E3D Copper Heater Block  

Re: E3D Copper Heater Block

While I cannot say positively, my guess would be some kind of Beryllium-Copper alloy. It has a great resistance to corrosive forces (acids and abrasion), has an excellent heat transfer rate, is non-sparking, and has a melting point (could not find the softening point) of 871 degrees C. Most likely a 2% alloy, since that is the most common type used.

Re: E3D Copper Heater Block

Better off asking the guys at e3d, nickel plated copper is all I know. I use one in conjunction with the e3d pt100 sensor and amp but if you can’t compile your own firmware this option is not possible.

I find the block far more stable than the original, I also use the coated nozzle and the hardened nozzle it depends what I’m printing. If you print at higher temps I.e polycarbonate, nylon then this upgrade is pretty much essential. I’ve run 310 dog and it doesn’t care - but make sure your nozzle fan shroud is PC or it will sag for sure.

Re: E3D Copper Heater Block

I find the block far more stable than the original, I also use the coated nozzle and the hardened nozzle it depends what I’m printing. If you print at higher temps I.e polycarbonate, nylon then this upgrade is pretty much essential. I’ve run 310 dog and it doesn’t care - but make sure your nozzle fan shroud is PC or it will sag for sure.

Since I have a mill I looked at 17200 Beryllium copper and it was temp stable up to I believe 835C. I thought that if it was cheap enough I would make a few myself an try out and use for emergency backups.

The guys from prusa said that if you are going to print above 300 C the you have to change all the plastics around the extruder because that plastic is only rated to about 300C.

Jim

Re: E3D Copper Heater Block

Yup but you need to print higher to get the new parts so some initial printing with PETG is inevitable, I’d print some spare PETG parts first just in case. I’ll do all mine in polycarbonate ‘eventually’ but the fan shroud / cooling is mandatory. After I’d printed my new fan in shroud in PC the original was toasted but I’ve gone through a few shrouds due to printing Nylon too so always have spares. The remaining PETG parts didn’t seem overly bothered but do show some melting signs, though but I wouldnt print regularly with PETG parts.

Re: E3D Copper Heater Block

Since I have a mill I looked at 17200 Beryllium copper and it was temp stable up to I believe 835C. I thought that if it was cheap enough I would make a few myself an try out and use for emergency backups.

Do machining beryllium copper alloys result in a risk of significant exposures to beryllium? That is the one thing I'd worry about. (And I suspect it would have a big impact on the cost of manufacturing things out of it, even though the end product would be essentially safe.)

What little I know about copper alloys suggest that the big issue is that many of them are relatively difficult to machine -- I know that the main reason tellurium copper alloys are sometimes used is ease of machining while still being about 99.5% copper.