Using ninjaflex with makerbot replicator 5th gen - smart extruder

[Saif Prints]

Hello

To continue the discussion from https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/makerbot/KUwEIXMlVtk, I wanted to know if anyone has printed with ninjaflex on a replicator 5th gen printer with smart extruder. I just got my ninjaflex today, and was planning to print some items, but do not want to clog my extruder or something. Please let me know.

thanks

[Ryan Carlyle]

It's been tried, apparently with decent results. Although I have no idea how it doesn't jam.

[Jeremy Rosser]

Did you give the nija flex a try yet? Can you post some picks.

[ESAAA lab - fab manager]

I ordered a small sample of ninjaflex and tried printing it on a Replicator 5th Gen with (I think) the PLA standard settings. The filament jammed and curled around the ball bearing in the smart extruder, plus it left quite a big amount of weird burnt plastic in the nozzle.

[Dan Newman]

On 04/01/2015 2:59 PM, ESAAA lab - fab manager wrote:
> I ordered a small sample of ninjaflex and tried printing it on a Replicator
> 5th Gen with (I think) the PLA standard settings. The filament jammed and
> curled around the ball bearing in the smart extruder, plus it left quite a
> big amount of weird burnt plastic in the nozzle.

The Gen 5 extruder cannot handle highly flexible filament: the underlying mechanical design
*requires* a stiff filament to push the extruder nozzle down, working against the
springs which pushes the nozzle upwards. That and the feed path isn't completely
supported either. So two strikes against using ninjaflex.

Dan

[Jeff Davis]

There is a spring in the extruder but it helps to push the nozzle down as well.

Jeff

[Jetguy]

I think at one point I did try and have seen someone else try printing ninjaflex in a gen5 and had limited success.

As I remember it, I could load filament and even started printing a test cube but it failed mid print.

The problems are numerous in that you really cannot print ninjaflex fast and since it wants to buckle, the entire feed and guide path is pretty much a custom design requirement. The real kicker was that at the time, changing some settings in the profile where not affecting the actual print file and so I never felt i had good enough control to tune to make it work with ninjaflex reliably.

My test said sure, you might get a test print or two off, but I'm betting the first real important project you need to print is going to result in frustration.

Given the cost of Ninjaflex, you don't want to waste it.

Net- I say it doesn't work. I'm sure someone will chime in and say opposite and maybe through some miracle the new firmware and software might let you better tune but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting.

Sorry, I've all but given up on MakerBot period.