1 Product Detail

CAUTION: This wiki is a work in progress! Not all information on this page is correct and may not apply to the Minnow.

Exterior Dimensions: 25 x 21 x 19.5 cm

ⓘ The exterior XYZ dimensions of the printer do not include a spool mounted.

1. Spool Holder: This is where you will place your spool of filament. Ensure the free end of the filament is at the front of the spool and pointing downwards.
2. LCD Control Screen: This printer's display where you can view statuses and control the printer.
3. Filament Insertion Point : Insert filament at the top of the Tool Head. The rectangular block where you insert the filament is also the filament monitor.
4. Tool Head: The Tool Head is where filament is melted and extruded to create the 3D print.
5. Print Bed: The Print Bed is the heated surface upon which the print is built from. There is a magnetic flexible Print Surface attached to the Print Bed, which can be removed.

The Minnow uses a LCD control screen for user control of the printer. Here you can start print jobs, monitor the printer’s activity, load/unload material, and much more.

HOME

• Jobs - Select and start print jobs.
  • Internal - Print jobs stored on the printers interal storage. Typically uploaded via Cura or Duet Web Control
  • SD Card - Print jobs store on the removable SD card loacted at the left side of the LCD display.
• Material - Manage the material/filament
  • Load - Load a new material into the printer.
  • Unload - Unload the currently loaded material.
• Menu
  • Temperature - Make manual adjustments to the tool nozzle temperature
  • Extruder - Manually extrude material from the nozzle.
  • Move - Manually move the X, Y, and Z axis.
  • Networking - Check your printers IP address and other network related items.
  • Calibration - Automated printer calibration procedures.
• Info - Basic printer information.

PRINT STATUS

• Pause - Pauses the active print job
• Tune - Advance setting that can be tweaked during a print job
  • Flow - The extrusion multiplier give as a percent. Increasing will extrude more material while decreasing will do the opposite.
  • Change Material - Pauses the current print job and runs the material unload and then load operation. You will need to manually resume the print after a material change is complete.
  • Info - Basics printer information
• Abort - Cancels the current print job.

Magnetic, removable Print Surfaces offer easy part removal and are easy to switch so you are always using the ideal Print Surface for the material and application.

PEI - All around

The PEI Print Surface is a great all around print surface offering good part adhesion for many commonly used materials.

Phenolic - Ideal for Nylons and use with bed adhesives

This Phenolic Print Surface is great for Nylon and Co-polyester based materials without the need for bed adhesives. The Phenolic Print Surface provides a glossy surface finish on the part of the print that is in contact with the Print Surface.

Changing a Print Surface is easy! Just grab the plate from the front corners and lift up. When reinstalling, make sure the two screws at the back of the build plate align and are fully seated in the notched cutouts at the back of the Print Surface.

⚠ CAUTION The Print Surface may be HOT, especially if a print job with a high build plate temperature just finished.

Proper alignment of the Print Surface

In order to work effectively, your Print Surface must be extremely clean. Before every print, make sure your Print Surface is clean of bed adhesives. If not, they can be washed off with warm water and the soft side of a sponge. Then make sure to remove dirt and oils by wiping with 90% or higher IPA (Isopropyl Alcohol). If your current material requires it, apply a bed adhesive or material interface.

Every Hydra Research 3D Printer ships with a tool kit that contains some of the key tools and replacement parts you will need to maintain your printer and post-process your 3D printed parts. This tool kit is designed to get you started, you will probably find that there are additional tools you want to use.

Below is a brief overview of all the items included in your tool Kit.

1. IPA Wipes: These isopropyl alcohol wipes are for wiping down your Print Surface. We recommend doing this at the beginning of every print job. These will get you through your first few prints, but it is recommended to purchase a bottle of IPA and paper towels at your local convenience store. More information on Print Surface preparation can be found in Section 1.4.2.
2. Wire Brush: This can be used for a number of things, but is primarily intended for cleaning plastic bits out of the extruder gears and cleaning the nozzle on the Tool Cartridge if burnt plastic begins to build up. More on this in Section 7.
3. Tool Cartridge Maintenance Kit: This includes replacement parts for your Tool Cartridge as well as some cleaning needles, which can be helpful for clearing jams in the Nozzle. See Section 7 for more info.
4. Hex Key Set: All the necessary sizes of hex keys to unscrew the bolts on your Nautilus during maintenance, etc.
5. Deburring Tool: This is intended for removing brims on printed parts after printing. More information on post-processing printed parts can be found in Section 3.6.
6. Spatula: While most parts can be removed from the Print Surface by flexing, some parts need a little extra help. The spatula can be used to get underneath the part and pry it off.
   • ⚠ CAUTION Be careful, you can damage the laminated surface on your Print Surface with the spatula if you are scraping too aggressively.
   • ⚠ IMPORTANT The spatula has a very sharp edge, always scrape away from yourself. Gloves are recommended.
7. Pliers: The cutter at the base of the plier jaws can be used for cutting a fresh tip on the filament, which is recommended before loading filament. The pliers can also be useful for support removal after a part has finished printing.
8. Flush Cutters: The flush cutters can also be used for cutting a fresh tip on the filament, which is recommended before loading filament. They can also be useful for cutting away support material after a part has finished printing.
9. Tweezers: The tweezers can come in handy for many things, including grabbing things in tight places during maintenance and repairs, removing support material from hard to reach areas on a part after printing, and more.
10. Hobby Knife: This hobby knife is useful for removing brims in tight areas where the deburring tool is less effective. You will likely find many other uses for the hobby knife when removing supports and cleaning up parts after they have been printed.
    • ⚠ IMPORTANT The hobby knife has a very sharp edge, always be careful and cut away from yourself whenever possible.