MFA Tube Max Temperature

I've been using some mfa tube I got off mcmaster for my bowden tube, going into my E3DLite6. The maximum working temperature stated by mcmaster is 485F (250C) while still retaining its mechanical properties.

What is the theoretical maximum temperature this tube can be used as a bowden tube, going inside the hot end and pressed against the back of the nozzle.

If this has been discussed before, I apologize, I must have missed the thread in my research.

I may be wrong, but I don't think it's normal practice for the Bowden tube to go all the way down to the nozzle.

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Ultra MegaMax Dominator 3D printer: [drmrehorst.blogspot.com]

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the_digital_dentist
I may be wrong, but I don't think it's normal practice for the Bowden tube to go all the way down to the nozzle.

In the lite version it does, they have drawings online.

Oh my!

I have the non-lite version. IRIC, the tube goes down into the stainless part and stops just above the heat break.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/20/2016 10:34AM by the_digital_dentist.

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Ultra MegaMax Dominator 3D printer: [drmrehorst.blogspot.com]

I'm waiting for an M6 female nozzle, that I want to put on the end of the 6mm throat(long), and I'm planning on having the PTFE (only want PLA) bowden tube going all the way through in one piece, just to see how it works out...might be a PIA when you need to trim it though, so might make more sense to have 2 pieces, decisions decisions.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/22/2016 01:58PM by MechaBits.

I'm still not sure what the maximum working temperature is for MFA tube (does anyone know?) but I successfully printed taulman nylon and t-glase at 250C and 245C respectively. I actually had very little warping on parts surprisingly enough, even with my non-heated print bed with a glue stick. Took the tube out of the Lite6, and it didn't look any different than before. Looks like most normal temperatures should be fine with MFA tube.

By the power of google, I found the following about MFA tube [www.scantube.com]

There is also PDF properties.pdf from the same company showing the max temperatures for other types of tubes used. (Peek and PTFE)
MFA was 240, PTFE is 260 and peek is 250 all in degrees C. Seems fairly normal as the default thermistors peek out at 300 degrees c.

If you wish to try the higher temp filaments I would upgrade to an all metal hot-end

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That's continuous service temperature, and doesn't even show how it was tested or calculated, so I ignored it entirely. Like I said, I printed at 250C for several hours, and though that may not have been long enough to be conclusive, it certainly worked without any problems or damage to the tube.

The actual working temperature for printing should be higher than stated because those are (AFAIK) with safety margins, and are most likely the temperatures when the material begins to lose it's mechanical properties, not the temperatures it would need to be at to begin to fail at a given task.

So I'm asking: Does anyone actually know anything else about this?

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Masterjuggler
That's continuous service temperature, and doesn't even show how it was tested or calculated, so I ignored it entirely. Like I said, I printed at 250C for several hours, and though that may not have been long enough to be conclusive, it certainly worked without any problems or damage to the tube.

Look at this way a 15amp fuse won't blow with a continuous 16 amps running thorough it but give it 20amps and you get one big bang.
It's working limit could be higher than 250C and it was able to cope with that temperature for a few hours, your manufacturer of your hot-end stated 250C. The PDF file I linked to came from a manufacturer of that type of tubing who also stated 250 as it's max. Over time the tubing might start to break down. Also just because your hot-end is at 250C doesn't always mean that the tube is at that exact temperature; It could be few degrees lower but then your tube does go to the bottom but it's hard to know it's exact temperature. Rep Rap single nozzles have a PTFE tube lining the inside the nozzle and it's not recommended to take the temp above 230C

What type of material are you looking at printing with when running at 250C?

Quote
Masterjuggler
The actual working temperature for printing should be higher than stated because those are (AFAIK) with safety margins, and are most likely the temperatures when the material begins to lose it's mechanical properties, not the temperatures it would need to be at to begin to fail at a given task.

So I'm asking: Does anyone actually know anything else about this?

Printing temps for PLA shouldn't go above 200 maybe 230 tops! It's norm range is 190-200,
ABS starts/prints at 230C other filaments could be in the range of 215-250C I.E. Form Futura HD Glass.
From reading post upon this forum the basic default thermistor will start to fail at 300C and most printer owners will upgrade to a thermocouple as their temp range is higher and are able to cope with the requirement needed for special filament.
If you like details about how they got the figures upon the file; I'm sure if you send them a nice email they will explain how they got them.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/23/2016 11:35AM by orictosh.

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