FCS - PLA/PCTG - PROOF It Works!!!!

[Kurt The 3D Printer GUY!!]

I finally succeeded last night - with a proper Test print - of Full Contact Support - Model is PCTG - Supports are PLA - and even MORE Importantly - Supports DO NOT TOUCH THE Build Plate - so NOT Locked down - and they print purely on a layer of the model!

But - Proof is in the pudding:

That was the pic of completed print - to show you scale (it's a Small test) - and a NICE Small Purge tower (with Help by Luke for the Settings). 

So - close-up pic as it's printing - Sadly - pic quality sucks - so you can't see the actual top layer of the supports - it's Mid print - so, you would see an "infill" pattern:

Close up with top layer of supports completed. Again - pic sucks :

The final print:

Closeup of Purge Tower (yeah - I know - it's kinda messy):

Lastly - For those with the U1 - Project file is attached!

-K

[Kurt]

I did a 2nd test - this one had White PLA as the supports. I broke it apart so I can see the insides of the supported regions of the yellow part (ignore the 2nd yellow piece under the main yellow piece - I used that the prop up the part for a better pic). As you will see - the surfaces where the supports touched or were supporting - are obviously quite smooth:

And - before leaving my place this morning - I started up a BIG version - as a More extensive Test - with much greater surface area of contact - and it had finished the main model bottom level and was laying down the supports - without a problem. 

-K

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[david merten]

Oh boy now you made me really want a tool changer or at least an ams unit!

Is there any improvements in the carbon 2 over the carbon 1, besides the obvious ams unit?

     David

[Kurt]

From a couple things I've heard from folks on Reddit - some are complaining that the ECC2 is NOT as good as the ECC1.

Also - keep in mind - putting PCTG & PLA thru the Same nozzle on the Same print job (ala AMS style) - is problematic in general. That being said - I think if you ONLY do Supports Interface layers as PCTG (rest of Model is PLA) - and, yeah - limited use case - Top of Supports are FLAT - and thus really only like 2-3  layers of Filament Swapping (thus  4 - 6 filament swaps) - and you did EXTRA Long Nozzles Purges - one MIGHT be able to do this trick of Full Contact Support on an AMS. But, I can NOT safely say it's Viable (without proper testing) - and it would be Limited use case if we consider only 2-3 layers of filament swapping - as that ASSuMes a completely Flat Top Support surface!

Just sayin'...

But, yeah - this is why I decided to go ALL IN on a Toolchanger!!! Especially considering my initial experimentations w/FCS & PLA/PCTG at Essentium!

-K