Anyone have experience with the Makerbot Z18 printer? I bought one for work last week and it is cool but has some serious challenges to overcome. Specifically, I would like to print other materials than just basic PLA but it doesn’t seem to support that. Do I have to use the Makerbot software or is there a 3rd party tool that can create the gcode files for it?
You have to use all makerbot or you void your warranty. Welcome to the Eco-system.
It seems the new machines only officially support PLA. I haven’t seen any text in the warranties that say they are void when other material is used, but it seems they’re going for a PLA-only product line, save for the legacy Replicator 2X.
Use the makerbot to print a better printer that can do all the things you want, or return the printer and purchase a better one with lower cost and higher reliability.
And then use the better printer to reprint its own parts in something that’s not PLA. It’s the life cycle of a RepRap.
Even with it’s limitations, I think the Z18 has a lot of promise. If nothing else, it sure beats my previous printer: the 3D Systems Cube, gen2.
@Jeff_DeMaagd read the warranty for the new gen printers. Its not just materials other than PLA. Its materials other than MakerBot brand PLA.
Ok, I found the line in question. I think the warranty exclusions probably violates Magnuson-Moss but fighting it would take a lot too.
No, Magnuson-Moss protects you against non-specific modifications not outlined in the warranty. And issues that arise that are unrelated to them. ie. Car warranties do not expressly say “you may not put a cold-air intake on your car” but if you do and you hydro lock your engine, your warranty is void for your engine, because you modified your engine and the modification caused the issue.
Where Magnuson-Moss comes into play is if you put a cold-air on and your suspension failed, but the dealer tried to void your warranty. The two have nothing to do with each other and your cant blanket warranty something like a car.
The filament is specifically outlined in the warranty, and would “cause” specific problems just like the cold-air pulling water into your engine. If you ran Chinese PLA, or even MakerBot ABS through a Z18 you would be SOL on your extruder warranty.
So there’s nothing in there that says brands can’t dictate their own consumables be used, otherwise they don’t get warranty service? I could have sworn it was there last I read about it.
That said, if third party filament does damage the extruder, then I can understand voiding the warranty in that case. But to just blanket void the entire warranty for not using the right brand it seems to go against that law.
@Jeff_DeMaagd MBI does have a point with this, some filament vendors are band. I have seen post where people have found pieces of metal in the spool of PLA. There is a direct correlation between bad filament and broken nozzles. That being said an approved vendors list would be nice.
That is probably Richrap’s post from a few years ago. There is a point, but it seems a tad heavy-handed.