Nozzles  

How do you tell when to replace a nozzle?

Hi,

Have read all the interesting info on nozzles, but forgive me a dummie question: How do you tell it’s time to replace a nozzle?

What are the signs on your print of a bad nozzle?

I have had my I3Mk3s for two years, printed more than 15 kg’s of PLA with the original 0.4 nozzle. Still going fine in my eyes.
Anything I should look for?

thanks

Ole

20kg of vanilla PLA is a reasonable target but a quarter of a spool of metal or CF fill may wreck one.

The first sign is a general reduction in detail that doesn't respond to the usual remedies.  If, when you are extruding the colour change on loading a new filament the extruded plastic curls tightly against the nozzle that is a sign to check for wear.  If you miss these you may get extrusion issues as the nozzle bore changes resistance and messes the internal pressures - and there might be attachment issues.

Under a glass the nozzle tip may be rounded, shortened so the ratio of tip diameter and bore is off, or grooved - all these are hints that a change is due.

Cheerio,

RE: Nozzles

3dMakerEngineering.com reports TC nozzles back in stock.  Both 0.4 and 0.6 flavors.

Posted by: @artur5

TC nozzles have been in 'sold out' condition at 3Dmaker for many months. That leaves Spool3D in Canada as the only supplier of TC nozzles currently in stock?. Do you know folks any other supplier/manufacturer out there?. I'm not considering models made from a metal body and a TC tip.

 

RE: Nozzles

Thanks for the warning, Eric !

RE: Nozzles

I would recommend going with a slightly larger nozzle size for abrasives.

RE: Nozzles

My idea is to get 0.4 and 0.6m TC nozzles as I plan to use them for all kinds of filaments.

Checking the prices and currency exchange rates, I see that Spool3D in Canada is  cheaper than 3dmakerEngineering, if you purchase from Europe, but the difference is small. Both companies seem to be very reliable so I’ll probably toss a coin to decide where I purchase the nozzles. 😏 

RE: Nozzles

I would choose 3dmaker engineering because the nozzles are more accurately manufactured in terms of surface quality. I have been working with these nozzles for a long time and have not used brass nozzles anymore.

wbr,

Karl

RE: Nozzles

why ?

RE: Nozzles

nozzle X is the best lifetime warranty have been using it since they launched 3 half years ago cf abs petg pla at .4 haverecently got the .6 and its just as good imo

RE: Nozzles

Posted by: @karl-herbert

I would choose 3dmaker engineering because the nozzles are more accurately manufactured in terms of surface quality. I have been working with these nozzles for a long time and have not used brass nozzles anymore.

wbr,

Karl

Yes, looking at the pictures of the nozzles, those from 3dmakerengineering look smoother and better finished.

One thing bothers me though. They claim a hole tolerance of 0.05mm, which seems wrong, 0.4mm nozzles with that tolerance would range from 0.35 to 0.45mm. in diameter !. I hope and expect that this is a typo and the real tolerance is 0.005 mm

RE: Nozzles

I would ask what exactly the tolerance specification refers to. I myself do not have a gauge to check this.

wbr,

Karl

RE:

I took it for granted that it refers to the orifice at the tip of the nozzle. Of course it could be the entry of the filament at the top ( nominally 1.75mm ). Even so, 0.05mm. tolerance seems on the high side.

I sent 3dmakerengineering a message asking for more details about this matter and I hope to have their answer soon.

RE: Nozzles

Yup.  Sent 'em a message too.  11:48 am their time.  No excuse to not hear from them soon.

RE: Nozzles

Some of these folks work day jobs.  I would be patient.  

Posted by: @eric-e

Yup.  Sent 'em a message too.  11:48 am their time.  No excuse to not hear from them soon.

RE: Nozzles

Got a reply from 3dMakerEnineering quite promptly, but just before I went out of town.  Here it is:

If you look at the E3D drawing this is the general tolerance they give for their orifice. With that said, we actually gauge ours +/-0.02mm. We just advertise this to align with E3D since they are the design owner. If you have any other questions please let me know!

Still in stock, love mine, YMMV,

RE: Nozzles

thank you for the response. Tolerances in the range of +-0.02mm are all right. You can work fine with that 👍 

wbr,

Karl

RE: Nozzles

Thanks for the feedback, Eric.  So far, I got no answer from 3Dmakerenginnering to my query. You were luckier.

+-0.02mm seems OK, although other manufacturers claim as low as 0.01mm. but for brass or steel nozzles, not TC.

RE: Nozzles

https://replitech.ca/products/cemented-tungsten-carbide-nozzle

RE: Nozzles

Good day. I have bought CHT 0.5mm nozzle and i see problem. No profiles for it in prusaslicer. Started to check forums and tests - it is like a lot of data which is in some posts obsolete as it was tested in 3mk old version, some of them just specific G code for testing. Maybe someone has actual 3mks+ 0.5 cht nozzle profiles which is tested and workable. Quality and Speed, general PETG, PLA is enought to start from for me. 

RE: Nozzles

I sort of had the same situation happen to me when I bought my first TC nozzle at .3 (which was the smallest that Spool3D.ca had at the time).  I had to play around with profiles to get one working nicely.

This year, they released a .25 TC nozzle, so I purchased one and replaced my .3 nozzle with it.  Now, I can use the .25 nozzle profile that comes with Prusa Slic3r without having to tweak since thermal conductivity and such is pretty much the same.

I've just gotten my hands on another MK3S+ and will get a .6 TC nozzle for it.  Since I don't do multiple prints of the same thing, the idea is to have one for finer prints and the other for less precise prints, since the benefit of doing that is that my .25 can got to .15 nicely, and move to my other printer with the .6 to start at .2 layer height to .4