7 Things To Think About When Buying A 3d Printer

Buying a 3D printer is no joke. Despite the fun and learning you can gain from the use of a 3D printer, picking the right one is always a challenge. There are a lot of 3D printers available with each having its own pros and pros and. It is very hard for me to buy my first 3D printer and decided to purchase free cad software after reading through the blog that says it's ideal for beginners. Even though I was not in error I'd have completed more research before I bought my first 3D printer. Here are a few things I suggest hobbyists and other enthusiasts take a look at in order to help them pick the best printer for their needs.

Things to consider when buying best 3d printer

The Volume of the Print

Every printer has its limitation, the size of print it produces. The printer should be capable of printing larger items. A basic printer such as the Anet A6 is capable of printing items with dimensions 220 x 220 x 240 mm ( W x L x H ). Apparently this is not so huge if you consider printing things like real robot arms, bust models and the like. Always look for the maximum print size prior to purchasing the 3D printer.

Leveling of the Bed: Manual or Auto. Bed:

Leveling can be the most difficult thing that you have to do when using a 3D printer. It's a procedure where you need to level the heating bed to a perfect distance from the nozzle through out the surface of the bed. If you try this manually, it can be very painful. Although it may be enjoyable initially, the excitement disappears after a few attempts. Auto leveling is a fantastic solution. It levelizes the heating bed automatically so you can immediately start printing. While this feature will save you time and frustration in the long-term but it will come at an expensive cost.

There are numerous types of filaments that can be utilized:

Filaments function as fuel for a 3D printer. It is the material which is heated before being extruded through nozzle to print the desired object. There are a variety of filaments that are suitable to print 3D models. But, a specific 3D printer may only be capable of printing a specific number of filament types. Below is a table that I came across online that outlines the different types of filaments as well as their properties.

Nozzle Size:

This is the component that melts the filament. The Nozzle moves around the X Z, Y and X Axis to print the desired object. Sizes of the nozzle used in a 3D printers may differ from one printer to the next. The most common sizes for nozzles include 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4mm. The most commonly used size is 0.4mm that produces excellent prints. 3D printers also have nozzles made from different materials, including steel, brass titanium, brass and others. To further enhance the fun, there are printers which has multiple extruders which are able to print objects in a variety of colors, combining various materials. Printers that have multiple extruders are likely to be pricey, yet entertaining to explore.

Resolution Of Print:

Print resolution is something that you'll keenly look upon when quality of your print is paramount to you. The print resolution is what determines the details of your print. There are two kinds of resolution that you need to look into XY and Vertical resolution. XY resolution depends on the distance that the motor of a stepper can travel for a given step. Meanwhile vertical resolution also known as layer height is the thickness of the extruding material that is used to print the image. Print quality and detail will be better when the resolution is lower. Also , objects printed at a lower resolution will have smooth surface with a higher cost of printing time and filament use.

Safety

There are a variety of risks with 3D printers. These include hot extruders, hot beds, mechanical components as well as toxic fumes from melting certain filaments, and many more. It is crucial to consider these aspects into consideration when you purchase 3d modeling software for your kids or if you have kids in your home. If so, you could select an closed 3D printer where it will protect the user from being injured from it. However, closed-frame 3D printers comes with a price that is higher in comparison to open frame counter parts.

Community:

You are going to need plenty of assistance when you are launching into the world of 3D printing. Think about how helpful it would be to have friends who have used the 3D printer that you just purchased. They'll be able to help you when setting up the printer and solve any issues you might encounter. That's what the community is about. It's always a good idea to buy 3D printer which has a huge community behind. Forums, websites and social media groups are great places to meet with your community to get help or seek advice with your journey in 3D printing.

We hope that this article given you a better idea of the things to consider when buying printer. If you feel any other feature should be in this list, please mention comments below. If you're seeking ideas or assistance, please use the comment box below.