With the continuous development of 3D printing technology, the dual-nozzle printer is favored by more and more users because of its advantages of multi-material and multi-color printing. However, compared with single-nozzle printing, double-nozzle printing is more complicated in parameter setting. Reasonable parameter setting not only affects the printing quality, but also directly affects the coordination between the two nozzles. This paper will introduce in detail how to correctly set the parameters of the dual-nozzle printer to help users get better printing results.

First, the nozzle spacing and alignment calibration

When using the dual-nozzle printer for the first time, the first task is to measure the nozzle spacing and align and calibrate. Because the two nozzles are installed on the same print head, if the position is not accurate, it will lead to model dislocation, ghosting and even printing failure. Users can print the alignment test model (such as the twin-tower model) to detect the relative position between the nozzles, and make fine adjustment through the offset setting in the software to ensure that the two nozzles work on the same reference point.

Second, the temperature and material settings

Different printing materials have different requirements for temperature. For example, PLA printing usually requires a nozzle temperature of about 200℃ and a hot bed temperature of about 60℃; ABS needs a higher temperature (about 230℃/110℃). Dual-nozzle printer supports dual-material printing, so it is necessary to set corresponding material and temperature parameters for each nozzle. In slicing software (such as Cura, Simplify3D, etc.), users should select the material types used by the nozzles 1 and 2 respectively, and set the appropriate printing temperature.

Iii. Setting of supporting structure and separation wall
　　When printing with double nozzles, especially when one nozzle is used to print supporting materials (such as PVA), it is necessary to correctly set the generation mode of supporting structure and the Offset Wall with the main model. The separation wall can effectively prevent the adhesion of materials between the two nozzles and ensure that the water-soluble supporting materials can be removed smoothly without affecting the main model structure.

Four, cooling and fan control
　　Cooling control is particularly important when two nozzles work alternately. For example, when the spray head 2 is not working, whether to turn off the fan or turn on the cooling pause needs to be set according to the material characteristics. Generally, PLA materials need higher fan speed to enhance the cooling effect, while ABS or PETG should reduce the cooling to prevent interlayer cracking.

Five, when switching the nozzle pumping and moving settings

In order to avoid dripping and wire dragging when the nozzle is idle, reasonable withdrawal parameters must be set. Each nozzle should be independently configured with the withdrawal distance and speed, and at the same time, the function of "Wipe Nozzle" should be turned on, so that the nozzle can be slightly wiped when switching, so as to avoid the material polluting the printing path of another nozzle.

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To sum up, the parameter setting of dual-nozzle printer involves not only the basic setting of temperature and material, but also the fine adjustment of nozzle alignment, cooling control, supporting structure and so on. Only on the basis of fully understanding the significance of various parameters and combining with the actual printing situation, can we give full play to the advantages of dual-nozzle printers and improve the printing success rate and finished product quality. For beginners, it is suggested to start with simple two-color printing, gradually master various setting skills, and finally realize multi-material and high-precision complex printing tasks.