3DP'g of TPU/PLA on the U1

[Kurt The 3D Printer GUY!!]

Dang - I know my printer is Quite new - but, Ouch - I had no idea I would have such a difficult time trying to find info/tutorial/video on how to assign 2 head to 2 parts - where I built my own Supports (for PLA) - and have the Model (to print in TPU). 

CoPilot was giving me GARBAGE Links to videos that were no longer available. One was by 3DP Nerd - and I really wanted to see that one. Also other deadlinks.

Went to Google for a similar search - it gave me directed info. - semi-step by step - but, some of the options it suggested - I could not find them in the slicer. 

It's interesting to see HOW Close the SnapMaker Slicer is to the Elegoo Slicer - although - I know they are BOTH Forks of Orca!

I ended up Winging it - I got it Sliced - am printing it NOW - I thought FOR SURE I would have MORE PRoblems - as PLA should NOT Stick to TPU. But, It's doing the PRime tower - AND it's printing the part - and essentially NO Problems so far...

So far it has NOT Failed - and I am about 45 min into the print - it's a total of 1H 24m. 

I honestly Expected a FAIL by now - either of Prime tower - or of the Part! But, it's STILL PRinting! 

Of course - it's a SMALL Test...

Sorry for the Typos & wrong caps - am doing this fast - as it's getting late - and I gotta get my Act together (dinner/lunch/Bfast prep) - yada yada yada...

Anyway - I am attaching the project file - for THOSE Folks that have the U1 - and want to Peek at it!!!

-K

[3D Printing Tips and Tricks]

Uhhhh… I’ve had PLA stick to tpu! Who told you they don’t stick?

[3D Printing Tips and Tricks]

Here’s a sample… the hinges and the top surface that nozzles fit into are all tpu…

[Kurt The 3D Printer GUY!!]

This was a Prior thread on here - maybe TWO of them!

The one was about a guy who did this kind of accordion or bellows type print w/TPU & PLA. I gotta go find that and then repost it here.

[Kurt The 3D Printer GUY!!]

I found it!!!!!
Thread title: Dissimilar materials used for supports
Direct Link:  https://groups.google.com/u/1/g/3d-printing-tips--tricks/c/2JI-1sKgvKE/m/NpWb--ivCgAJ
Posted by Vance Howard.
His initial posting:
    This one is cool as it has many applications.
    Functional Print Fridays on youtube has explored using PLA as support material for TPU. Yesterdays video showed how he created a bellows structure out of tpu. Pretty         cool and definitely need a tool changer or a dual hotend machine. 

     3D Printed TPU Bellows with PLA Interface Layers - Prints Flat!

-K

[Bryan Eckert]

Cool video, definitely want to try this. 

I have an idea for a lantern style bellows With PLA top and bottom caps, and the TPU embedded in those with a flange.

Also want to do a better PTFE stop for my AMS HT than what he came up with.

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[Kurt]

Yeah Bryan - I found that to be a Fascinating Video that guy did. I wonder if there is a way to get directly in touch with that Dude from the video. 

Definitely keep us posted on your Lantern Style thing...

-K

[Kurt A 3d]

My valentines day card used a mix of filaments.  I also designed it (completely in Prusaslicer) so that the PLA and TPU interlocked

https://www.printables.com/model/1588576-valentines-day-card-heart-love-ahava-love-ahbh

Also screen shot shows where in orcaslicer you can play with generated supports I think 

Kurt-A

[Kurt The 3D Printer GUY!!]

Bryan - FYI - I TRIED to do what that guy did - but, it was a FAIL! 

I really, REALLY NEED to find out WHY!!!!!

-K

On Thursday, April 23, 2026 at 8:31:31 AM UTC-4 Bryan Eckert wrote:

[Lee Foulkes]

Not printed PETG before. Wanted to do a comparison for my test rig. Had real trouble on the U1 with a cheap generic PETG. Had to slow first layer right down and have quite big brims to get it to stick. Anybody else had problems on the U1?

[Kurt A 3d]

Lee

On the PRUSA  XL I have found the quality of the PETG matters.  Before discussiong that though, make sure  you have the correct bed temperature.  Most PETG requires a much hotter bed to stick to.   Next makesure your bed is clean. On the XL I go over it with IPA.

The textured build sheet on the XL not the smooth one. 

The Volumetric flow rate is lower for PETG.  Make sure your useing the correct fillament profile.

On to quality.  The Prusement PETG (Prusa) is great.   I have done some limited testing with VOXEL and so far it’s also good.    POLAR is not as good, but ok.   PRINTED SOLID Jesssie PETG is a disappointment (their PLA is great).     

When starting with a new material I would suggest you start with known quality then you experiment with other brands. 

Kurt-A

[Lee Foulkes]

Thanks Kurt. Managed to get them out. But certainly need more experience on this material.

You point on quality is noted. Pay a few extra £s and saving a couple hours of time and reduced printer stress.

Bed at 80c. I changed a few things at once so not sure why it suddenly went clean. Maybe flow calibration?

[Kurt]

I have been successfully printing PCTG on my U1. I'm also going to print some PETG on it - probably going to do that tonight. I think I had one problem with the PCTG - but, I had the machine re-do calibrations - and then it seemed to work fine. Also, I think it was due to my swapping filaments on a toolhead. It was printing PLA on this one head - then I swapped to PCTG - and I think it just need MORE Purging to flush out all PLA remnants - and then it printed fine. So - that IS Another thing to consider - when you swap filament types on a particular print head/Tool!

-K

[Kurt A 3d]

Kurt-1

I find (and have been advised) on the the XL at least  that switching between PLA<->PETG with the same nozzles is more than just purging.   The word is that the materials slowly build up inside the nozzle and it gets worse and worse.     I purge with nylon in between the two.   The total amount I purge tends to be about 18 inches post nozzle.          Even then every so often the build up from switching back and forth gets worse so I have to do cold pulls.     This is why I tend to try to not be switching every nozzle willy nilly but unless I have to I sort of try to minimize material changes in the same nozzle. 

Kurt-A

[david merten]

I had never heard that about pla/petg messing up nozzels. I appreciate all the good information and stories on in this forum.  It looks like an ams unit would be a waste of time for me. I need multi material way more than multi color. I don't really do social media, so I really enjoy this forum. I was a lurker for quite awhile, after the old Google groups folded. And I have enjoyed the postings, and different stories.  I have tried to increase my postings to add to the group.  It is a shame to hear people are  leaving because of attitudes. 

                   David

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[Kurt The 3D Printer GUY!!]

A Shame indeed David!

So - the advice from my Doppelgänger is GOOD Advice!

 Gonna make this quick - as I gotta get ready for work...

When at Essentium - we started following a rule - don't mix filaments in a Hozzle (their term for Hot End Nozzle - as it was a combinational type of unit)!  So - for instance - you use a nozzle for some lower temp plastic - like PCTG - then you switch to something Higher temp - like Ultem. Problem is - the left over PCTG in the unit will literally Carbonize inside of the unit at the Ultem temps - and you have a Mess. I have MANY Times actually drilled out the units when they get fully jammed!

So - in this regards - the Lower temp PLA and higher temp PCTG(or PETG) is that same kind of scenario - and can cause similar problems!

-K

[Bryan Eckert]

Kurt, PL A and PETG print temp ranges overlap so that really shouldn't be an issue.

Bambu units specifically heat the nozzle to 250 when purging PLA or PETG. For PCTG they use 270. PLA doesn't thermally degrade/break down until 300C, so even that shouldn't really cause issues.

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[Kurt Gluck]

I hear Bamboos purge so much (I think the technical term is waste) when doing multicolor I can see how they might self clean :-).   Anyway most times it all works fine, but I find its best to just run some nylon through. And like I said a cold pull cant hurt.

Kurt-A

Sent from my iPad

On May 6, 2026, at 9:13 AM, Bryan Eckert <bigyel...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Bryan Eckert]

Have to remember nozzles are fundamentally different now then when most of us first got into this. Most if not all hobby printers use Bambu's design of one continuous tube through the heat break to the tip of the nozzle now. 

I could see where it would cause issues with the old threaded nozzles into the heater block, as there would be minute spaces for that stuff to build up.

[Jody Harris]

That sounds like a solid rule to live by.

Think carefully

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[3D Printing Tips and Tricks]

The long thermal tube fixed to the nozzle was first seen produced by E3d with Prusa adopting the approach right away. Bambu adopted it after that. All three are do not share the same design so you can’t swap… although E3d produces nozzles for just about every machine.