![]() ![]() The maintenance and build volume drawbacks are probably unavoidable, but contamination and collision can be solved. This is especially noticeable when upgrading from single to dual head. Relatively smaller build volume: Since the extruders themselves take up some length on the X axis, dual-head printers will have a smaller build volume compared to single-head given the same printer frame size.More maintenance: Twice the hot ends means twice as many parts to check, clean and replace when there are jams or clogs.Cross contamination and collision: In dual-color printing, the idle extruder can ooze material due to residual heat and cause contamination when it glides over the printed part, or even bump into it if the nozzle is too low. ![]() However, dual extruders also have some flaws: Dual extruder has also become a common feature on many budget products, allowing more users to experience the benefits of dual printing. With the growth of the 3D printing industry, desktop printers are more affordable and easier to use nowadays. Software advancements have made dual extruders more user-friendly and reliable, allowing wider adoption. They also do well in assigning different model parts to be printed by each nozzle to maximize use and minimize idle nozzles. The slicing algorithms are better at planning optimal toolpaths for dual extruders to minimize travel moves and retracts. The popularity of dual extruder goes hand in hand with improvements in slicing software. It is mechanically simple to build a dual extruder system by just duplicating parts, but the real challenge is in the software. This improves overall uptime and reliability. In single-extrusion printing, if the active extruder fails or clogs, or the filament runs out, the idle extruder can take over and finish the remainder of the print. After printing, soaking the print in water dissolves away the supports, leaving behind a smooth printed surface.ĭual extruders also enable some additional functions, such as a backup mode. Taking advantage of this property, it can be used as a support material to fill some difficult-to-reach geometries that allow liquid to flow into. It is highly sensitive to moisture and decomposes when in contact with water. ![]() PVA (Polyvinyl Alcohol) is the most commonly used one. Soluble materials can dissolve in water or other solvents. And if you don’t do it properly, your print can be ruined by marks, pits, divots or blemishes on the surface finish.īreakaway support materials are formulated to have low interlayer adhesion and be mechanically brittle, so they break away cleanly with little force. Removing supports after printing can be tedious and time consuming. The ability to print easily detachable (or “breakaway” as a trade name) and soluble supports is perhaps the primary reason most people buy a dual extruder 3D printer. In contrast, when using a dual extruder printer, you can set different parameters for each extruder directly in the slicer software, and complete dual material printing in one print job. Rather than risking it with great effort, it's better to just print them separately and glue them together. However, if you want to use two different materials on the same object, for example ABS and TPU to print a flexible/rigid combined object, manually changing filament can be very troublesome, and is prone to failed prints because optimal settings for the two materials are different. Even with a single extruder, similar effects can be achieved by manually changing the filament. Snapmaker Dual Extrusion 3D Printing Module mounted on Snapmaker 2.0 This allows more complex and colorful prints. Why are dual extruder 3D printers trending?ĭual extruder can print objects using two different filament colors or types on the same print. In fact, dual extruder 3D printers have become more and more common in recent years, and are even trending to replace single-head printers. So, which is better - single or dual? If your pocket is deep enough, two is better than one for the most part. ![]() Most printers only have one extruder, while some have two. Finally, the liquified material is evenly extruded out of the nozzle onto the heated bed, stacking up layer by layer to form a 3D object. Whether direct drive or Bowden, different extruders work pretty much the same way - the filament is inserted into the extruder, and the motor and gears drive it into the hot end, which will then use electrical heating (e.g., resistance heating) to melt the filament. ![]()
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