Ultimaker has made their mark on the 3D printing industry by being a powerhouse for professionals and production lines. As interest in these robust machines grows, questions about each feature and capability do as well. The Pros at MatterHackers are here to lend a hand and answer your questions about Ultimaker, let’s jump right in.

Do Ultimaker 3D printers utilize cloud functionality?

All of Ultimaker’s most recent machines feature compatibility with the Ultimaker Digital Factory, the Ultimaker developed cloud printing platform. Ultimaker developed a software to turn your 3D models into a format 3D printers can interpret, Cura, and it has built-in tools to integrate a cloud-based workflow into your pre-processing for Gcode creation. By registering each of your Ultimaker 2+ Connects, Ultimaker S3s, and Ultimaker S5s with your Ultimaker Cura account, you can wirelessly connect and send 3D prints to your machines from anywhere in the world. Designers and engineers working in different corporate locations can easily start prints for colleagues as soon as their 3D models are ready. Not only is this useful for keeping your printers in line and being able to see what materials are loaded at a glance, but you can have your design teams at home sending files to the printers at the office, with human interaction only needed for print removal and replacing spent filament.

The Ultimaker 2+ Connect with an Air Manager attached.
The Ultimaker 2+ Connect with an Air Manager attached.

Can you 3D print with multiple colors or multiple materials in the same 3D print on an Ultimaker??

In simplest terms, to get multi-colored prints on an Ultimaker you will need to be using an Ultimaker S3 or Ultimaker S5 as these have two nozzles. Rather than using a BB Print Core in the second slot, use a second AA Print Core and load it with the second color you would like to use. It’s important to note that you need material compatibility in order for the two materials to stick together, so you may need to experiment if you are trying to print with for example, white ABS in Print Core slot 1 and red PLA in Print Core slot 2. Best practices would be using the same material in each Print Core, just different colors.

The Ultimaker S5 Pro Bundle is a fantastic addition to any production line thanks to its smart sensors and Material Station.
The Ultimaker S5 Pro Bundle is a fantastic addition to any production line thanks to its smart sensors and Material Station.

Can I use any filament with my printer or does it have to be Ultimaker manufactured materials?

All Ultimaker 3D printers can utilize any 2.85mm filament, including filament not made by Ultimaker, but there may be some tweaking to the settings you need to do to get 3D prints of the best quality. Ultimaker has partnered with renowned filament manufacturers to include built-in profiles in Cura to take the guesswork out of some materials, like MatterHackers NylonX or NylonG. For other materials, all you need to do is select a generic profile to start with and work from there to build out your own custom slicing profile. By not using an Ultimaker brand spool you will lose the functionality of having NFC chips read from the spool that automatically tell the Ultimaker 3D printer what filament is loaded and the mount of material left on the spool, instead you will have to rely on the flow sensor to detect when filament runs out.

Adjusting the thumbscrews attached to the bed will bring your build plate into level.
Adjusting the thumbscrews attached to the bed will bring your build plate into level.

Ultimaker Print Cores are for quickly swapping out the entire hotend assembly, but can you change the nozzle of a Print Core??

Changing the nozzle can be done on the Ultimaker 2+ Connect using a 7mm hex wrench and a new nozzle, but for other Ultimakers you will need to replace the Print Core entirely; each Print Core is not meant to be disassembled and reassembled. If you would like to have a nozzle-swappable Print Core there are 3rd party alternatives like the 3D Solex Print Cores, but you will not find such an offering within the Ultimaker ecosystem.

A fleet of Ultimakers ready for batch printing.
A fleet of Ultimakers ready for batch printing.

How should I maintain my Ultimaker 3D printer?

Ultimaker 3D printers don’t have a lot of moving parts, so maintenance with these machines is quick and easy if you stay regular with it. Remove debris from the chamber and dust off any of the surfaces. Pay special attention to any of the moving parts like the gantry rods of the Z-axis rods, and check for any loose filament caught in them. Once the area is clear, use a paper towel with some isopropyl alcohol to wipe down every steel rod that moves the gantry (all eight), the two Z-axis steel rods, and the leadscrew that lifts and lowers the bed. Expect the paper towel to pick up quite a bit of dark grease and may take more than one pass to fully remove it. Once it’s removed, use the lubricants provided with your Ultimaker to lubricate it; the 3-in-one oil should be used for rods and the green Magnalube should only be used on the lead screw. To oversaturating the moving parts with lubricant, add a few drops to the component and move the gantry and bed to spread the lubricant around (you can do this by hand or with the LCD).

Several linear rods guide the motion of Ultimaker 3D printers, so making sure they are well lubricated is an essential part of maintaining them.
Several linear rods guide the motion of Ultimaker 3D printers, so making sure they are well lubricated is an essential part of maintaining them.

Ultimaker’s polished and uniform 3D printing experience is a carefully planned project to ensure everyone, from newcomer to seasoned veteran, can succeed with their machines. To learn more and to order your own Ultimaker 3D printer today, check out the collection here.