can one printer print two different models???
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I was wondering if I could use the IDEX set up to print two different models simultaneously on two corners of the bed.
This would mean defining another extruder motor with a different step per mm and other extruder parameters. Both extruders move simultaneously but at different rates and different steps(one may move 5mm while other moves 50mm).
And also making sure both the extruders are done with their first layer and only then do a layer change. -
@georgepaul issue with IDEX is the models would need to be the same in Y. to do that you need IDEXY - fun mechanical challenge.
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@georgepaul I would say it can't, because the Y axis is shared. To print two models then means printing at different times, which is the same as printing them one after the other (you need no idex then).
There was a discussion somewhere to print having a printer with two independent x-y-extruder by a construction in different levels. The only problem is, they cannot cross their lines because of the height of the heater. -
@georgepaul I found the discussion: https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?397,714601
(not exactly the discussion which i meant, maybe I'll find it)A nice overview: https://www.fabbaloo.com/blog/2018/3/16/the-several-methods-of-dual-extrusion
I found an article from 2014 (!) with an interesting printer: https://3dprint.com/13310/theta-3d-printer/
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The ideXY approach also has it's limitations if the print time is not equal in both models for any given layer:
One head would have to idle until the other finishes resulting in oozing therefore unkonwn amount of filament remaining in the head at the end of the idling (start of new layer) resulting in bobs and / or gaps.
Or another approach is to re-prime the head after each layer which is just a waste of filament -
Thank you @joergs5.. will look into it and keep you posted
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@t3p3tony sure is going to be fun
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@denke wow.. i Dint think of the Oozing.. something more to worry about now
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But is it possible to run two or more extruders... more like mixing extruders but independent, without the ratio thingy???
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@georgepaul yes you can send gcode like:
G1 X1 Y2 U1 V2 E100:75
this implies you have 4 axis XY and UV so different gantres, with two extruders and are driving E0 with 100 steps and E1 with 75 steps
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Wow @t3p3tony... this was really useful. I made the following changes in the config and it worked... Duet surprises me every day... It has solved my problem for now
M92 X640.00 Y640.00 Z3200.00 E200:200:200:200:200 ; Set steps per mm
; Tools
M563 P0 D0:1:2:3:4 H1 ; Define tool 0
G10 P0 X0 Y0 Z0 ; Set tool 0 axis offsets
G10 P0 R0 S0 ; Set initial tool 0 active and standby temperatures to 0C -
The Gcode that I tried is;
G1 E10:100 :200:300:400
and the motors (E0, E1, E2, E3, E4)danced along.
I tried 5 extruder motors just out of curiosity -
IDXY - how would one write the print file for that?
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@CJ-BRAVO I'm not an expert here, I'm not sure any such slicer exists, but I could imagine a work around with using python or similar to merge two separately sliced gcode files...
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yeah but lets say you spliced the gcode, you would still have 2 separate tools with a tool change? no?
any gcode magic to work 2 tools at the same time?
