I’m contemplating buying a 3D printer for prototyping and wanted one that can print with different types of filaments. so I’m wondering what does it take to print in different filaments, like do you just change the nosle for a different material? or is it more complicated than that?. i’m asking because I want to get a budget 3D printer (a Wanhoa most likely) and put most of my investment in the head rather on the printer itself.
Thank you
The nozzle matters less than the heating setup. A few materials (like PLA) will print at low nozzle temperatures without a heated bed. For the most flexibility, you’ll want a machine with a heated bed to prevent parts from curling up mid-print (e.g. ABS). You’ll also want a machine that supports high nozzle temperatures. PLA and ABS can be printed under 230C, but nylon and other less-common materials may need to print in the 250-300C range. The machine has to have a power supply that can safely power the heating element to higher temperatures.
Look up some of the materials you want to use. Manufacturers and retailers should list extrusion temperatures.
thank you for the answer, so I have to look for 3D Printer with a Nozzle that handles 250-300C temps (I guess a proper cooling fan for that too) and a Power supply that can supply the right amount of power.
Also, make sure you buy a printer that is capable of being enclosed; that may give you less headaches with curling and warping on higher-temperature plastics than an open printer would (something like the Wanhao Duplicator 4S)
Also make sure that the printer’s heatbed that you choose can reach temperatures like 110-120 degrees, as those will be the best printing temperatures for filaments like ABS and Polycarbonate
Otherwise, @Tim_Visible , is bang on; to print most exotic materials, you will need a high-temperature capable or all metal hotend, a common choice being an E3D V6
Hope it helps
The nozzle is only the very tip of your hot end, and they’re all made out of materials that can handle such high temperatures. The part you need to look at is slightly further up the hot end, and it’s generally called the heat break.
If it’s made out of metal (and made well by a reputable manufacturer, like E3D) then you’ll be able to print in any material you can find, you just need a heater cartridge, power supply, and temperature sensor that can have it. But if the heat break is made out of a plastic of some kind, you’ll be significantly limited on temperature and will generally only be able to print in PLA or ABS.
Heated beds are used to overcome thermal warping, the hot end needs to be able to handle the hottest melt temp of the plastic you are using. The extruder should be direct drive if you want best results with flexible materials
Thank you all for your answers I have an idea of what I should do, I will make a list of parts I will be buying and I will surely post it here to get your feedbacks and suggestion on them.