Dual extrusion with E3D chimera - experience

felt342

Hello,

Can somebody share please working dual extrusion tool change files, especially if someone achieved it working with E3D chimera setup?

I have couple of complications with it, and I only managed to work it better-leaving temperature always constant even then the tool is free. I just use retraction in tool-change files, so filament goes out of melting zone and then undo retraction by a bit less amount, like that:

retract 8mm
undo retract 7.5

But even then I have filament coming out before its start printing. So print becomes a bit messy with filament around from leaking nozzle.

Can somebody shine a light on it, what is the best approach, or just share your experience? Thank you in advance!

jens55

I use the same setup and I too have a bit of a messy print with tiny bits of the non-active extruder in the print.
One thing I found essential is to use standby temperatures where the non-active extruder cools down in order to not 'drool' but also to not cook the filament in the non-active extruder.
I only retract about a mm as I get clogs if I retract more. This is in a bowden setup.
My tool-change files are in a state of transition and not tested yet with RRF3 which I just updated to. There is nothing magic in there but in my case I extrude 10 mm of filament. I do of course have to use a tower with that configuration.
I use volcano hot blocks and if I left the temperatures constant I believe I would have a lot more drooling.

felt342

I do have a bowden as well in my setup. Can you please tell me how did you set to use a tower? Thanks!

jens55

@felt342 the tower is a feature of the slicer. I use Cura. The tower is part of the dual extrusion configuration "enable prime tower"

felt342

Oh... I expected that what its something with slicer. Then it looks like Simplify3D doesn`t have it, or I am blind? Do you know that?

jens55

Sorry, don't know anything about Simplyfy3d ... but I would be surprised if it didn't support a prime tower (assuming it supports dual extrusions)

felt342

@jens55

Will check it tonight! Thanks!

Dr_Ju_Ju

You just need to add another extruder in the FFF settings\Extruder & configure accordingly....

felt342

@Dr_Ju_Ju

Yeah, indeed it's pretty god damn easy....!
Then I assume there is no point to figure out something in tool change files - the only retraction in/out probably.

Thanks!

felt342

@Dr_Ju_Ju

I was trying to print infill with different extruder just for a test. Is there a way to set up what each layer will be primed with left and right extruder? Image explains what is happening now -

Thanks!