Nozzles Bondtech CHT BiMetal V6/MK8/Volcano

The Bondtech CHT BiMetal nozzles were developed to provide the 3D printing industry with a sturdy and reliable nozzle for the faster 3D printing of abrasive materials such as composite filaments. The CHT BiMetal nozzles open a world of new opportunities for exploration and innovation, with cost-efficiency and versatility in mind. The CHT BiMetal nozzles are available in the following variants: V6 (RepRap M6) - M6 × 1 × 7.5 × 12.5, MK8 - M6 × 1 × 5 × 13, Volcano - M6 × 1 × 14.5 × 21.

Image 1: The V6, MK8 and Volcano CHT BiMetal nozzles (left to right). Source: Bondtech.

A game-changing nozzle

With the CHT BiMetal nozzles, the users of V6, MK8 and Volcano hotends can now increase the flow rate by 25-65 % (depending on the hardware, materials and print settings used) and produce stronger parts for a wide variety of applications, with significant time gains. They 5 key advantages offered by the CHT BiMetal nozzles are:

1. Increased flow rate - this translates not only into faster printing speeds but also shorter build times and increased efficiency as a result.
2. Enhanced melt capacity - thanks to the Bondtech CHT technology, the CHT BiMetal nozzles ensure better melting and produce stronger parts with better layer bonding, perfect for demanding technical applications.
3. Tolerance to higher processing temperatures - the CHT nozzles are capable of withstanding temperatures of over 300 ºC, which makes them suitable for high-temperature filaments such as PC or the PAEK family.
4. Cost efficiency - thanks to the innovative 3-part design, Bondtech are able to provide a high-quality, durable, and efficient nozzle at a much lower price than traditional abrasion-resistant nozzles made of hard metals or with crystal tips. Furthermore, the materials used in the CHT BiMetal nozzles ensure their long service life, which increases the nozzle's rentability.
5. Versatility - the CHT BiMetal nozzles are available in 4 different diameters (0.4 mm, 0.6 mm, 0.8 mm, 1 mm) and can work with both 1.75 mm and 2.85 mm filament. Furthermore, the CHT BiMetal nozzles are compatible with numerous hotends and 3D printers (see Table 1). This really breaks any limits in terms of materials and equipment, and allows for a great deal of freedom in the 3D printing workflow.

Table 1: The hotends and 3D printers compatible with the CHT BiMetal nozzles. Source: Bondtech.

All these properties are a result of the unique design of the CHT BiMetal nozzles in combination with the Bondtech CHT technology.

Unique design

Standard abrasion-resistant nozzles are made using costly hard metals or crystal tips. This does indeed improve the nozzles abrasion resistance but it implies much higher manufacturing costs and slightly worse thermal efficiency (in the case of traditional hardened steel). Bondtech has solved this conundrum by designing the CHT BiMetal nozzles in three parts:

Image 2: The anatomy of the CHT BiMetal nozzles. Source: Bondtech.

This design guarantees unmatched efficiency, ruggedness, and affordability. The CHT BiMetal nozzles are made up of copper with hardened vanadium steel inserts, all coated with a nickel coating. These materials have the following benefits:

• The copper contributes exceptional thermal performance thanks to its excellent thermal conductivity. This means that the CHT nozzles provide much better thermal performance than hard steel nozzles.
• The hardened vanadium steel resists abrasion from fiber/particle loaded filaments like few other materials, surpassing even crystal tip nozzles in terms of inlet abrasion. This significantly prolongs the nozzles' service time and reduces maintenance costs.
• The nickel coating is applied as a final touch to provide protection against corrosion, erosion, and abrasion. What's more, nickel-coated nozzles allow for smoother material feeding and delay plastic adhesion to the nozzle's surface.

Image 3: The CHT BiMetal nozzles before (left) and after (right) nickel coating. Source: Bondtech.

Another reason why the CHT BiMetal nozzles perform so well is the Bondtech CHT technology.

CHT technology

The Core Heating Technology (CHT) ensures higher melt capacity of the nozzle by increasing the surface area of the heating walls. Bondtech CHT Nozzles split the filament into 3 thinner strands (visible in Image 3) allowing the material to melt from within. This makes the material melt faster and allows the use of higher flow rates.

Video 1: A comparison of print quality at a 26 mm³/s flow rate with a CHT vs. standard nozzle. Source: Bondtech.

This phenomenon is very well explained and demonstrated in the video. The results of a printing competition are shown where the only difference is the nozzle used - CHT vs. standard. While all the other printing parameters and material stay the same, the CHT nozzle produces a perfect part after increasing the flow rate gradually from 17 to 26 mm³/s, while the standard nozzle starts to produce a defective part already at 20 mm³/s.

How to use the CHT BiMetal nozzles properly

There are a few things that must be kept in mind at the time of installing and using the CHT BiMetal nozzles to ensure their maximum performance and longevity.

Firstly, since copper is a soft material and doesn't withstand high mechanical efforts, it is recommended to heat up the nozzle to 280 °C (at least above 250 °C) before removing or tightening it. For that purpose, a torque of 0.5 Nm is recommended (at most 1.0 Nm).

Furthermore, the 0.4 mm diameter nozzles should not be used with carbon or glass fiber reinforced filaments (best to use the other diameters), and as far as metal, wood, glitter, or other particle-loaded abrasive filaments, all diameters can be used.