Hi,
I have an idea in my head for using dual extruders to print faster and cheaper but maintain quality.
Basically using a primary extruder with a 0.4mm nozzle for printing perimiters and using a larger nozzle for printing support and infill which can be printed every x number of layers at greater layer height.
I ran a quick test in simplify 3D as follows:
Using a 3D Benchy at 200% scale, 0.1mm layer height, 20% infill 50mm/sec the resulting build statistics are print time 8hrs 13min and material weight 69.75g.
If the material is £40/kg the material cost is £2.79.
I then re-run the exact same model, except put the infill on a secondary extruder, 1mm nozzle, sparse infill every 6 layers.
Build stats are print time 5hrs 22min, outer material weight 31.54g, infill weight 42.2g
If i use the same material as above to print perimiters but a cheaper material at £15/kg for the infill this makes material cost for perimiters £1.26, infill £0.63, total £1.89.
This basically gives a 35% saving on time and 32% saving on material cost, but the perimiters are still printed at 100 micron layers. And this secondary extruder approach can also be used reduce the cost and time for support material too, rather than simply throwing away the expensive material.
I know this is just what simplify3d build stats say, and real world maybe different, but I have usually found simplify3d to be farily accurate.
Has anybody out there tried this approach, had any success or failures with it?
