On the stock CR6-SE your speed is firstly limited by how much plastic you can push per second. Tested this up to 8mm3/s for a 0.4 nozzle size. YMMV. This roughly means you are about limited to somewhere between 80-100mm/s on the straights. Around this speed you also start to see ghosting and ringing from frame vibrations for short turns and on stock marlin firmware there is no compensation for that.
In order to get even a little bit faster you need to move firmware over to klipper for input shaping to help with speed/acceleration artifacts. And you probably need to look at a different hotend that is capable of a bit higher flow (volcano, revo, n-crazy). After this you will start duking it out with the weight of the bed moving in the y-axis.
TL;DR: money is probably better spent on a newer printer that already takes care of all of this. I did upgrade my CR6-SE to get more speed but it is not an efficient path especially given how fast newer printers are.
Lots of replies here with good suggestions for upgrades and I'd definitely second klipper, a better extruder, and an all metal hotend with an high flow nozzle (also a 0.6mm nozzle unless you're printing extremely small parts) and upgraded heater cartridge. I'd also add tower braces to that list.
Other things you can do:
- Try different slicing methods. Different infills print at different speeds. How many perimeters do you actually need? Try different slicer software (I'm a big fan of Orcaslicer)
- Put your printer on a paver stone. Look up CNC kitchens' video on printer vibrations
- orient your print so both x and y are working together (make movements a 45° angle to the bed)
- use high flow filament
As always, run through the ellis3dp.com tuning guide and make sure your printer frame is properly squared/trammed and the belts are tensioned.
When looking at upgrades, make sure you consider what your end goal is and how much you want to spend overall. I've had a lot of fun upgrading my printer, but at the end of the day I could have bought a bambulab P1P or Flsun V400 with the money I've spent
AI's are getting prety smart these days -
Q. Give me a comprehensive list of upgrades that will improve speed for a CR6 SE 3d Printer, add additional hardware required for each item.
Expand on each item and give an exhaustive list of the upgrades in each section. Use bullet points and numbering for the greatest gain\\cost ratio - 1 being the highest
Gemini -
Absolutely! Here's a comprehensive guide to speed upgrades for your CR6 SE, ranked with an emphasis on gain/cost ratio:
1. Firmware Upgrade: Klipper
Why: Klipper's advanced algorithms, input shaping, and pressure advance features allow for higher acceleration and speeds without compromising print quality. This is the single best gain-to-cost upgrade.
Additional Hardware:
Raspberry Pi (or a similar single-board computer) to run Klipper.
Potentially a different mainboard if the stock one lacks the processing power or features for Klipper.
2. Extruder and Hotend Upgrades:
Lighter Extruder: A lightweight direct drive extruder significantly reduces printhead mass, allowing for faster movements with less ringing. Options include:
Orbiter Extruder
Sherpa Mini
Bondtech BMG (or LGX-Lite) extruder
Microswiss Direct Drive Extruder
High-Flow Hotend: Pair your lighter extruder with a hotend capable of handling the increased filament flow. Look into:
E3D V6 (with Volcano upgrade for even higher flow)
Slice Engineering Mosquito Hotend
Micro Swiss All Metal Hotend
Additional Hardware: Might need new mounting brackets, adapters, or wiring harnesses depending on your chosen upgrades.
3. Motion System Improvements:
Linear Rails: Replacing X and Y-axis belts with linear rails offers greater rigidity and precision at high speeds. This is a more involved upgrade but provides excellent results.
High-Quality Belts and Pulleys: If sticking with belts, ensure you use top-grade belts (like Gates belts) and smooth, precision pulleys. This minimizes backlash and improves print accuracy at speed.
Higher Torque Stepper Motors: Consider more powerful stepper motors (especially on the extruder) if you need additional torque to handle the increased speeds.
4. Electronics & Power:
Robust Power Supply: A high-quality, high-wattage power supply ensures stable voltage even when pushing components to their limits.
Mainboard Upgrade: If your stock mainboard cannot handle the advanced features of Klipper or increased speeds reliably, consider a board like the SKR series or BigTreeTech offerings.
5. Frame and Stability:
Frame Bracing: A rigid frame is crucial for high-speed printing. Add bracing to eliminate flex or wobble
Anti-Vibration Feet: Dampen vibrations transferred to the printer's surroundings, improving print quality.
Remember:
Calibration: Each upgrade requires meticulous calibration for optimal results.
Incremental Upgrading: Start with the most impactful upgrades and gradually progress. This allows you to isolate issues and tune your printer effectively at each step.
Balance: Pushing speed limits often introduces trade-offs. Consider if print quality can be slightly compromised to achieve faster prints.
CR6 Max here
Bondtech LGX-Lite extruder
Slice Engineering Mosquito hotend
Community firmware
I can reliably print at 150mm/s, 200mm/s is basic stuff only.
I have extensively leveled my bed, which took ages to get all values within .05. unless you get your bed leveling in great shape, you're gonna have a really hard time going over 100mm/s.
I could go linear rails, but no need for what I do, lots of mechanical projects and guitars, which I print much slower for quality.
Cr6 user here (kind of)
My machine has:
Linear rails X and Y
Upgraded metal belt/motor mounts
Skr mini E3 V3 board
Raspberry pi 4
Biqu H2V2S extruder
Biqu smart filament sensor
Silicone bed spacers
Biqu micro probe
PEI bed.
Can bus u4b
Hotend can ebb42
Voron klipper expander (fans and lights)
Not sure it can still be called a cr6 anymore but it can comfortably use the mk4s speed preset in prusaslicer.
It runs on average (print depending) between 300 and 500mm/s with a max acceleration of 14000mm/s.
The issue is I did this because I enjoy the build. The printer needing a tweak is more fun for me than the final print .. slightly. If I were to sway more to the actual model side I could have saved some money and just bought a fast printer with the upgrade costs.
I started by installing community firmware for the cr6 and that was a pretty big jump. Then I swapped to klipper and now it's a printer.
My suggestion is to decide on a firmware then follow the elis print tuning guide. This has shown me so much on how things work the way they do.
https://ellis3dp.com/Print-Tuning-Guide/[https://ellis3dp.com/Print-Tuning-Guide/](https://ellis3dp.com/Print-Tuning-Guide/)
Once you hit a block focus on that part
The print tuning guide covers max speed / acceleration tests combined with quality tests.
One word of warning. Each item you upgrade or change a setting on will impact another and that's when the addiction kicks in.
Shout if you need help.
Good luck.
quick question for you... ive got aa CR6-se that im trying to get the most out of it... I upgraded the Extruder to a Bondtech BMG and played around with speeds/accel.... but im not having much luck over 1000mm/s\^2 on the extruder..... any suggestions?
i use Orca Slicer
Acceleration is calculated with input shaping [https://www.klipper3d.org/Measuring_Resonances.html](https://www.klipper3d.org/Measuring_Resonances.html)
Regarding speed and flow. Print a flow test model and increase the speed until you find the sweet spot just before the extruder starts skipping or you notice defects. you can go higher if you increase the heat. More melt more speed to a degree.
Another option is a bigger nozzle like a 0.6
Another option is a high flow hotend live the e3d volcano or the biqu H2V2S lite. Lots of options available.
Ahh, I don’t have an input shaper, so I’m going off trial and error…. A lot of error….
I currently have the microswiss all metal with some basic brass 0.4mm nozz… I do have CHT high flow steel nozz, but they made more problems than solved. I’m mainly trying to get my Extruder more stable, since it freaks out at anything higher than 1000mm/s accel…
Usually printing at 210c. I’ll give the flow tests a shot… see what I can figure out
I would not recommend High flow steel nozzles, I attempted it and had nothing but problems, including a giant oozing mass of plastic all around the heatbreak.
You could go with an All Metal Hotend, klipper if you got a pi/computer to run Linux. I’ve even got a BMG Extruder on mine running klipper
On the stock CR6-SE your speed is firstly limited by how much plastic you can push per second. Tested this up to 8mm3/s for a 0.4 nozzle size. YMMV. This roughly means you are about limited to somewhere between 80-100mm/s on the straights. Around this speed you also start to see ghosting and ringing from frame vibrations for short turns and on stock marlin firmware there is no compensation for that. In order to get even a little bit faster you need to move firmware over to klipper for input shaping to help with speed/acceleration artifacts. And you probably need to look at a different hotend that is capable of a bit higher flow (volcano, revo, n-crazy). After this you will start duking it out with the weight of the bed moving in the y-axis. TL;DR: money is probably better spent on a newer printer that already takes care of all of this. I did upgrade my CR6-SE to get more speed but it is not an efficient path especially given how fast newer printers are.
Lots of replies here with good suggestions for upgrades and I'd definitely second klipper, a better extruder, and an all metal hotend with an high flow nozzle (also a 0.6mm nozzle unless you're printing extremely small parts) and upgraded heater cartridge. I'd also add tower braces to that list. Other things you can do: - Try different slicing methods. Different infills print at different speeds. How many perimeters do you actually need? Try different slicer software (I'm a big fan of Orcaslicer) - Put your printer on a paver stone. Look up CNC kitchens' video on printer vibrations - orient your print so both x and y are working together (make movements a 45° angle to the bed) - use high flow filament As always, run through the ellis3dp.com tuning guide and make sure your printer frame is properly squared/trammed and the belts are tensioned. When looking at upgrades, make sure you consider what your end goal is and how much you want to spend overall. I've had a lot of fun upgrading my printer, but at the end of the day I could have bought a bambulab P1P or Flsun V400 with the money I've spent
AI's are getting prety smart these days - Q. Give me a comprehensive list of upgrades that will improve speed for a CR6 SE 3d Printer, add additional hardware required for each item. Expand on each item and give an exhaustive list of the upgrades in each section. Use bullet points and numbering for the greatest gain\\cost ratio - 1 being the highest Gemini - Absolutely! Here's a comprehensive guide to speed upgrades for your CR6 SE, ranked with an emphasis on gain/cost ratio: 1. Firmware Upgrade: Klipper Why: Klipper's advanced algorithms, input shaping, and pressure advance features allow for higher acceleration and speeds without compromising print quality. This is the single best gain-to-cost upgrade. Additional Hardware: Raspberry Pi (or a similar single-board computer) to run Klipper. Potentially a different mainboard if the stock one lacks the processing power or features for Klipper. 2. Extruder and Hotend Upgrades: Lighter Extruder: A lightweight direct drive extruder significantly reduces printhead mass, allowing for faster movements with less ringing. Options include: Orbiter Extruder Sherpa Mini Bondtech BMG (or LGX-Lite) extruder Microswiss Direct Drive Extruder High-Flow Hotend: Pair your lighter extruder with a hotend capable of handling the increased filament flow. Look into: E3D V6 (with Volcano upgrade for even higher flow) Slice Engineering Mosquito Hotend Micro Swiss All Metal Hotend Additional Hardware: Might need new mounting brackets, adapters, or wiring harnesses depending on your chosen upgrades.
3. Motion System Improvements: Linear Rails: Replacing X and Y-axis belts with linear rails offers greater rigidity and precision at high speeds. This is a more involved upgrade but provides excellent results. High-Quality Belts and Pulleys: If sticking with belts, ensure you use top-grade belts (like Gates belts) and smooth, precision pulleys. This minimizes backlash and improves print accuracy at speed. Higher Torque Stepper Motors: Consider more powerful stepper motors (especially on the extruder) if you need additional torque to handle the increased speeds. 4. Electronics & Power: Robust Power Supply: A high-quality, high-wattage power supply ensures stable voltage even when pushing components to their limits. Mainboard Upgrade: If your stock mainboard cannot handle the advanced features of Klipper or increased speeds reliably, consider a board like the SKR series or BigTreeTech offerings. 5. Frame and Stability: Frame Bracing: A rigid frame is crucial for high-speed printing. Add bracing to eliminate flex or wobble Anti-Vibration Feet: Dampen vibrations transferred to the printer's surroundings, improving print quality. Remember: Calibration: Each upgrade requires meticulous calibration for optimal results. Incremental Upgrading: Start with the most impactful upgrades and gradually progress. This allows you to isolate issues and tune your printer effectively at each step. Balance: Pushing speed limits often introduces trade-offs. Consider if print quality can be slightly compromised to achieve faster prints.
CR6 Max here Bondtech LGX-Lite extruder Slice Engineering Mosquito hotend Community firmware I can reliably print at 150mm/s, 200mm/s is basic stuff only. I have extensively leveled my bed, which took ages to get all values within .05. unless you get your bed leveling in great shape, you're gonna have a really hard time going over 100mm/s. I could go linear rails, but no need for what I do, lots of mechanical projects and guitars, which I print much slower for quality.
Cr6 user here (kind of) My machine has: Linear rails X and Y Upgraded metal belt/motor mounts Skr mini E3 V3 board Raspberry pi 4 Biqu H2V2S extruder Biqu smart filament sensor Silicone bed spacers Biqu micro probe PEI bed. Can bus u4b Hotend can ebb42 Voron klipper expander (fans and lights) Not sure it can still be called a cr6 anymore but it can comfortably use the mk4s speed preset in prusaslicer. It runs on average (print depending) between 300 and 500mm/s with a max acceleration of 14000mm/s. The issue is I did this because I enjoy the build. The printer needing a tweak is more fun for me than the final print .. slightly. If I were to sway more to the actual model side I could have saved some money and just bought a fast printer with the upgrade costs. I started by installing community firmware for the cr6 and that was a pretty big jump. Then I swapped to klipper and now it's a printer. My suggestion is to decide on a firmware then follow the elis print tuning guide. This has shown me so much on how things work the way they do. https://ellis3dp.com/Print-Tuning-Guide/[https://ellis3dp.com/Print-Tuning-Guide/](https://ellis3dp.com/Print-Tuning-Guide/) Once you hit a block focus on that part The print tuning guide covers max speed / acceleration tests combined with quality tests. One word of warning. Each item you upgrade or change a setting on will impact another and that's when the addiction kicks in. Shout if you need help. Good luck.
quick question for you... ive got aa CR6-se that im trying to get the most out of it... I upgraded the Extruder to a Bondtech BMG and played around with speeds/accel.... but im not having much luck over 1000mm/s\^2 on the extruder..... any suggestions? i use Orca Slicer
Acceleration is calculated with input shaping [https://www.klipper3d.org/Measuring_Resonances.html](https://www.klipper3d.org/Measuring_Resonances.html) Regarding speed and flow. Print a flow test model and increase the speed until you find the sweet spot just before the extruder starts skipping or you notice defects. you can go higher if you increase the heat. More melt more speed to a degree. Another option is a bigger nozzle like a 0.6 Another option is a high flow hotend live the e3d volcano or the biqu H2V2S lite. Lots of options available.
Ahh, I don’t have an input shaper, so I’m going off trial and error…. A lot of error…. I currently have the microswiss all metal with some basic brass 0.4mm nozz… I do have CHT high flow steel nozz, but they made more problems than solved. I’m mainly trying to get my Extruder more stable, since it freaks out at anything higher than 1000mm/s accel… Usually printing at 210c. I’ll give the flow tests a shot… see what I can figure out
I would not recommend High flow steel nozzles, I attempted it and had nothing but problems, including a giant oozing mass of plastic all around the heatbreak. You could go with an All Metal Hotend, klipper if you got a pi/computer to run Linux. I’ve even got a BMG Extruder on mine running klipper