MeltInk PLA/PHA Blend?

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The Rigger
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MeltInk PLA/PHA Blend?

Post by The Rigger »

I've had the devil's own time getting this stuff to adhere for a good First Layer... Don't let the PLA fool you; it *needs* glue stick or hairspray on clean glass, or it'll wipe off all over the place; don't let the PLA label fool you...

I'm using these fierce colors along with SMC's house brand Arctic White PLA to do a big DNA double-helix molecule... So far, using a MAX v2 with an E3Dv6 hot end with 0.4 or 0.6 nozzles, I've gotten acceptable results running the heat at 210-212°C, one thin layer of glue stick on the glass, and the bed heated to 55-60°C.

(EDIT: Oh; and RAFTS!!! Rafts akimbo!! But that's partly because of how this print slice-up has build it's supports for overhanging parts.)

What's your best combo for MeltInk?
-Dave
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sfuelberth
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Re: MeltInk PLA/PHA Blend?

Post by sfuelberth »

I have a bit of the MeltInk PLA/PHA. I found that to print on bare glass I need the bed at 70 - 75°C, I started out down around 55 - 60°C and the increased bed temp helped a lot. I've used the Blue, Yellow, Lillac, Pink and Glow in the Dark (which I still have more testing to do to get things to print consistently) and as long as I have a nice clean bed I have not had any issues with it sticking directly to glass. If the bed is oily though, I have had some small issues. I did originally try some hairspray with it, and I actually found it pretty hard to remove a few failed prints that I aborted on the first few layers.

Also depending on the print speed, etc I will go up to 225 on the HE280, this is using a 0.4 mm nozzle.

I currently have a 40 hour print going and its directly on the glass, this is my longest print on this printer and so far its looking good and sticking to the bed.

I'd try and higher temp on the build plate, that seemed to help the most.
geneb
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Re: MeltInk PLA/PHA Blend?

Post by geneb »

I've been running the Command Green PHA/PLA on Orion Lannister with the HE280 @ 230C/60C. This crap is AMAZING. No warps, no strings, and prints like butter.
I'm 12 parts into the mostly printed CNC machine project and they're coming out great. I'm using S3D with 55% fast honeycomb infill, .26 layer height at 30mm/sec. I could probably go faster, but I want these parts to be as good as possible considering their intended use. (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:724999)

Here's a pic of my upgraded Orion:

[img]http://imgur.com/rCTSWsh[/img]

g.
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sfuelberth
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Re: MeltInk PLA/PHA Blend?

Post by sfuelberth »

I do like the PLA/PHA better than straight PLA.
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