How do you get soluble interface to happen? Am I an idiot?
Hi. First post. Need some help. I've reached out to Support chat, but their response was to request my STL and they would look at it. So, thought I would try my luck here.
I've got a MK3 with MMU2. Haven't had it long but this is my first FDM printer upgrade from my ancient hand-built RepRap Mendel. 🙂
Anyway, I've gotten some great single color prints out of it. Even managed a couple of multi color prints. I've had some issues, a problem with firmware that led to Support recommending Bowden tube calibration. But I've gotten past the initial issues and had a decent 5 filament print yesterday. The only issues were probably due to combining PLA and PETG in the same print, but I was having fun with what I had, right. 😀
So today, I setup to do my first soluble interface print. Just got some GizmoDorks PVA in, and I need a nice dragon mini for my D&D game. 😎 Setup the model in Slic3r PE (1.41.1+), using 0.15mm Optimal Soluble Interface for print settings, Support interface extruder marked as 5. For filament settings, I modified the Verbatim BVOH settings for a temp of 180. And of course marked that on Ext5 and loaded that to the MMU. I also assigned an extruder to the part I was printing, so I would know that it would grab the color I wanted, Ext2 in this case. So, let's get to the issues.
During the print, when it gets to the layer that it should use the interface material, the MMU unloads the filament it was printing with (Ext2), switches over to Ext5 and loads the PVA material. The movement motors (x and y) begin moving the extruder over the wipe tower/purge block but the extruder motor does not move. It will then move thru the print motions but the extruder motor does not move (i have a motor visualizer which doesn't move during this). After it finishes the interface layer, the MMU will unload the PVA filament (which has not been used or even pushed down into the nozzle), then switch back to Ext2 and continue the print, which works as intended.
Obviously something is not right, but I've got no ideas. Anybody able the help me out?
Re: How do you get soluble interface to happen? Am I an idiot?
something odd with the filament settings? maybe load something else as default. and see if it works. it sounds like filament 5 works. so it's gotta be a setting.
I have a Prusa,therefore I research.
Re: How do you get soluble interface to happen? Am I an idiot?
Question about a setting in Slic3r PE:
Under Print Settings/Multiple Extruders at the bottom of the page is
Advanced - Interface Shells
Should this be checked on for interface to work?
Re: How do you get soluble interface to happen? Am I an idiot?
My issue has been solved by updating to the latest firmware 3.5.0 for the printer and 1.0.2 for the MMU. No other changes were made to filament profiles or any other parameter. I simply flashed the new firmware and resliced the file. The printer performed as expected.
However, using a second material greatly increases the print time and due to the flexible nature of PVA filament, it did have an unload failure overnight when a loop formed in the extruder gear area, rather than pushing the filament back up the bowden tube. I fixed the issue this morning, but subsequent layers failed to adhere properly resulting in layer separation. So overall, the print failed and has given me a sense that soluble supports, even for just interface, is not worth it unless it is an internal support that can only be removed after the print is finished by dissolving.