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1. Feature Summary
Add support for 2.85mm Filament for softer TPU
2. Why this feature is needed
With Bambu Labs H3C now supporting 2.85mm Filament support for easier handle of softer TPU (75A or softer) its only logical that now the second best Toolchanger on the Market should have this feature so keep up with the true Multi-Material printing.
Its no secret Bambu Lab are one of the Leaders in the 3D Printing space and now with their 2.85mm support, that Filament type will soon be more available.
3. Expected outcome
Best outcome is some sort of Hardware Extruder Upgrade which everyone should be able to purchase and install to their already existing Toolhead.
An Alternative outcome which many would accept is a brand new complete Toolhead for around ~80€. This should be an easier development for the R&D Department since its just a Plug&Play solution.
Affected Products
Other
6 Likes
I hit the upvote! Strong decision from Bambu.
Seeing as I have a toolhead off my U1 at the moment, I did some sanity checks:
- I could just about get a 2.5mm rod in through the filament path and into the extruder wheels, but I doubt 2.85mm filament would.
- The filament path below the extruder is only sufficient for 2.1mm.
2.85mm filament would require not only a larger-bore nozzle entry (through the heat break) but also enlarged filament paths through the toolhead. Enlarging the filament paths would likely make the toolhead incompatible with 1.75mm filament (insufficient guiding), so it would have to be a specific toolhead version (and nozzles) adapted for 2.85mm filament.
I do not know whether there are any other pinch points: the feeders and the couplers. The PTFE tubing (3mm and 4mm) is obviously OK.
Update: the coupler seems OK.
2 Likes
Looks like a new Toolhead will be the way to go. But thats also acceptable. Since with the new Bambu Lab H3C its also the entire new Nozzle assembly
“I’ll buy that for a dollar!”
I’ve seen setups in which the TPU is fed from a gantry above the toolheads, bypassing the feed tubing completely. I would also expect that a new toolhead would be required for all the appropriate reasons and I would be willing to take that expense in hand.
(Quote from original Robocop)
I would doubt this would be cost effective to SM (though I’ve been wrong plenty of times!) Could be a 3rd party does it?
Would more likely think it would be something considered for a U2 model perhaps?
I don’t know if it would be worth it to go back to 2.85mm filament. Would need a 3mm path from the top of the toolhead through the hotend.
Maybe a third party toolhead/hotend manufacturer could pick this up.