As you know, my 3D printing based developments put my printers (an Ender3 and a Sunlu S9+) to a lot of stress. When I’m working on a new project (all the time in fact), it’s not uncommon to have both printers working 24 hours a day. Some prints take more than two days!

Perfect to put the equipment to (very) hard test!

But during these prints, the part that suffers the most is by far the hotend: the set made up of the heating block (to melt the PLA), the nozzle, the heat sink, the ptfe tube (the tube that goes from the extruder to the heating block) and the heat breaker.

In the printing problems encountered, it is most often here that the problem is located: with the heating and the melted plastic, the components can tend to expand, gaps appear and finally the plastic encounters difficulties to join the output: it is what is called clogging:

The heart of the problem is the deformation of the PTFE (or bowden tube): it is the most temperature sensitive material, and it is in direct contact with the nozzle in the heating block. I also recommend using Capricorn tube to reduce the risk of problems.

The definitive solution is :

But apparently, there is a “simple” solution to this problem: rather than having the ptfe come in contact with the nozzle (and thus deform, clog etc etc), you can use the CR10 T-Crazy heat break from Mellow Store. Why ? because The PTFE stops in the heat sink, and it is the heat break that finishes guiding the PLA to the nozzle. This way, the PTFE tube is not subjected to significant temperature variations. In addition, the nozzle is mechanically sealed against the heat break (and not against the PTFE), which ensures that the PLA cannot get lodged between the two.

This is a solution I’ve been using for a few months now on the Sunlu and I’m very satisfied with it: I disassembled the whole thing for the first time yesterday, and it looked like it had just been assembled: no residue, no trace of heating. Moreover, it can be installed on popular machines (Ender 3, CR10 etc) without having to change the heating block and therefore without having to adapt the wiring.

You may ask me why this solution is not more widespread: probably because it requires an exemplary quality of manufacturing: It takes an extraordinary precision to make the metal tube as smooth as the PTFE tube and not interfere with the sliding of the plastic wire. The Mellow Store product is made of two components: copper for the part placed in the heatsink, and titanium for the part that screws into the heating block.

Find the TBreak heat break on the Mellow Store.

And don’t forget your 10% discount at checkout on the Sunlu website via this link!

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3D printing consists of using a printer to create 3D objects.

The printer.

Let’s start with the printer. Multiple technologies exist, but at our level, we will use FDM printers (Fused Deposition Modeling): we deposit layers of molten plastic. The plastic is melted by a mobile head which layer after layer makes our 3D model “appear”. See our guide for the most popular models.

The plastic.

The plastic? Mostly PLA (although ABS and PETG are quite common). It’s easy to work with and very affordable: about 20€/kg. To give you an idea, the SRT box, which is a very substantial project, requires about 1.3kg of plastic, or about 26€. See our guide to different PLAs.

The 3D files.

You can design 3D files to print yourself, using software like Freecad (free), SolidWords, Fusion360. It is a long learning process. However with time you will be able to draw more and more complex parts, faster and faster. For the record, I started 3D drafting with this simple engineering advice, “draw your parts as you would have machined them.”

You can also directly download files to print (the 3D equivalent of .pdf). The most common formats are .stl or .obj, on sites like Thingiverse, Cults3D…Some files are free, others are not. In my experience, you will always find a free project for what you are looking for. STL is not an editable format, you will have a lot of trouble to modify the dimensions.

The Slicer: the software that sends 3D files to the printer!

Once you have your file, you need to use a “slicer”, which is the software that will allow you to convert the 3D file specifically for your printer (a bit like the driver of a 3D printer). I recommend using Cura. In particular, we will determine the printing direction (which side will be in contact with the printer’s plate) and what the fill rate will be. Indeed, most printed parts will be almost hollow, which makes 3D printing particularly economical.

The file is then transferred from the slicer to the 3D printer (by cable, SD card, wifi, etc.), and off you go. 3D printers often require adjustments and maintenance. For example, you need to make sure that the platen is perfectly flat in relation to the nozzle.

We finally have our 3D object that “appears” in front of our eyes!

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It is available on all the Sunlu range : PLA, 3D printers, accessories…

Sunlu offers a wide range of 3D printing products. I mostly use their PLA+ to print my projects.

On top of the 10% Discount, you can add up to 25% OFF by ordering 3kg or 6kg at once. Another great news : you can mix the colors. Every two months I order 6kg of PLA+ black, and 1kg of this awesome copper Silk .

Sunlu PLA +

Probably the PLA I would use the most so far! Semi-matt finish. Good grip and very good strength. I order it often in quantity, and you can always get the 10% discount with the code UEPKDZRAJT.

Sunlu PLA Silk

A matte finish is the easy solution. But it’s not ideal for showcasing pretty shapes or quality printing. Silk PLA has a particularly glossy finish. With a fineness of 0.15mm, the surfaces have a very nice look. The copper color has a very nice copper look.

Sunlu PLA Mat

Recently I ordered a few rolls of their new matte PLA. The rendering is indeed very matte, more so than their PLA +. However, for the moment, as much as it passes perfectly in my Ender3, I have systematically clogging and adhesion problems on the Sunlu S9 … Sunlu S9 which I am not particularly satisfied … My advice: wait for more feedbacks on this product, and if you want a matte rendering, go rather on the PLA + which is a safe value, or the PolyTerra of Polymaker!

More information on the best PLA for 3D printing? Check out our dedicated section!

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Most SRT DIY projects require a 3D printer. Owning a 3D printer gives you the possibility to upgrade your equipment when an update is released, or according to your own needs.

As everywhere, budget is an important criteria. As everywhere there are all the prices. Like everywhere, you get nothing for nothing. As far as 3D printing is concerned, more expensive means: more reliable (less failed prints), more accurate, faster, less adjustments needed. I propose you here 3 popular printers :

• Ender 3, from Creality : the entry-level, which I’ve been using since my beginnings. Needs a little adjustment, but gives full satisfaction for the price.
• Artillery Sidewinder X1 V4 : for not much more, a printer that offers technologies and usally fitted on high-end printers.
• Original Prusa i3 MK3S+ : the queen of all categories… obviously more expensive than the others.

Generally speaking, it is quite easy to improve all these printers. You will find in this article a light on the type of improvements that can be made to a 3D printer.

Ender 3, Ender 3 Pro, Ender 3 V2

Ender 3

Creality’s Ender 3 is probably the most popular printer. It is by far the best value for money for us. I would advise against looking for a lower-end printer.

The Ender 3 (basic) allows you to obtain high quality prints when properly tuned. There are many improvements for this printer, as well as a large community, which is a great help.

You can find it on Amazon for 220$ or on Aliexpress for 240$.

The main qualities :

• A rather reliable machine. Once properly set up, you’re good for a hundred hours of printing without any further adjustment.
• Very good print quality.
• Very affordable price.
• A considerable printing area: 22cm x 22cm x 25cm

And as flaws:

• Noisy machine (problem fixed with v2 or motherboard change).
• Necessary adjustments (especially for the heated bed).
• Nozzles tend to get clogged (problem fixed by changing the hotend)

Ender 3 Pro

The Ender 3 Pro provides minimal improvements, especially in the chassis and platform. If you are taking advantage of a promotion that puts it at the same price as a basic Ender 3, why not. Otherwise…no.

Around 250$ sur Amazon.

Ender 3 V2

The Ender 3 V2 also integrates new improvements. The most notable is the replacement of the motherboard by a much quieter card. This replacement is also possible on an Ender 3 and Ender 3 Pro.

So this is the version to be preferred if you are looking for a silent printer, but you don’t want to change the motherboard yourself.

The heated bed has been changed again, but this is the kind of evolution you have to do yourself on an Ender 3 anyway.

The V2 comes with a new screen. It’s nice, but it doesn’t change the printing quality…

Around 290$ on Amazon, 280$ on Aliexpress.

Artillery Sidewinder X1 V4

The Artillery Sidewinder X1 V4 presents very well: all the electronics are integrated in a box under the heating bed. The heating bed is the fastest on the market to heat up. There is a direct drive: the filament is driven just before the heating head. This makes it possible, for example, to print flexible plastics.

The printer is also completely silent. In addition, its Volcano print head allows fast print speeds.

It is equipped with a 30cm x 30cm plate, and prints on 40cm high. It is a surface that will allow you for example to print a steering wheel.

There are mainly two flaws:

• cables are fragile
• The spool holder is not practical.

These two defects can be corrected using 3D printed upgrades.

It is thus an excellent mid-range printer which will ensure you a certain printing comfort.

Around 440$ on Amazon, et 480$ on Aliexpress.

Original i3 MK3S+ from Prusa

When all existing technologies are concentrated in one printer, the result is the Prusa i3 MK3S+. It offers, for example, automatic heat bed levelling.

The frame is very consistent and ensures very accurate prints.

Prusa develops its own slicer, the software that allows to prepare the .stl files for printing. Considering the important community that also surrounds this model, it is therefore a whole eco-system dedicated to the performance that this printer offers.

770€ for the kit, 1000€ for the assembled one.

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However, acquiring a machine to see it spend its time printing parts for itself…is not very productive.

In the end, few of these improvements are really useful. So I simply advise to make improvements only if you feel the need.

I own two Ender 3. The first one is almost two years old, and has undergone almost every possible improvement, so many have ended up in the trash. I’ve owned the second one for a few months now. I only made two modifications: the hotend (useful), and the cork insulation plate (not very useful).

Useful improvements

The biggest flaw of the Ender 3 is its print head. It doesn’t cool well, and ends up clogging… irreparably… despite all the fixes you can find everywhere, it always ends up clogging. The only solution: upgrade the hotend. Here are the two models I tested, and which allow continuous printing.

MELLOW NF ZONE Hotend

Mellow offers many high quality products, including this hotend:

It is fitted in place of the original head, so no modification is required. The shape and choice of materials optimise cooling, while the nozzle is machined to very tight tolerances to ensure high quality prints.

28€ on the Aliexpress store (24V required)

The E3d v6 print head from ST-Technologie.

Clones of the E3D V6 hotend are available everywhere, and the shape is quite distinctive. The problem is that this head does not fit directly onto the printer chassis: an adapter is required.

ST-Technologie offers a kit including the E3D V6 head, the adapter (machined in aluminium, very clean), as well as two fans to cool the molten plastic. In short, a very interesting all-in-one solution, which I used for a long time without any problem.

Its only flaw is the 3cm fan (like all E3D V6), which is rather noisy, especially since it is not in a housing, as on the original head. Also, beware of the fan support that clips onto the metal body: it breaks easily (but is easily reprinted too).

72€ (often on promo at 47€) on ST-Technologie.

The cork insulating plate :

It is pre-drilled and very easy to use. It allows a better distribution of heat, therefore to fight against the warping, and also to limit the rise in temperature of the environment of the printer. It thus makes it possible to optimize the cooling of the print head.

The rise in temperature is also a little faster, so the printing starts a little faster. On the other hand the cooling is longer, which is annoying if the parts have difficulty to come off.

It also allows a reduction in consumption (minimal, not enough to justify the price…).

So it’s an interesting improvement, I’ll probably install the same on my second machine.

3,5€ on Aliexpress.

The motherboard v1.1.5

The Ender 3 uses rather noisy stepper motors. To make them silent, the best solution is to replace the motherboard by the v1.1.5. Beware, the Ender 3 V2 already integrates a similar board, so this improvement will be useless if you own it. Do not use the shock absorbers for the motors, which I talk about below.

40€ on Amazon, 33€ on Aliexpress.

Improvements not always useful

The enclosure

It’s a huge job, which has the following interests:

• To integrate the printer in a cabinet
• To regulate the temperature of the environment of the printer (my case is equipped with a 120mm fan), which is particularly important to avoid the detachment of the parts during the printing.
• Avoid dust: it is indeed one of the causes of clogged nozzles. It is particularly useful if the printer is not used for a long time, wherever it is located in a dusty environment (workshop).
• Reduce noise : Noise is reduced, but not eliminated. It is 95% reduced if you use the v1.1.5 board with a 120mm fan.

Drawers and other storage

Many parts can be printed to improve the machine. I have been able to test a number of them, and few are useful. So here is the only improvement, present on only one of my printers, and which does not prevent me from having a certain mess around :

Thingiverse link

There are also many tool holders. On my first printer, I gathered the motherboard and the power supply in a single case, under which is a 120mm fan, which limits noise. I then modified a tool holder so that it could find its place above the power supply.

As you can see…it is empty. “Where are the tools?” you will ask me. I have no idea.

Once again, we can spend a year optimizing the machine and its accessories. In the end, you don’t get a better machine. So if it works, make it work.

The yellow springs

The yellow springs are stiffer than the original ones. The screws are therefore less likely to loosen, especially when forces are applied to the platter to remove a part. In theory, you need to adjust the platter less often.

In practice, I waited a long time before installing them on my second printer (I had a few left over), and it didn’t seem to go out of adjustment. So an interesting evolution if by chance you need to remove the heated bed.

I also use these springs for the P1 clutch pedal, and the SRT gearbox.

8€ on Amazon, 3€ on Aliexpress.

Y-Carriage Plate

3 points define a plan! Yes, take three points in space, you will have one and only plan that will pass through these three points. Take four, and you will already have much less chance of the same thing happening. So it makes a lot more sense to use a three-point board…in theory.

In practice, 4 points allow you to make up for certain imperfections. So I did not install this improvement on my second printer, and do not intend to do so. On the other hand it is true that the adjustment of the carriage is faster with only 3 points.

13€ on Aliexpress.

Improvements that were of no use to me

Finally, here are the improvements that I have tested and that did not help me. I must make it clear that this is my personal experience.

The glass bed.

I have this glass bed on my first Ender 3. I had taken it in particular for problems of flatness. Turns out it didn’t help. My more recent Ender 3 has its original bed, and works perfectly (with the E3d V6 head). I often even have trouble taking off the prints. Again, the rule is to keep a stable temperature in the room where the printer is located, the rest is of little importance.

In any case, be aware that the bed wears out. Especially since most of the time you print in the center of the bed, which may be very slightly hollowed out.

24€ on Amazon.

Capricorn Bowden PTFE Tubing

This tube is recommended because it reduces the friction of the PLA in the tube, and is supposed to be more temperature resistant … supposed to be more … I tried it many times to fight against nozzle clogging, without success. It may last a bit longer than the original tube, but it won’t save you.

13€ on Amazon.

Aluminum extruder

It’s pretty, but that’s all. If your extruder works, there is no reason to change it for this model. No matter what model, just make sure that the bearing…rolls well, and that the lever doesn’t rub too much against the base. If it rubs too much, it will not apply pressure. Finally, if you hear a “clack”, it’s from your extruder that can’t push the PLA. In 95% of the cases it is a signal that your nozzle is clogged, not that your extruder is defective.

12€ on Amazon, 6€ on Aliexpress.

Vibration dampers

I probably should have put it at the top of the list. These shocks are indeed very effective for the price. Unfortunately, they have some rather heavy disadvantages:

• It requires specific 3D printed supports
• They reduce the natural cooling of stepper motors. Indeed, these normally dissipate their heat by contact with the metal chassis, which they will no longer be able to do. While heating, they also risk deforming the plastic parts. And don’t count on the small aluminum radiators often supplied with them: they are more than limited in efficiency.
• They prevent proper alignment: they are relatively soft, so the stepper motors move, and are not perfectly aligned. As a result, the forces are not distributed as well, which is not good.

It took me a long time to assemble them, and I finally disassembled them fairly quickly. I then installed the v1.5.5 motherboard, for a much better result.

13€ on Amazon, 7€ on Aliexpress.

Conclusion

This list is not exhaustive (I have not tested everything either ^^). But now you understand the idea: you only print/buy an enhancement if you need it. If it’s not the case, we print pedals and gearboxes !!!

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