3dprinter4lab

This is a discussion page about which 3d printer we should get for the lab, please feel free to edit it!

General Introduction

With the lab reopening and after some cleanup it seems that the two prusa minis need some backup. After the Plenum on 12.05.2022 with the introduction of this idea, this page is created to present the various printers in preparation for the decision making and voting.

Avaliable Spaces (Physical Requirments)

Printing room space avaliability

Dimension under current running Prusa minis: 955mm x 560mm x 700mm Dimension under Ultimaker Unlimited Z: 550mm x 580mm x 710mm

Printer Requirments

Evaluation criteria

• Easy to maintain and repair
• Safe for continouse operation in the lab
• Idiot proof and easy to use
• Known for good repairability/stock parts available from the manufacturer
• Support from the manufacturer

Candidate Printer

Overview

Below is a spec graded table of all printers listed made with my best knowledge with the intentions of aiding the desition process. Detailed specs please see below in the table and further readings are provided in links and google.

Printer	Cost (15P)	Build Volume (10P)	Printing reliability & Speed (10P)	Repairability (8P)	Idiot Proofness (10P)	Functionallity (10P)	Sum
Ender 6	[478 Euro] (12P)	[250 x 250 x 400 mm] (6P)	[Good / High] (7P)	[Good] (7P)	[Very Good] (8P)	[Good] (6P)	46P
Prusa i3 MK3s+	[999 Euro] (4P)	[250 x 210 x 210 mm] (4P)	[Excellent / High] (8P)	[Excellent] (8P)	[Very Good] (8P)	[Good] (7P)	39P
Sermoon D1	[359 Euro] (13P)	[280 x 260 x 310 mm] (7P)	[Good / Medium] (6P)	[Medium] (5P)	[Good] (7P)	[Good] (7P)	45P
Artillery Sidewinder X1	[348Euro] (13P)	[300 x 300 x 400 mm] (8P)	[Good / Medium] (6P)	[Good] (7P)	[Good] (7P)	[Good] (7P)	48P

Please note the given points are according to my stand of knowledge and is by no mean objectiv. This is created in responce to inquirys by members in the lab for a easier overview. Feedbacks and discussions will be appreciated.

Ender 6

The Ender 6 is a Core-XY machine (Advantage: enable quicker printing due to stationary motors) that borrows technical aspects from the popular Ender 5 Pro, adds extra print volume, an enclosure, and several improved components. With its sturdy and semi- enclosed frame and generally faster printing speed thanks to its motion system that all comes with a very reasonable cost, it seems fitting for the lab.

Ender 6 General Overview Manufacturer Release date Machine size Print Size Type Extrusion System Price Creality3D April 22, 2020 495mm x 495mm x 650mm 250 x 250 x 400 mm FFF CoreXY Semi-Enclosed Bowden 478.00 EUR + 48,99 EUR (BLTouch for Auto Bed Leveling) Technical details Firmware Stepper motor driver Supported Filament Filament Runout Auto bed leveling Printing Speed marlin TMC2208 drivers (Silent) PLA/TPU/ABS/PETG Yes Stock No, Exist official addon up to 150mm/s Printing Platform Control Power Supply Linear Motion PrusaSlicer Support Cura Support Carborundum Glass 4.3" HD Touch Screen 350W CHENLIANG V Rollers X/Y/Z Yes Yes Safety: High (semi - enclosed, filament runout, thermal runaway protection) Idiot proofness: High (semi - enclosed, filament runout, touch control, very sturdy frame) Repairability: Exists greate community and official replacement parts, using common component interchangeable with majority of ender printer familiy (google search results) - External review links: 3dPrintBeginner [External]

Original Prusa i3 MK3S+

The well-known Original Prusa i3 MK3S+ is still the gold standard in FFF (Fused Filament Deposition) printing, attention to detail and established technology are its defining characteristics. Using the company’s filaments and filament profiles with the MK3S+ is magnificently foolproof. The relativly small print volume, high price and outdated control is the only argument against it being brought into the lab.

Prusa i3 mk3s+ General Overview Manufacturer Release date Machine size Print Size Type Extrusion System Price Prusa Research February 2019 (with upgrade 2020) 560(D) x 500(W) x 380(H)mm 250 x 210 x 210 mm FFF Cartesian XZ-head Direct Drive 999 EUR + Shipping Technical details Firmware Stepper motor driver Supported Filament Filament Runout Auto bed leveling Printing Speed Modified marlin TMC2130 drivers Wide range up to nylon Yes Yes up to 120mm/s Printing Platform Control Power Supply Linear Motion PrusaSlicer Support Cura Support Removable magnetic PEI spring steel sheet 1604 LCD Display 240W Delta Smooth Rod Yes Yes Safety: High (Smart firmware, filament runout, thermal runaway protection, filament support, fine tuned PrusaSlicer) Idiot proofnes: High (Smart firmware, filament support, fine tuned PrusaSlicer) Repairability: Exists excellent Official support and replacement parts (google search results) - External review links: All3dp [External]

Sermoon D1

The Sermoon D1 is a semi-enclosed cartesian machine that borrows technical aspects from the popular Ender 5 and Ender 6 with expanded print Volume. With its reasonable cheap price for its print volume paired with the from creality promised industeial grade printer reliability and quality it seems fitting for the printing situation in our lab.

SermoonD1 General Overview Manufacturer Release date Machine size Print Size Type Extrusion System Price Creality3D February 2020 500 x 500 x 531 mm 280 x 260 x 310 mm FFF Cartesian XY-head Direct Drive 359.00 EUR + 48,99 EUR (BLTouch for Auto Bed Leveling) Technical details Firmware Stepper motor driver Supported Filament Filament Runout Auto bed leveling Printing Speed marlin Silent drivers PLA/TPU/ABS/PETG Yes Yes up to 90mm/s Printing Platform Control Power Supply Linear Motion PrusaSlicer Support Cura Support Textured Glass LCD Touchscreen Creality CHP-350-24V smooth rod Yes (Beta) Yes Safety: High (Semi-enclosed printer, very sturdy frame) Idiot proofnes: High (Semi-enclosed printer, very sturdy frame, “industrial-grade printing” according to creality) Repairability: Exists replacement parts and manual (Official Site) - External review links: All3dp [External]

Artillery Sidewinder X1

The Atillery sidewinder X1 is a large - scale bed slinger printer with good reputatuion and excellent print quality for its cheap price. I actually got in touch with this printer as a lab printer used in the WARR Rocketry department by TUM. It would be a great compensation for the labs inability to print big stuff and with proper training it could last a long time.

Artillery sidewinder X1 General Overview Manufacturer Release date Machine size Print Size Type Extrusion System Price Artillery 2019 550 x 405 x 640 mm 300 x 300 x 400 mm FFF Cartesian XZ-head Direct Drive 348,32 EUR + 48,99 EUR (BLTouch for Auto Bed Leveling) Technical details Firmware Stepper motor driver Supported Filament Filament Runout Auto bed leveling Printing Speed marlin Artillery Silent drivers PLA/TPU/ABS/PETG Yes Stock No, BLTouch avaliable up to 120mm/s Printing Platform Control Power Supply Linear Motion PrusaSlicer Support Cura Support Glass plate LCD Touchscreen 650W Artillery V rollers Yes Yes Safety: High (Well tuned setting out of box, Prusaslicer support) Idiot proofnes: Medium (Well tuned setting out of box, Prusaslicer support) Repairability: Exists and replacement parts, excellent community support (google search results) - External review links: All3dp [External]

Comment & Discussion section

I would say on review of the specs of the candidate printers, that I would be most interested in either the Ender 6
or the Artillery sidewinder X1

Standout points :

- they are both cheaper than the Prusa i3 MK3S+

- Decent print size

Further queries :

- How much would it cost for bed levelling in both cases?

- In the case of the Ender 6, how much more will it cost to fully enclose or create adequate ventilation for ABS (The link mentioned 'purchase of a few aluminium extrusions, you can easily add a cover to the Ender 6' but do we know the pricing and lengths of the extrusion and other sheets that would give full protection) or other off-gassing materials (If not, would it make more sense for the Artillery as it is cheaper and gives a larger print bed)

- Maybe I missed this for all units, but how about bed heating ? For the Prusa, I presume it has the same under bed heating system which is fairly reliable. But what about the Ender/Sidewinder ? If they don't how much would it cost to install this in both printers ?

- On the topic of print beds themselves, are there replacements for the glass beds for the ender/sidewinder, I used to have a glass bed for my printers and it was less reliable stiction for first layers unless I used adherents or textured pads to maintain bed adhesion (this point may be unique to my past experience, but that's just a query I will throw out there)

I could find out the answers to most of these with enough googling, but I think as part of the discussion, maybe these are useful to throw out there for debate/clarification

Hope this helps, Alex

Hi Alex! Sorry for the LATE responce, was too buzy with uni stuff and didnt really find time to sit down and write a proper responce....

• The bed leveling costs were listed in the price section alongside the type of bed leveling probe used, but here are more information about the one for Ender 6 and for the Artillery Sidewinder.
• Bed heating are now for all common printers reliable enough and the detaild specs are listed in the specs section for each printer. Thank goodness that we don't need to worry things spotaniousely combust into flames like the very early stages with cheap 3d printers. I haven't heard any problem with them.
• For the ender 6 enclosure creality themselves sells things like this for about 86 Euro but IMHO we can make someting simimilar with way less cost out of acrylic glass.
• In regards to the glass bed on both printers, there are more than dozend of different magnetical print bed options because of their popularity, for example this PEI spring steel sheet for ender 6 or this PEI spring stell sheet for Artillery sidewinder X1 both for around 35 to 40 Euro. But then a ABL System will be a must as they will be not perfectly flat.
  

Thanks again for your helpful suggestions and I hope this section cleared out some of your question in regards to the printers.

Best regards, Yichen