- Does it really allow printing with any PLA?
- We've tested it with every PLA that gave us trouble using Z-Temp™ with the Zortrax V2 hot end, and it has printed every single one just fine, at temperatures of 195º - 215º, including Verbatim, eSun, Colorfabb PLA/PHA, MakerBot, JustPLA, and more. We haven't found a PLA yet that doesn't work.
- Can I really print flexible filament with my M200®?
- Yes, with the ZT-HE you can print PolyFlex, Sainsmart TPU, WillowFlex, and probably other flexible filaments with good results. By using RaftAway to print speed by 50% , every flexible filament we’ve tested can be printed successfully.
- Can I use the ZT-HE hot end with ABS and other higher-temperature materials?
- The ZT-HE was designed primarily to allow printing or improved printing with PLA, PLA+PHA, lignin, PVB, nylon, and other lower temperature, non-Zortrax materials. We do not market it as an improved hot end for ABS. Is it possible to use it with ABS? Yes, we do it regularly. Will surface quality, stringing, etc. be acceptable? There is no definitive answer, as it depends on many factors. Some users report fewer burn marks with ZT-HE, while some users report poorer surface quality and excess stringing. Extended use of the ZT-HE at extrusion temperatures over 240ºC will reduce the life of its internal PTFE tube. If you want to be conservative, stick to PLA and "generic" 235-240º ABS in the ZT-HE. If you're more adventurous or can't be bothered changing hot ends, go ahead and print PC, UltraT, and Z-ABS with it. The PTFE tube is easily replaced if necessary, and we include enough spare tubing for at least three replacements. Additional PTFE tubing can be purchased from Fluorostore or other suppliers.
My printer has a wire from the extruder PCB, but ZT-HE has no place to connect it. What do I do with the wire?
- Frankly, it's been so long since we removed that wire from our v1 printer that we forgot all about it! A good ground connection is already made to the hot end via the thermocouple case, which has its own wire to the extruder board. We're not sure why Zortrax originally used this wire - maybe they had thermocouples without ground wires, or maybe they thought the thermocouple might not make good contact in an anodized aluminum block (the ZT-HE's block is un-anodized, for optimal thermal characteristics). In any case, the wire is redundant. We've been running our v1 and v3 printers for years without the wire, without problems. To be extra careful, you can keep your hand near the power switch the first time it does height sensing, just in case. Some users have wrapped the end of the wire around the ZT-HE's stainless tube, but really, this shouldn't be necessary.
- Why do you include 0.3 and 0.5mm nozzles with the ZT-HE?
- The vast majority of filaments, including wood and metal-filled, print just fine with the standard 0.4mm nozzle. We find that PLA in some cases seems to print more "precisely", for lack of a better term, with a 0.3mm nozzle, so we include one for your experimentation should you be so inclined. We've found a few materials that require or do better with a 0.5mm nozzle, including 3dom's glass-filled PLA and colorFabb BambooFill™. There may be other materials that will do better with 0.5mm so we include that nozzle as well.