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Print with PLA or ABS

Posted by BobHewson 
Print with PLA or ABS
March 20, 2013 11:30AM
I plan to print a new hinged extruder. Most parts and extruders I have seen online appear to be printed with ABS.

Would PLA print a servicable exrtuder?

My reason for preferring PLA is that is all I have used. No plan to use ABS and it's higher print head temperatures.

Bob
Re: Print with PLA or ABS
March 20, 2013 11:41AM
After many, many hundreds of hours, my pla extruder had slightly warped in the middle (quick fit, only held be the ends). It still worked fine, and I replaced it recently for a different reason. YMMV, but it should work ok.
Re: Print with PLA or ABS
March 20, 2013 11:42AM
Print two, make sure a fan is directed to the hot end and you will be fine. ALWAYS have a spare, i.e if you swap extruder, print a new one.

Mine did warp, but I didn't use a fan, it took the best part of a year to become unusable, luckily I had spares.

So yes, PLA is fine, just be cautious.
Re: Print with PLA or ABS
March 20, 2013 12:15PM
You should be OK as long as you're printing PLA. If you try to print ABS, you will need to aggressively cool as you are printing.

I had this issue when I first started to try printing with ABS - everything I had done until then was with PLA. As I was printing, the extruder and the X carriage softened creating a HUGE y wobble issue. There was variation up to 3 or 4 millimeters and the part was unusable. I replaced with my spare PLA parts, printed a new spare in PLA, and then printed in ABS with constant monitoring and cooling. I got it done, and now I have a policy for myself that my X carriage, extruder and all of their related parts will be in ABS.

But again - that's because I want to print in ABS from time to time. If you are staying with PLA only, you should be OK with the above advice.
Re: Print with PLA or ABS
March 20, 2013 12:44PM
Print 2 don't learn the hard way like I did.
Re: Print with PLA or ABS
March 21, 2013 07:00PM
Hello, what is the temperature for this hot end with 1.75mm ABS plastic described BELOW?

Reason is I'm new but, I can not get the ABS Plastic hot enough it seems.
I Don't know what temp it's suppose to be at. The temp its at now is 230 I figured might have to be up more

It melts but won't go fast enough through nozzle then plastic BREAKS and gets hung up in the hobbed bolt

My Setup is below>

Software: Pronterface, Slic3r for stl and GCODE,and freecad for STL's

Standard Prusa Mendel i2 RepRap 3D printer model put together fully and calibrated
With a 12V by 25AMP Power supply
Plastic 1.75 ABS

RepRap 3D Printer MK4 MKIV J-Head >>>>>>>Hot End 0.4mm nozzle 1.75mm filamnet<<<<<<<
Sanguinololu Rev 1.3a, ATmega 1284P

STEPPER motor Setup:
A4988 Stepper Driver-Reprap Prusa Mendel Sanguinololu RAMPS


HOPE this info was helpful. I think I should raise the temp for this 1.75mm plastic line. But, I'm new so I don't know:-(
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