Description
The Nozzle X is E3D's ‘One to rule them all’ nozzle, made from a special alloy of tool steel.
Here is a nozzle that is immensely hard, but also maintains its hardness to high temperatures without softening. E3D has also added a layer of hard, slick nickel plating which provides a fantastic balance of cost and wear resistance. The cherry on the top? E3D's NEW WS2 ‘polyphobic’ nano coating, no longer will you find hot molten polymers sticking to your nozzle.
While hardened steel nozzles are ideal for printing abrasive filaments such as ones loaded with Carbon Fibre, the extreme temperatures can cause the steel to temper and soften, ultimately reducing its abrasion resistance. And then there's plated copper nozzles, able to cope easily with these immense temperatures but lacking the abrasion resistance required to resist Carbon Fibre. This is where the Nozzle X comes in, a nozzle able to withstand crazy temperatures without softening.
By going with a one-piece all-machined construction E3D was able to use their existing manufacturing processes to create their carefully tuned internal geometry, which provides fantastic flow response and keep the exact same geometry and compatibility as the rest of the E3D ecosystem.
Benefits of the WS2 ‘polyphobic’ nano-coating on the Nozzle X:
- Less build up, particularly of sticky and filled materials to the nozzle cone
- Improved first layer reliability; the slick coating has a reduced tendency to ‘drag’ material, particularly at sharp corners where tracks can peel up
- Slicker, smooth top solid layers with a glassy like finish as a result of the smooth laydown of material
- Easier nozzle cleaning, what little material that does adhere is easily wiped away with a paper towel leaving a very clean nozzle.
Read E3D's blog post to hear more about this next generation nozzle.