E3D ObXidian HotEnd Upgrade

Maximum Flow Test and Evaluation on Bambu Lab 3D Printers

E3D ObXidian HotEnd

In this review, I will evaluate the innovations offered by the ObXidian HotEnd, its impact on print performance, and the results from maximum flow tests.

What is the E3D ObXidian HotEnd?

E3D is a brand known for high-quality nozzle and hotend solutions, and with the ObXidian HotEnd, it offers a durable and performance-focused product, especially for abrasive filaments. This hotend promises a long lifespan thanks to its turbic coating technology and aims to minimize nozzle blockages with CHT technology. However, as the company states, it is not an indestructible product, and like any hardened nozzle, it has a limited lifespan after use with abrasive filaments. No issues arise when using non-abrasive filaments.

The heater and thermistor are standard Bambu Lab products, and they share the same values as the stock setup. This guarantees perfect compatibility, so the flow advantage is only provided by the hotend’s geometry and CHT technology.

Test Methodology

To carry out my tests, I created a 3mf file. You can download it from here. The goal of this test is to obtain the correct flow at the correct speed using the speed-flow relationship without affecting the flow. The maximum speed was set to 436mm/s, considering the device’s mechanical limits. The goal is to print within a range of 0–50mm³/s. For regular prints, you can also download the PLA profile here. There are just a few speed adjustments. For accurate results in the flow test print, no modifications should be made.

Increased Speeds for Regular Prints

To measure the maximum flow performance, I conducted the following tests:

• Tests with Different Filament Brands: I observed the performance of the ObXidian HotEnd with high-speed PLA, normal PLA, Prosumer PLA, ABS, and ASA under print conditions of 230–240°C for PLA and 260–280°C for ABS-ASA.
• Flow Rate Test: I measured how fast the material could be extruded at specific temperatures compared to the stock hotend.
• Print Quality Evaluation: I also examined the loss of detail, layer adhesion quality, and overall surface texture during fast prints.

Test Results

Test Data The E3D ObXidian 0.4 HF nozzle demonstrated a noticeable performance improvement over the standard 0.4 nozzle. Key findings from the review are as follows:

• General Flow Increase: A flow increase between 50% and 80% was observed compared to the standard nozzle, which allows for faster printing.
• Evaluation by Filament Type:
• Hyper / HS / Super PLA: Creality Hyper PLA achieved the highest flow increase at 88.3%. Overall, the HS and Hyper PLA group filaments showed an increase of 50–80%.
• Normal PLA: Makerment and Prusament PLA also showed significant increases, with Makerment Maker PLA at 240°C exhibiting an impressive 88.3% difference.
• Prosumer PLA: Makerment Maker Pro PLA at 240°C showed an extraordinary increase of 165.2%, indicating that this nozzle is highly effective for advanced PLA prints.
• Petrochemical (ABS & ASA): ABS and ASA materials showed a 51–57% increase, which can be particularly advantageous for durable and industrial uses.
• TPU: There was almost no increase with Sunlu TPU; in fact, the CHT structure led to a decrease in flow when speed increased (-9%), showing that the nozzle difference doesn’t have a significant effect on flexible materials.

Some of the test prints:

User Experiences and Feedback

From my own experience and research on Reddit, I observed a similar advantage/disadvantage relationship. The ObXidian HotEnd offers significant performance improvements, especially for users doing high-speed and large-format prints.

However, some users have reported clogging issues, especially when printing with special filaments such as wood or marble-infused PLA. In such cases, cleaning techniques such as cold pulling are recommended. During my tests with glitter and infused filaments, I didn’t experience any clogs, but I have some thoughts on what might cause them.

Moreover, some users have reported a loss of quality at high print speeds. While the ObXidian HotEnd aims to maintain layer adhesion and improve quality at high speeds, factors like the printer’s cooling capacity and filament characteristics can still affect print quality. To achieve the best results, the print speed, temperature, and other settings need to be carefully optimized.

While quality decreases with speed increases, I observed this happening at minimal levels in my tests.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages:

• Faster prints with higher flow capacity
• Especially durable against abrasive filaments
• Fewer clogging issues
• Smoother surface quality
• Significant efficiency increase with prosumer and industrial filaments

Disadvantages:

• Higher cost compared to standard nozzles
• Cooling might be insufficient at high flow rates; additional fan support may be needed
• No significant difference with TPU, and it can even reduce flow
• At very high speeds, if the settings are not optimized and speed is increased solely to boost flow, print quality may decrease

Conclusion

The E3D ObXidian HotEnd offers Bambu Lab 3D printer owners a serious opportunity to increase speed and reduce print time. The results from the maximum flow tests show that this hotend provides excellent performance for advanced users, especially for increasing maximum flow and print speed with PLA and industrial materials.

Normally, I wouldn’t recommend most upgrades like the BTT Revo hotend (excluding LED lighting additions) for Bambu Lab printers, as their returns are either non-existent or marginal. However, after testing, I definitely recommend the E3D ObXidian HotEnd for users who want to take advantage of the benefits mentioned above.