Upgrade MK3/MMU2 -> MK3s/MMU2s experience
Hello,
I've finally decided to upgrade my fine working MK3/MMU2 to the "s" version. This is my experience of the upgrade and first impression.
First of all I took the chance to change the extruder plastic parts to PC-MAX. As I was still using the old R3 version and R4 is required I had to rebuild the extruder. This is a little bit more complicated route. As there is no manual for that. In total it was a mix of MK3s build manual, together with the MK3->MK3s and MMU2->MMU2s upgrade manuals. It was a little bit more work to figure everything out but all manuals and comments in the manual are golden. Everything was easy to understand how it should work. Everything took me around 10 hours.
Here are some thoughts about the changes:
* The new PTFE tube diameter is much smaller then before. I haven't measured it but it looks like it has changed from 2mm to 1.8mm. That will get interesting during operation. The nozzle cloggs will most likely get harder to remove. On the other hand the filament tips look better now and if they are too thick, extruder will reject it during loading procedure which is good.
* The mechanical construction for the MMU2s/IR sensor need to be calibrated spot on. There is no big tolerance for misplacement. I can see why many people are struggling at this step.
* The IR sensor connector is different for MK2.5 and MK3. You can see it in the manual. Mine was for MK2.5 and I required for MK3. There was no big deal to change the location of the sensor pin cable. It was also easy to verify with the volt meter that the sensor is working and just sitting on the wrong pin.
* The filament path got some nice improvements. Everything is tighter together. Let's see how that performs in the long run. In case of stuck filament a slightly different approach is required now as you can't open the door to the bondtech gears.
* First prints are looking good. I've seen rejects, retries to feed the filament and loading issues already. But that was expected because of the not so perfect filament. The printer handles this issues now a lot more confident. That's exactly the improvement I hoped to see.
Overall the first impression is good. A long run tests in the following weeks (I have already couple prints in the pipeline) will unveil how the "s"-Version performs. I don't expect 100% "print and forget" prints but if I can keep my near 100% print success rate then it was worth it 😀
Regards,
Nikolai
Often linked posts:
Going small with MMU2
Real Multi Material
My prints on Instagram
RE: Upgrade MK3/MMU2 -> MK3s/MMU2s experience
When doing the initial calibration, how am I supposed to move the IR sensor holder (aka the tower) without also moving the filament sensor cover (aka base)? There are two screws: the first holds the tower to the base, and the second holds the tower and base to the extruder. If I loosen screw 2 enough to allow me to shift the tower, the base moves as well. If I let the base slide, then the filament won't line up between the Bondtech gears. As soon as I tighten the screws, the whole tower shifts, such that the sensor no longer triggers. What am I doing wrong?
I solve problems, usually with computers ...
RE: Upgrade MK3/MMU2 -> MK3s/MMU2s experience
I've also loosen both bolts. The movement was less then 1mm and it didn't really affect the filament path.
But if you really have to move so far then you should check the lever and maybe cut it out like described in the manual. Maybe also check if there is any debris.
Often linked posts:
Going small with MMU2
Real Multi Material
My prints on Instagram
RE: Upgrade MK3/MMU2 -> MK3s/MMU2s experience
I ended up re-printing the tower and the cover using the latest models and rebuilding the chimney. The resulting sensor now works fine.
I solve problems, usually with computers ...