Update to the K2Plus with the CFS (Creality Filament System)
I have worked with the CFS for a couple of weeks. No problems with its operation and I enjoy having it available.
It’s a completely sealed (rubber gasket) filament storage box as well as a filament change system. It’s not heated like a filament drying system. It does contain two large packets of desiccant in special compartments in the bottom. Leaving filament in the CFS for long periods should be no moisture problem.
I haven’t (yet) seen the desiccant listed in the spare parts as I haven’t looked. <G> But I am thinking the great many small packets of desiccant shipped with filaments (and thrown away) would be great to use in the CFS. No need to purchase special packets.
Check the Creality website if you want all the CFS details. Here is a <LINK> to the Wiki.
Filament change while printing is EXTREAMLY complex. It has been working fine, but is very slow and mecanically laborious. The Creality marketing likes to show very complex multi color prints. But THEY require VERY LONG print times with all the filament swapping required.
Sixteen color changes in one layer is ridiculous. <Ha!>
I like having four filaments at the ready. If I had the money and the space to install, I might install four CFS units. The present maximum. But I have no “REAL” need to do that.
What no one seems to mention is the advantage to “power feeding” the filament to the extruder. The CFS drives (pushes) the filament to the extruder in little steps. The separate spring loaded buffer device mounted to the K2Plus in the middle of the back panel, triggers the the feed motor in the CFS. about 25-30 MM at a time but I didn’t measure that. This pre-loads the spring buffer system. It’s a rather ingenious system.
This means the extruder doesn’t have the work load of dragging the filament off the spool and through all the tubing. The extruder can work primarily on providing exact nozzle feed control. I think this greatly improves the print results.
Creality Marketing is ignoring this feed path benefit.
Bottom line. The K2Plus and the CFS are a system to make changing filaments automatic. It does this but takes time and a lot of automation action. It’s making excellent FDM prints and K2Plus has a nice build area.
The Creality Slicer software is still the weak point. Right now it’s required to run the CFS on the K2Plus. When doing a series of prints, the WiFi connection is lost after the first print for loading the next new print. Very strange and VERY frustrating as a slicer re-boot is necessary to “re-discover” the upload link. COME ON CREALITY! FIX THIS!!!!
