stuff on the current mmu printer I have.  I'll have a spare set of stock parts on hand just in case...

RE: MMU2 now obsolete?

Thats EXACTLY my thoughts, when I have something else that works, I can then mess with the printer and afford to have it down for some time if needed lol

RE: MMU2 now obsolete?

Pretty much my situation.

I think the MMU has been obsolete since ~the last firmware. It has hardware bugs that Prusa isn't even commenting on. Mine was fine, but stopped working and I rebuilt it and I can't get it to work properly now...

I would like to connect a Palette 3 pro to one of the tools, if any slicer would support it.

RE: MMU2 now obsolete?

If I can get my Mk3/mmu hooked up to a network connection, the MMU might work as a material selector for a print.  Set up five materials and be able to print on demand in any of them.  Still looking for a way to keep the filament that is off the spool dry.

RE: MMU2 now obsolete?

I'd wait until I call the demise of the MMU2.  The XL looks amazing and I really, really, really, want one, I just can't justify the expense.  I think the I3 is going to be around for awhile, you can get an MK3s+ and an MMU2 for around $1100, the XL is $3500.  The I3 is tried and true, it's a known quantity that can be had for a reasonable price and it creates great prints.  Unless or until the XL is available for around the $1k print, the I3 is going to fill that nitch and the MMU2 will keept is budget friendly.

Cheers

-Bob

RE: MMU2 now obsolete?

The MMU offers a multicolour capable printer for little more than 1000 EUR (if you go for the printer kit). Even if a 4 tool changer is superior in many ways, it would cost more than 3 times more and that matters to a lot of hobbyists I would think. 

For certain application a tool changer isn't much of an advantage either. I think of objects with coloured labelling on top (or at the botton during printing). There only a few layers are multicolour. This is great for printing signs or labelled utility boxes or housings. Also, the MMU is indeed very handy for the simple task of having an automated 5 material choice with single colour prints. I mean I wouldn't buy an MMU just for that but it is certainly a very useful feature. 

PS: All of that aside. The MMU is finicky but once dialed in properly works quite reliably. It has yet to be seen if the XL is truly more reliable.