Dual extruders are a characteristic that frequently distinguishes professional 3D printers from home ones (although there are some budget versions). Using two extruders, you can print intricate structures in one material while adding supports in a different, simpler-to-remove substance. Dual extruders enable multi-material 3D printing and can double the capacity of your printer so that you can print two pieces simultaneously. Combining materials allows you to achieve various mechanical qualities in a single print, which helps produce more practical and accurate prototypes.
Part assembly and time-consuming filament changes are eliminated when printing with two materials at once, whether two colors or a flexible TPU next to a robust, solid polypropylene. Also, you can save money by printing with an expensive filament, such as carbon fiber, only where it’s required and using a less expensive material for infill or non-structural sections.
The most typical professional application for idex dual extruders is printing a part in a base material and its supports in a soluble substance, like polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or BVOH (butanediol vinyl alcohol copolymer), to facilitate quick and uncomplicated support removal. In addition to being easier to remove than break-away supports, soluble supports (dissolvable in water or alcohol solution) also allow you to print considerably more complicated portions where interior, hard-to-reach non-soluble supports would be challenging to remove.
Independent Dual Extruders (IDEX)
These printers have a gantry with two extruder print heads that can slide independently on the X-axis while relying on the Y and Z-axes. This means that, with some restrictions, a single printer can function as two smaller printers, each printing the same thing simultaneously (copy mode), or that each extruder can be configured to print a separate portion simultaneously (mirror mode). For instance, one extruder could print a model of a left shoe sole while the other printed a model of a proper shoe sole. They cannot print two entirely distinct shapes while one extruder waits for the other to finish a layer before advancing on the Z axis because that could result in part faults from prior layers cooling.
The two nozzles in the best IDEX printer can have significant temperature differences, which makes it possible to combine various materials into the same object more consistently than some dual nozzles in a single print head.
What to Look For in a Dual Extruder 3D Printer
Twin extruders that are dependent or independent. Even though printing soluble supports for your intricate industrial parts is a dual extruder printer’s key selling point, consider whether your business would benefit from the increased production speed provided by two separate extruders. Check out printers with individual extruders if the response is yes (IDEX).
The temperature of the nozzle when it comes to extrusion temperature, every material has a unique sweet spot. Your extruder nozzles should be able to maintain a consistent temperature of at least 280oC for the majority of engineering-grade materials. Ask your vendor if the nozzles can support these temperature variances when the optimal temperature of one material differs significantly from the optimal temperature of your second substance. Talk to your vendor about the material combinations you plan to print.
They are readying the filament. Engineering-grade materials must be maintained warm and dry for the best printing results. A material chamber is necessary if you intend to print with delicate fabrics. While some printers offer separate, optional filament cabinets, many have built-in material chambers that maintain the correct humidity and temperature.
Spare parts and serviceability. Details on your 3D printer will wear down after hundreds or thousands of prints, just like any professional or industrial machinery. You’ll need to swap out extruders, sensors, castors, rails, and other parts during your printer’s lifetime. Certain printers will alert the user when the details need to be replaced. Consider how simple it will be to order and install new parts.
