u/Otherwise_Sir_3439

Well, sort of.

They have a custom charging and connection “cap” on top of them making them longer.

A “Standard” 18650 flat + in green shrink wrap is along side for comparison.

The extra length could be worked around, but the pika connects only through the top of the battery. Positive in the middle and negative in the ring. Pogo pins are visible at the bottom of the battery chamber.

The insulating ring in between is also a charging indicator: red for charging and green for charged. I didn’t risk putting a charger on there that can do PD >5v. The port SAYS 5V 1.5A, but is it smart enough to not use a charger that can supply a higher voltage PD?

Has anyone seen this type of battery or the “cap” before or is this a Creality special?

Interestingly the battery still has it’s bottom negative end exposed. I don’t know if this would work in a conventional Li-Ion charger. I’m not willing to risk it right now as extra batteries do not appear to be available. Good thing they include two of them with the Pika.

Remains to be seen if the Pika can be powered through the USB-C and/or with no battery inserted. Not being tethered to a power bank is nice, but we’ll see how long the claimed 3350mAh battery lasts in practice.

I had to share! The pika came well protected, which considering FedEx, was probably just as well.

Thanks to some eagle-eyed Redditors just spotted!

https://mvip.creality.com/en/goods/goodsDetail/2677
(NOTE! MVIP is not a retail site, it’s for resellers/wholesale with everything that implies.)

Some AliE links are showing as a pre-order (and massive markup) and being on the Creality VIP marketplace suggest this is not an officially announced product yet.

An AliE vendor posted the PDF of the user manual.

It’s not a trivial install, but the physical engineering is quite elegant. I just wish they’d integrated the interface into the original front panel, but that would have raised the price significantly. Either replacing the CFS mainboard and display, or requiring a new bottom shell.

The PDF user manual shows trimming a small section of the back CFS lid seal to allow a ribbon cable to attach to a replacement power board included. My guess is that hole also allows for venting moisture.

I’m gratified to see that my guess that removing the dryer function from the CFS during development probably saved the BOM about $100 off the list price.

You can’t dry “engineering” materials in it, but the maximum heat setting should be able to maintain them is my guess? Otherwise Creality suggests getting a Space Pi X4 which does that job quite well.

So, Creality finally released one. I just wish they’d stolen a lead and released this as an option on the CFS originally. “Creality Catch Up” is unfortunately their Modus Operandi, or “Second Mover Advantage” if we’re being Business School. It’s a strategy that has worked for them so far. 🤷‍♂️

If I printed a lot of nylon etc. I could see this being worth the cost to have multiple rolls ready for automatic replacement while printing. Other than that I’d say a Space Pi X4 is better value for money. We’ll have to see what happens when street pricing settles out.

I’d about given up on an elegant integrated dryer for the CFS that was relatively inexpensive. So color me surprised. Kudos to Creality for actually delivering an nifty design. I wonder when the announcement and shipping dates are?

Replace K2 Plus X-axis servo motor
https://youtu.be/QK38BtRddRA
Replace K2 Plus Y-axis servo motor
https://youtu.be/_TWs7AIGdMs

Are they really new, updated, reposted or what? The wiki content page doesn’t call them out as new.

So, does someone want to explain what “regional anti-diversion function” is and does? Preferably someone who’s examined the code. Explain it for a Fifth Grader.

I’m a little fuzzy on the details and motivation, never mind the desirability.

Leaving aside issues of quality and delivery…

Sovol’s recently announced M1D

https://www.sovol3d.com/pages/sovol-m1d-landing-page

Ticks all the boxes for what I want to see in the K3 Plus/Max/whatever-it-winds-up-being-called.

Then adds IDEX for the cherry on top.

Creality has an edge with the caterpillar drive for softer filaments.

Whatever the feeder solution winds up being on both seems a bit TBD right now.

Sovol’s commitment to opening both the hardware and software is commendable, Devil in the details notwithstanding.

I KNOW this is mostly speculation on both sides at this point and execution counts for a lot.

BUT this is far more of a bar-raiser IMO than anything Bambu is doing or saying.

I think there’s a risk here that if Creality doesn’t deliver the K3 sooner rather than later, that KliTek could be irrelevant before it even ships.

Genuinely curious what other Creality owners and prospective owners think.

Only just begun the tool/nozzle changer wars have!

Does anyone else look at these fridge / small washing machine stands and think “Those would make great K2 (multi) printer stands?

These examples are all from Temu, so no links but a quick search there or any of the other usual suspects turns up a list. Apparently fridge/washer stands are having a moment right now. According to the specs these three should all be able to take the weight of a K2 Plus and CFS. I’m a little dubious, but it’s not like fridge/washers are lightweight and don’t vibrate either.

I like the extra storage space most come with instead of a classic bench or table, and they’re comparatively reasonably priced. Some may need a little cross bracing.

Anyone else seen one they thought was especially suitable?

Any takers that the non-nozzle extruder end of the K3 “S-Drive” system is going to look very similar to the Sparcx I7 “CFS Nano”? Which itself looks like every other non-AMS/CFS filament pusher/loader out there?

I’m speculating mounted around the back of the K3, out of sight like the CFS buffer.

Thoughts?

https://youtu.be/Jx5lRca5OoA

That looks like off-head heating to me. Maybe.

The TPU stuff is interesting, I get the theory, practice remains to be seen.

Rooting for Slicer updates to be contributed upstream, but not holding my breath.

I think that pretty much squelched an upgrade path for the K2. Not that there isn’t space, but it’s not Creality’s MO and too many parts to change to make it cost effective.

If you want an upgrade path, get a Prusa I guess.