On Meltzone Adapters
One of the things that separates the Chube Hotend from other hotends, is the fully replaceable meltzone. This part is called the Meltzone Adapter, or MZA. For most hotends, the meltzone is a hole going straight through the heatblock. Some hotends utilize nozzles that are essentially the entire meltzone, where the nozzle goes through the full length of the heatblock.
The default MZA for both Chube Air and Chube Conduction are meant for use with standard v6 nozzles. Now there are meltzone adapters available for use with volcano-type nozzles as well! We want to give Chube users a chance to continue utilizing the volcano nozzle libraries they’ve already invested in, instead of allowing them to grow obsolete.
Meltzone Adapter Lengths:
Chube Air Standard: 29mm
Chube Air Volcano: 21mm
Chube Conduction Standard: 39mm
Chube Conduction Volcano: 31mm
Commonly Asked Questions:
Why does Chube use an MZA?
- Chube was designed and engineered to be a professional grade hotend. Every component in Chube Air and Conduction are rated to 500c. People and companies printing at those temperatures are likely to be using engineering filaments, and are therefore far more likely to eat through a heatblock with a “normal” meltzone. A removable meltzone allows users who print with abrasive materials frequently, and to simply replace the meltzone if it wears out, instead of needing to purchase an entirely new block. This saves on cost for users as well as material, and makes it an environmentally friendly choice as well.
- This allows for easier adaptation for different nozzle choices. If a person likes to print with both volcano/v6 nozzles, they can swap out meltzone adapters instead of needing to purchase a new block, or even a whole new hotend. We want people to be able to use the 3d printing supplies they already own and enjoy.
What are MZAs made of?
Meltzone Adapters are made out of the same copper alloy as the Chube heatblocks. It is important to source a quality alloy: Chube hotends focus on quality components in order to prevent parts breaking during normal use. In fact, Chube is meant to be a workhorse, and the quality of our components speak to that. They are then coated in the same Electroless Nickel as the heatblocks as well!
How do I remove it?
There is a torx hole on one end of the meltzone adapter. You are able to remove the adapter through either end of the heatblock, if you disassemble the rest of the hotend. It is preferable to remove from the torx side, which is on the nozzle-end of the Chube. If you have used your hotend, and would like to swap meltzone adapters, you should heat your hotend for MZA removal, like you would for a nozzle. It is not necessary to heat to install in a brand-new chube as well, though hot-tightening does ensure a better seal. If the Chube was used, always install while heated, same thing as a nozzle. See Chube Tips and Tricks for more details and photos: lukeslab.pro/en/Chube-Tips
Where are MZAs made?
They are made in Wrightstown, WI and coated here in the USA!
Will they be a click-to-buy component?
Yes, standard MZAs for Air and Conduction are currently available, and Volcano MZAs were just released!
Air standard meltzone: lukeslabonline.com/products/chube-air-meltzone-adapter
Air volcano meltzone: lukeslabonline.com/products/chube-air-meltzone-adapter-volcano
Conduction standard meltzone: lukeslabonline.com/products/chube-conduction-meltzone-adapter
Conduction volcano meltzone: lukeslabonline.com/products/chube-conduction-meltzone-adapter-volcano
Do I need to use Boron Nitride Paste on my Meltzone Adapter?
If you’d like to, you can. But it is not necessary. We do not BN paste our personally used Chube meltzones, nor the retail units. Any increase in performance is, in our opinion, negligible for most users.
