RE: Bondtech Extruder for Prusa MINI

I hope you had better luck then me I keep having under / over extrusion issues. Even went back to the firmware 4.04 as I can save esteps with it.

RE: Bondtech Extruder for Prusa MINI

@oliver

27 US Dollars to Australia for Freight, works out to approx. $37.oo Australian Dollars really expensive for a small package

RE: Bondtech Extruder for Prusa MINI

FL62 already adapted the Bondtech to the mini before Bondtech published their design. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4179460

So you can use the parts from any normal BMG or Dual drive, you only have to print the parts from FL62. This might solve the shipping cost problem for the special bondtech extruder...

As FL62 build his own "mini" using many parts "flying around" he does not use the couplers prusa uses. So for his design a normal bmg to bowden adapter (like https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3780795) is used. To use his BMG-Drive on an original Prusa Mini with its special couplers, someone might modify thing:3780795 with the threads for Prusa's type of coupler. Shoud be easy - but sadly I have no skills in design and can not do it myself.

RE: Bondtech Extruder for Prusa MINI

For those running the BondTech extruder, are you also using the PID gcode suggested when replacing the heat Break? 
the instructions say to add the following:

add M301 P13.54 I0.98 D46.58 to the start G-code in the slicer before the ; intro line.

I Don't know exactly what that does. 

RE: Bondtech Extruder for Prusa MINI

@stevensmith

Yes, you should use these for the best results. These are the Proportional Integral and Derivative (PID) terms that are adjusted to properly control the temperature of the hot end.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PID_controller

RE: Bondtech Extruder for Prusa MINI

After installing the bondtech extruder, my first print seemed very 'wet' there was a lot of pops coming form the extruder. I thought my PLA was wet but also that was extremely unlikely, I just got it, it was fresh Prusament PLA. Then I noticed on a larger print, the first layer didnt pop at all, once it starting doing details, the popping came back. 

Turns out, the default retraction was set too high. The Bondtech was actually sucking in air with each retraction. 

I haven't tested extensively to find the sweet spot yet, but 2.5mm seems to work well enough for now.

Hopefully this helps someone in the future. 

What is everyone using for retraction with the bondtech? Same setting for PLA and PETG? 

RE: Bondtech Extruder for Prusa MINI

@malcmcm

I am using 2mm for retraction.

Also printing faster in the way that I upped the minimum speed in cooling.

But still testing had more issues than expected with this mod.

RE: Bondtech Extruder for Prusa MINI

For PETG I am currently using 2.4 retraction with a 50mm/s retraction speed.  

For PLA the prusement, or generic settings have been doing pretty well.

I would like to hear what others have done for PETG as that is what I primarily print.

RE: Bondtech Extruder for Prusa MINI

Well, whattdyaknow ... there are now clones available for this too. That did not take long. Bondtech upgrade is very niche on its own, is there any point in actually cloning this?

RE: Bondtech Extruder for Prusa MINI

I just upgraded mine today so I can share my experience for anyone considering or planning to do the same. My goal of this upgrade was to eliminate excessive stringing when printing small parts. So far it seems to have done the trick, but not without some tweaking. Here's how it went.

1. Printed a stringing test with the stock Mini hardware and printer profile for post-upgrade comparison ( https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2450004 ). Printed on Hatchbox PLA (also using the default Prusaslicer profile).
2. Upgraded to the Bondtech. I have to say this was an easy and fun upgrade. I added the new e-step settings to the "Start g-code" as outlined in the instructions.
3. Repeated the stringing test. Surprisingly, the results were identical to step one. Lots of strings and blobs.
4. After a lot of tweaking, I saved the following changes to my Mini printer profile, this is what I'll be using going forward:
   • Set retraction to 2mm
   • Enabled "Retract on Layer Change"
   • Reduced nozzle temperature from 210 to 200.
5. Printed string free!

I'm really pleased with this upgrade. I had tried these same settings with the stock extruder and wasn't ever able to totally eliminate stringing. The process is pretty painless, so if you can get your settings dialed in quickly you should be back up and running in under and hour.

RE: Bondtech Extruder for Prusa MINI

Hi everyone,

I have an issue with my yersterday upgraded bondtech extruder, there is more clicking than ever, when it comes to faster extrusion. The problem is, I found three options for where i have to place the gcode, bondtech says in their official description add M92 E415 to the start G-code in the slicer before the ; intro line, second option from the bondtech facebook page says On PrusaSlicer add to the Mini's Start G-code the following commands immediately after G29; mesh bed leveling: M92 E415; if you have the extruder upgrade, and the third option comes from a german 3d community 3dfans.de, which says after G80 you need to enter: M92 E415; if you have the extruder upgrade.

I tried all three options, nothing prevents the clicking, I also changed the nozzle.

From now on, I have no clue what I should do, can you please send me a pic of your gcode settings?

Thank you, greetings from Austria

RE: Bondtech Extruder for Prusa MINI

@steve-h16

You need to add custom start-gcode "M92 E415" in Prusa Slicer.

So correct eSteps is simply set on every print.

Bad side of that solution: Correct eSteps are not set before print, so you have to purge some times to fully load filament before first print.

Better solution: Cut bridge on the PCB, so you can flash custom firmware. Install python, git and notepad++ on your computer (do not forget to add it to your command path), than follow the instructions on github to clone the git repsody ( https://github.com/prusa3d/Prusa-Firmware-Buddy). Instead of git clone --recurse https://github.com/prusa3d/Prusa-Firmware-Buddy.git do a git clone --recurse https://github.com/prusa3d/Prusa-Firmware-Buddy.git -b RELEASE-4.2.0to clone the actual release. After doing so, edit /include/marlin/Configuration_A3ides_2209_MINI.h.

Change { 100, 100, 400, 325 } to { 100, 100, 400, 415 } and save.

Than compile bbf. Takes some time, but working quite well.

I did it myself and worked well (after some hours to find out Master branch is not always working and you have to check out last release).

I did some modified versions you can simply download ( https://c.1und1.de/@519863702220964192/On6zSoVoS5m5koJ1mmczlg ). The version you need is firmware_4.2.0_BMG (the others are some versions with push-through heatbreak, limited to 255°C, and Igus-Bushings on x with a little more current, you do not need them).

RE: Bondtech Extruder for Prusa MINI

Posted by: @oliver-andre-u

@steve-h16

 

I did it myself and worked well (after some hours to find out Master branch is not always working and you have to check out last release).

 

What exactly do you mean:

"I did it myself and worked well (after some hours to find out Master branch is not always working and you have to check o"

Is the firmware faulty or are there errors during compilation?

Thanks!

RE: Bondtech Extruder for Prusa MINI

I just upgraded to this myself. This is probably silly because this is a brand new hobby and I still am just learning about this all the pieces and how they interact together (but what better way to learn?). I also wanted to try flex.

So far this extruder seems far more reliable, as I had the old extruder spin out many times. I do seem to be seeing more hotend clogging, but not sure why (does having a better extruder create the possibility of more heat creep, which is why they also recommend the heat-break?). 

Right now I'm reprinting several things I had printed prior to compare and see if print quality has suffered at all. Would changing out the extruder affect the print quality (of course this assumes I have done the gcode change)?

RE: Bondtech Extruder for Prusa MINI

I've just install Bondtech extruder and heat brake, cheap, easy to install, no more blocking or girding! Perfect prints 🙂 recommend to all 🙂  

RE: Bondtech Extruder for Prusa MINI

@jeffnicol

Yeah after having some initial issues, likely due to some hotend issues rather than the extruder itself, I'm happy to say the extruder is working really well for me. I had considered the heat break but wasn't sure what to make of this terrible review: 

https://www.printedsolid.com/collections/bondtech/products/bondtech-stainless-steel-heat-break-for-prusa-mini

It's good to hear people are having better experiences with it. 

RE: Bondtech Extruder for Prusa MINI

@cendrizzi

That review IMO is bulls**t , lol ....

I cut my teeth on an Ender 3 Pro, I know all about the heat creep nightmare! I bought the Bondtech Extruder and heat brake before my mini was delivered, I'd research and  knew the possible problems 🙂 Bondtech is a trusted vendor in the 3D world, IMO,  I ran the mini hard for 4 days as stock and sure as s**t it all went to hell, grinding and blocked hotend 🙁  The machine is now running perfect after this cheap and simply mods.  

RE: Bondtech Extruder for Prusa MINI

@jeffnicol

What mods did you do?  

RE: Bondtech Extruder for Prusa MINI

@charles-h13

Installing the Bondtech Extruder + Heat-brake 🙂 

RE: Bondtech Extruder for Prusa MINI

@jeffnicol

That's great to hear. I'm going to get one then. I'm not sure if I have had heat creep issues, as I'm still quite new to this, but I think I have as I've had some blocked hotends quite a few times (with grinding from the original extruder). 

I want to order it from printed solid if they would ever get it back in stock... (Their Jesse filament seems to work well for my money and is cheap, so I could get that with the filament and qualify for free shipping).