28
Materials
Printing with two materials
As explained in chapter Set up, the Ultimaker 3 comes with two print cores for build material (AA) and one print core for
support material (BB). The AA print cores can be used for printing PLA, ABS, CPE and Nylon. The BB print core can be used
for PVA.
If you want to print with two materials, the following combinations of Ultimaker materials are officially supported:
•
PLA - PVA
•
Nylon - PVA
•
PLA - PLA
•
ABS - ABS
•
CPE - CPE
Although the Ultimaker 3 has an open material system, we recommend the use of Ultimaker material on the printer. The
Ultimaker 3 has an NFC reader that will read the Ultimaker material spools and transfers this information to Cura when
connected via the network. This way Cura will automatically select the right material for each print core.
In Cura you will also find material profiles that have specifically been developed for Ultimaker materials and thus
guarantee the best printing result.
Changing materials
Materials can be changed easily on the Ultimaker 3 by using the procedure from the menu. Besides changing a material
you also have the option to only load or unload a material.
Make sure compatible print cores are installed before you insert materials.
1. Go to the menu Material/Print core
g
Material 1 or 2
g
Change.
2. Wait for the print core to heat up and reverse the material.
3. Remove the material from the feeder and spool holder.
4. Place the new material on the spool holder and wait until the Ultimaker 3 detects it.
When using non-Ultimaker material, you can select a material manually.
5. Insert the material into the feeder and push it until the feeder grabs it.
6. Confirm that you have inserted the material into the feeder by pushing the button at the front side of the Ultimaker 3.
7. After the material has been forwarded, wait until it extrudes from the print head and then push on the button.
Material settings
The below table gives overview of the recommended settings per material. These settings are automatically set correctly in
Cura when selecting one of the material profiles.
Material
Nozzle
temperature (°C)
Build plate
temperature (°C)
Fan speed
(%)
Adhesion type
(Cura)
PLA
195 - 205
60
100
Brim*
ABS
225 - 240
80
50
Brim
CPE
235 - 250
70
70
Brim
Nylon
250 - 255
60
40
Raft*
PVA
215 - 225
60
50
Brim or raft*
* When printing PLA or Nylon in combination with PVA, it is recommended to print the adhesion type in PVA.
