Z-Temp FAQ

  • Do I need to buy both Z-Temp and ZT-HE?
    • Any material that has five green smiley faces in the column "Rating for Zortrax V2 Hot End" in our Materials Guide can be used successfully without the ZT-HE, although reliability and ease of printing will be improved using the ZT-HE, since it permits a wider range of extrusion temperatures to be used.
    • For any material with fewer than five green smiley faces in the Materials Guide we strongly recommend use of the ZT-HE.
    • Many brands of PLA, colorFabb PLA/PHA-based materials, and all TPU/TPE flexible filament require the ZT-HE.
    • Using RaftAway to reduce print speed by 50%, we have successfully printed every flexible filament.


  • What is temperature "offset", and why can't I just set the actual temperature?
    • The Zortrax slicing software decides what temperature profile to embed into the generated z-code depending on the type of material selected (and quite possibly other factors) when you click "Prepare for Printing". The Z-Temp cannot read or alter this value; it can only introduce an "offset" signal to add or subtract a certain number of degrees to or from that during printing. For example, if you've sliced something using the Z-ABS setting (which has been found to specify ≈275ºC to the printer), you would use a -50º offset to achieve an actual extrusion temperature of 225ºC.


  • Can the Z-Temp increase extrusion temperature as well as decrease it?
    • Yes, the Z-Temp can shift the nominal slicing temp up by as much as 60ºC and down as much as 90ºC (or 140º if the "low temperature" range is selected). Although Zortrax specifies that the hot end is rated to 385ºC, testing indicates that the M200® may not be able to exceed 320ºC with current firmware.


  • What settings should i use for XXX material?


  • Of what use is the Temperature Voltage output?
    • Using the Temperature Voltage output and a voltmeter you can measure the extruder's actual temperature to within the accuracy of the sensor its and signal conditioning circuit to verify that you're actually getting the temperature you want.


  • What's the accuracy of the Temperature Voltage output?
    • As long as a quality, high-impedance voltmeter is used, the Temperature Voltage output introduces no error at all - it gives you a direct connection to the same signal that is sent to the motherboard. You simply multiply the voltage reading by 200 to give ºC: for example, if your meter reads 1.35V, your hot end is at 270ºC.



  • What does installation involve?
    • Full pictorial installation instructions are included in the User Manual. To install the extruder temperature control, you simply disconnect the ribbon cable at the print head, plug in the Z-Temp (taking care that it's correctly lined up (see below!), and plug the ribbon cable into the Z-Temp's connector. To install the bed heater switch, you must remove the printer's bottom cover (four screws), unplug the bed temperature sensor, plug the bed sensor connector into the Z-Temp cable socket, and plug the other Z-Temp connector into the motherboard where the bed sensor used to go. The switch and cover snap securely into the vent holes at the side of the base of the printer. The Z-Temp modifications are easily removed, leaving no evidence of their use.


  • Is Z-Temp compatible with the M300?
    • The ZTC-200 extrusion temperature control is fully compatible with the M300.
    • The Bed Heat Control is compatible with the M300, but requires a small adapter cable or swapping of two connector pins in order to work. If you specify M300 compatibility in the order options on our web store, the adapter cable will be included. NOTE: The Z-Temp Bed Heat Control can only decrease the bed temperature, not increase it. Since the M300 bed temperature does not currently exceed 60ºC for any Z-Suite profiles, this may present difficulties in printing materials that require high bed temperature.
    • The ZT-HE hot end is fully compatible with the M300.
    • Z-Mon is fully compatible with the M300.
    • Z-Senseas shipped is not currently compatible with the M300, but a printed adapter piece can be used to make it work.


  • WIll use of the Z-Temp void my Zortrax warranty?
    • Officially, yes. In practice, however, warranty policy in practice is set by your reseller, since Zortrax will generally refer you to your reseller for all support issues.


  • Can the Z-Temp damage my printer?
    • We've been printing various third-party materials on our M200s night and day for more than a year, and the machines have suffered no ill effects of any kind apart from the occasional nozzle clog, and none of those have been permanent. The only way the Z-Temp could damage the printer is if it's inserted incorrectly into the printhead, so please take extra care to make sure it's correctly lined up before switching on the power. Z-Temps shipped after Feb 1, 2016 have a keyed connector that makes misalignment pretty much impossible. Experimenting with various materials and temperatures of course increases the likelihood of nozzle clogs (which is one reason Zortrax would prefer that you didn't) so it's a good idea to keep a spare nozzle on hand. PLA cannot be removed with acetone, but it can be softened or burnt with a hot air gun or small torch and the melting chamber can be reamed with a 1.8mm drill bit.


  • What materials and settings were used to print the Z-Temp housings?
    • Metallic PLA from Meltink3D and Treed was used for the bed heater switch housing and knob - neither ABS nor UltraT have sufficient layer adhesion to accommodate the required snap-tab flexing.
    • Clear ABS from Octave Systems was chosen for the extruder control housing over other translucent materials for ease of support removal and smooth backlight diffusion.
    • The control knob is printed with Up! ABS.
    • “Wound Up” coffee-based PLA from 3D Fuel is used for all Z-LCD parts.
© Z-Temp™ 2016                              "Zortrax", "Z-Suite”, “M200”, "M200 Plus”, and “M300" are trademarks of Zortrax Sp, Olsztyn, Poland