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Comment by ashoeafoot | Hacker News Reader

Has anyone made any experience with printer head changes (similar to factory robots exchanging grippers)?

I dont want the print to pause in some gcode function waiting for me to pick &place

There are a large number of "toolchanger" printers out there, include Prusa's XL. They're pretty great: multiple nozzle sizes and types, multi-material and multi-color without a lot of waste, and even the ability to use different tools (like lasers and subtractive manufacturing). In the consumer space the technology is still fairly expensive, and the complexity reduces reliability, but I suspect is going to become more and more of the norm over time.

Most modern printers also support simpler multi-material setups which change the filament in a single tool automatically. Waste is fairly high (because of the need to purge), and speed fairly low (because of the need to purge), but the technology is mature and cheap.

Bambu also has their new 2 head printer the H2D where you can print incompatible materials like PLA and PETG for perfect supports that don't stick to the main print.

Yes, but you could print incompatible materials before just fine. It was just either time-consuming (manual change) or time-consuming and wasteful (AMS-like systems that cut filament)

Printing multiple materials with an AMS-like system will usually cause print failures. Remnants of the materials will stick in the single print head and mix with the incompatible materials. And manually switching isn't feasible if you're trying to do something like print supports--are you going to swap filament rolls by hand every layer?

I've printed _many_ parts with multi-material using AMS: PLA, PETG, different support materials. Never had a single failure. It's wasteful, but never had issues.

> And manually switching isn't feasible if you're trying to do something like print supports--are you going to swap filament rolls by hand every layer?

No, first because I would use support material just for the interface and if it's curved, then no. Even with X1C's AMS, any IDEX, H2D print time would be hilariously ballooned. I'n saying that dual-nozzle design didn't make it possible, it made it more convenient.

That is curious. I've only tried multimaterial work with an AMS Lite on an A1, but it critically compromised layer bonding due to residue, and it was a reproducible problem.

I have a whole rc plane printed out of PLA-LW and PETG for interface, model used a lot of supports. Still in one piece. My only print issues with x1c:

- I forget which plate was used for petg and which one for pla and mix them up

- Revo nozzles had clogs, solved by switching to diamondback

- Can't pull the very end of the 3rd party spools and either gives me "motor overloaded" or void layers.

I've printed both PETG and PLA just fine (using PETG as a support interface) in the AMS. The key is to turn off the prime tower, and increase the flushing volume between those materials. (I do now have an H2D, and it's definitely an upgrade over having to do that)

Two heads lets you keep them completely separate which is good because PETG to PLA tends to jam and you need to purge a LOT to get all the PETG out or it can mix with the PLA causing really weak parts.

The Prusa XL[1] can be configured for 5 toolheads for fast, automatic switching ala factory robots.

[1] https://www.prusa3d.com/en/product/original-prusa-xl-assembl...

What you're looking for a printer with tool changing capabilities such as Prusa XL or DIY like Voron with mods.

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