Anycubic Photon Ultra

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The first affordable consumer DLP 3D printer Shenzhen, China – July 15th 2021  —  Anycubic launching Photon Ultra on Kickstarter. Elevator pitch Anycubic, the established 3D printer brand known for its high-quality and affordable printers, is coming to Kickstarter with a world premiere: world’s first affordable, high-precision DLP 3D printer for consumers. DLP printers are […]

Simplycolor3d Version 2 on Kickstarter!

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SimplyColor3D 2.0 is an app that converts single color 3D models into MultiColor 3D models. Users can paint any 3D model in the app, then convert the model into  a MultiColor 3D model and download that model for MultiColor 3D printing. It works with every Slicer and 3D Printer.   The output from SimplyColor3D 2.0 can […]

Slice Engineering Copperhead Hotend!

We are fans of Slice engineering and are impressed by their new products. We had tested and reviewed their mosquito last year. Now they recently launched a new hot end that is awesome and a bit more affordable.

, The Copperhead 3D Printer Hot End
The Copperhead hot end [Source: Slice Engineering]

The Copperhead is designed by Slice Engineering, a Florida-based firm that previously introduced the Mosquito hot end, a  450C device that featured a “one handed change” capability. Now they’ve come up with an improved hot end they call the Copperhead. 

There’s a good reason for calling it the Copperhead, as it is made from a great deal of copper. As you can see in this diagram, they use a bimetallic structure involving copper, aluminum and steel elements. 

They’re attempting to increase the effectiveness of the heatbreak. This is the component that separates the cold and hot zones within the device, and it is critical to correct extrusion. 

The reason has to do with the contradiction required within the “hot end”. One segment must heat up and soften the filament suitable for extrusion, but the other end must maintain a colder temperature so that the filament remains rigid and able to be pushed into the hot zone. 

3D Printer Heatbreak Problems

Today’s hot ends generally do this quite well. If they don’t, then the filament becomes soft where it should not and extrusion problems result. Usually this is a stripped filament, as the gears gripping the filament simply pull off chunks of soft material rather than pushing the filament. 

But there’s another effect that’s been happening in 3D printing these days: high temperature 3D printing. This is a result of increased interest in the use of engineering materials such as PEEK or ULTEM. 

These high temperature materials require, obviously, higher extrusion temperatures. But that means the hot zone is hotter, and the cold zone must somehow remain cold despite being attached to a much hotter hot zone. 

If inefficient, the higher heat could leak upwards into the cold zone and cause issues and ultimately filament jams. This is particularly evident on long duration 3D print jobs, where there is a lot more time for that heat to seep into the cold zone.

The Copperhead Hot End

, The Copperhead 3D Printer Hot End
Explanatory diagram of the Copperhead hot end [Source: Slice Engineering]

Enter the Copperhead. It is specifically designed to maintain the two separate thermal zones with the use of copper. That metal has excellent thermal transfer properties, and their design seems to leverage that very well. 

Slice Engineering claims the Copperhead “conducts 60% less heat” across the heat break, and they’ve been able to verify this by using a thermal camera to observe the flow of heat, as seen here:

, The Copperhead 3D Printer Hot End
Thermal image of the Copperhead hot end [Source: Slice Engineering]

Mounting The Copperhead Hot End

The Copperhead is designed to be easily mounted on many different 3D printer platforms and systems. They explain: 

“There are a few variants of the Copperhead™ (please see the Copperhead™ Variants table on the main campaign page), but three main mounting methods:

1. Groove mount – this is a standard groove style adapter common on many 3D printers. It includes a fitting to retain a PTFE tube

2. Heat break clamp – the “Standard” and “Mk10” variants of the Copperhead™ have straight shanks which can be clamped onto with a shaft collar or held in place with a set screw

3. Threading – the “RepRap 1.75”, “RepRap 2.85” and “Mk 8” versions of the Copperhead™ thread directly into a heat sink or base plate on the OEM extruder or carriage/end effector.”

, The Copperhead 3D Printer Hot End

We are going to order one of their hotends soon to test and review on our Lotmaxx SC-10 or the JGMaker A5S or one of the future printers that we are reviewing and beta testing soon.

Please click here to check out more information from Slice Engineering’s website https://www.sliceengineering.com/products/copperhead%E2%84%A2

Cubicity/twoBEars filament review!

We recently received filament samples from Cubicity here in the USA, they sent us samples made by twoBEars:

The  Company
twoBEars was founded in 2013 to devolop bio-material for 3D-Printing, rapid prototyping and additive manufaturing.

Their Philosophy
twoBEars develops and sells only products, produced by sustainable processes. We and our business are focused on the benefit for humans AND environment.

Their Goals
twoBEars has the target to develop biopolymers with different features out of renewable raw materials and offer these materials under fair conditions to you, customers. We do not want to use polymers , which belongs to the food chain, because of ethic conflict.
Our sustainable management balance the social, environmental and financial aspects of our business.

 

We especially liked the green algae based filament. It has a smell like the ocean, but it works well, and is interesting in its texture.

Algae-Fuel 3D Printing Filament (2.2lbs/1kg Spool)Algae-Fuel 3D Printing FilamentWe would definitely recommend the algae based filament to anyone that needs an interesting, rougher material. It reminds me of Carbon Fiber in the way it feels to the touch. It produced  a cool unique odor while printing which is different than the typical filament.

bioFila Sustainable 3D Printing Filament

They also offer samples as well to try out see–>Free Filament Samples

We tested samples of 2 Biofila 1.75 samples of the Linen and Silk, which produced nice output.

We had a small amount of linen and recycled abs that worked well on a Printrbot and Robo3d printer.

 

We appreciate the opportunity to test their filament and really liked it. We also received a really nice filament cleaning cube from Voltivo set that help keep the filament from getting dirty and dusty and reduces clogging of the print head–>3DP Essentials - Filament Cleaner

For more information see Cubicity!

Help us to become makers for autism, donate for a 3d printer and supplies.

We are trying to use technology like 3d printers to become makers for autism!

We are trying to raise the money to buy a 3d printer or 2 and supplies.

Our plan is to the use the printer for autism educational projects and fundraising events.

We are also trying to become a non-profit foundation for tech and the arts too!

Please help us get the funds to make a difference!

 

Robo3d.1

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