Ninjaflex questions
I have been fiddling with ninjaflex while I wait for my replacement Pinda (adjusting on the fly with live z) and while I can get usable prints they are not pretty (this is with Chris's pretty TPA slicer3e-pr settings) looking for any help I can get and the only recent threads I found were down in the MMU2 forum or in the archive forum long before the do over of the MK3 extruder and hotend to improve flex filament printing that was last summer
but this one for example is quite useable and will not be seen it is Ninjaflex Lava X000USFQ11
I get one useable print after i load it but unless I remove it and load it again the ninjaflex will stuff itself all around the bond tech gears compartment when I try to print again unless I unload/load and get the good straight flow from the nozzle and then hit print
Oh one other thing don't print Ninjaflex on the PC bed.... even though I had rubbed nose oil on the print spot seen above they were still very hard to get off. I am making a new long ptfe tube to fit below the gears and making it just a touch longer... next will be one that is a bit fish mouthed ∨ on the long one and there does not seem to be a way to get a ∧ shape on the bottom of the top tube all to try to constrain the filament in that gear chamber. I used 235/225c and 60/60c for temperature
Re: Ninjaflex questions
i don't know if you have much experience with flex filament. good practice is:
-start first print at slow speed (10mm/s)
-have constant speed (all the same values). despites there will be some necessary accelerations, it is good to avoid big change of speed.
-no retraction first. after you should go to big retraction.
-change of the ptfe tube. capricorne tube is good. and the shape under the bondtech is important.
i manage to print tpu with shore as low as 70a. i don't have success with 60a at the moment.
Re: Ninjaflex questions
my experience with flex of any kind is that ugly mess above the gears area ate the filament just as the print got to the top layers but as they will be hidden in a box dangling a motor they will never be seen eventually I will crack this like the other steps in this hobby and I will make proper replacements...
I was amazed at how much filament that gears area could swallow it was about 400 mm of the stuff and it took awhile to get it all out in one piece
does a bird mouth under the gears sound like the right direction... I think one of Santas elves is arranging some Capricorn blue PTFE tubing both the 2mm bore and the 1.8 mm bore... I have only goog filliment none claiming no tolerance a few at ±0.05mm most at 0.30mm and then the prusament a 0.02mm
Re: Ninjaflex questions
thanks for the tips. My experience with flex of any kind is that ugly mess above. The gears area ate the filament just as the print got to the top layers but as they will be hidden in a silencer box dangling an air pump motor they will never be seen; eventually I will crack this flex printing like the other steps in this hobby and I will make proper replacements...
I was amazed at how much filament that gears area could swallow it was about 400 mm of the stuff and it took awhile to get it all out in one piece
Does a bird mouth under the gears sound like the right direction... I can copy the PRUSA cup shap easly enough and I guess if I get it close enough and with a collet lock to keep it from shifting It might be fine....I think one of Santas elves is arranging some Capricorn blue PTFE tubing both the 2mm bore and the 1.8 mm bore... I have only good filament none claiming no tolerance a few at ±0.05mm most at ±0.30mm and then the prusament a ±0.02mm
Re: Ninjaflex questions
i have Capricorn XS bought at e3d. i like both the diameter and the low friction. i bought filament only from brands with some kind of reputation, never really done a quality check.
you will have to tune the retraction to decrease the stringing but later when you will manage to avoid spagetti around the gears.
i m not an expert with flex. i just printed very few kilograms but now i have no more failed print. i still have to work on retraction/stringing as i still use the standard 0.8mm but i wait for new flexmark treed filament to improve that.
Re: Ninjaflex questions
There are a few things I'd suggest.
First and foremost, set your volumetric speed to 1.5mm^3/sec or less. Let slic3r handle the rest of the speeds. A hat tip to @bobstro for that gem. Always use volumetric speeds when dealing with finicky filament.
Temps at 230/40.
My fan is 50%.
Turn off retraction.
Make sure you put a separating agent on the pei sheet if you want it intact when you are done. I'm becoming a huge fan of Magigoo. I first thought it was hype. 25% of a bottle later, I'm sold. PTEG, HT-CF20, flexibles... They all just separate after they absolutely adhere.
Set your bondtech great to JUST grab the filament. Anything tighter will spill the filament into the gear area. May or may not be experience.
Dry the filament before you start.
If you are using Octoprint, turn off Octolapse! The extruder zooming off to take its picture will leave you with strings on every later. Experience? Maybe.
Good luck! Let us know if you succeed!