Hey there! I have been looking into this product for a while and I think I'm ready to pull the trigger. I've got a few questions so I'm not blind sided by anything.
The first is, what kind of shipping times are typical?
The second is, I only need to adjust the G code one time, correct? Or do I need to add it to the profiles and the adjust it based on each print?
The third is, does this work with most/all filaments? Or are there some it does better/worse with? I noticed in the FAQ that PLA is referenced mostly and just want to clarify.
Four, is there any specific downsides to this product that aren't noticeable at first? I don't do anything crazy with my printer, but do want to know if there's anything I should keep in mind.
I appreciate any help and time!
1) We usually ship within a couple of days... most orders ship in two days.
2) Yes, you insert the tool change gcode into your slicer profile, and as long as you use that profile, there is nothing else to do.
3) Actually, we don't add or remove your printer's capabilities to print a particular filament... however, certain mixes of filaments are not compatible. But as long as one filament can work with another, you shouldn't have a problem. Generally, it's far easier if you are simply changing colors using the same filament types, however.
4) The biggest issue that people run into is not understanding fully their filaments performance characteristics and how it handles being loaded and unloaded. We simply bucket this into "Tip Shaping", which, if not done correctly, can lead to jams. It's important to start off your color printing experience slowly and don't jump into trying to print 1000 layer 4 color prints with 4000 color changes. It's best to start of with just a few color changes in a part, like a sign with just 4 changes, for example. You need to understand how the tips look and how to correctly shape them for longer and longer prints. In the additive manufacturing world, we call this "process development" and it's an iterative process of understanding your printer, printed parts, processes and parameters. Once you dial them all in, you can make consistently good prints. Until then, however, you need to build up the experience and knowledge of how it works in your situation and using your filaments, for example. (It's also very, very helpful to maintain that consistency for example, only use a particular brand of filament you find to work well in your situation.) I'd say that's the biggest... but it is still very easy to start off making simple multi-color signs as soon as you get it going. Bill