New Printer Suggestions

Hello!

I have been using the Flashforge Dreamer for awhile now and I am looking to maybe upgrade depending on what's available.

I am looking to keep it around $1,500 if possible. Not sure this is possible with what I am looking for.

I would like some type of automated leveling system and a decent build area. I am also looking for one that can handle many different types of filament including flexible and maybe nylon. Print resolution higher than 100 microns would be a plus too.
Most importantly I would like it to be both reliable and easy to work on when/if needed.

Any ideas or suggestions of printers currently available or coming out soon would be appreciated!

Justin

So you want a big build volume, able to handle lots of filament, auto bed leveling and reliable/easy to work on.
Do you want big XY or big Z or both? The filament part is a bit vague as filaments are difficult to print for lots of different reasons that are dependent on different parts of the printer. Flexibles are mostly dependent on the extruder which is the easiest part of the hardware to modify in my opinion. Other than that the only thing that really affects it is the choice of bowden vs direct, where bowden makes things noticeably harder. Nylons are more temperature dependent which is to do with your enclosure (if any) and heated bed.
Auto bed leveling is available on most mid/high end printers (and even dirt cheap ones).

If I'm being honest, you'll likely get the same resolution out of any printer you buy. Most of them use the same T8*8 lead screw and the same 1.8 degree motors. You might get some difference if they happen to use 0.9 degree motors but that's about it.

The last one about being reliable and easy to work on is another tricky one. Just about any printer can become reliable depending on how much time you're willing to sink on it, even the cheap chinese ones. As far as easy to work on, the prusa type and lulzbot printers rank high. The prusa is popular and there are lots of upgrades, mods and information out there while lulzbot provide excellent documentation and use lots of printed parts so you can change or modify lots about the printer. The only lulzbot in your price range has a 150mm ish cube buid volume though, and prusas have an average build volume. I'm not the biggest fan of either as they use a mendel motion system, though.

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Originally Posted by JustinDS89

Hello!

I have been using the Flashforge Dreamer for awhile now and I am looking to maybe upgrade depending on what's available.

I am looking to keep it around $1,500 if possible. Not sure this is possible with what I am looking for.

I would like some type of automated leveling system and a decent build area. I am also looking for one that can handle many different types of filament including flexible and maybe nylon. Print resolution higher than 100 microns would be a plus too.
Most importantly I would like it to be both reliable and easy to work on when/if needed.

Any ideas or suggestions of printers currently available or coming out soon would be appreciated!

Justin

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So I own a Forgeforce Dreamer as well and its a good printer, but I know what you mean in wanting something a bit more "industrial" but nothing excessive. For me, the best part about the Dreamer is its enclosed. I also have a Original Prusa i3 MK2S, which is a fine printer, but I'm not sure I would call it an upgrade from the Dreamer. Its different, but a BIG negative is its not enclosed. I don't care what anyone says, but if you are going to print much beyond PLA you NEED an enclosed printer. For the life of me I don't know why Joseph Prusa hasn't gone that route? Also much has been made about the Prusa autoleveling, but the Dreamer with a few thumbscrews and a business card is just as good, if not better.

So back to your question. For $1500 is difficult because you seem to be in this consumer to industrial void. I like ones like the Ultimaker 2 but your up around $2500. If it was me, I would look for enclosed printers with metal frames, but these typically are $2000+ but they are getting cheaper. I preordered the new Kodak printer in November when it was offered for $1800. https://smart3d.tech/
Normal price is $2800 but keep watching because they are offering some big discounts before its available. (Good features but rather ugly, in my opinion.) As for others, I've been impressed by the Sindoh 3DWOX from South Korea. The company is pretty well known for its normal printers in South Korea. Its around $1299 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sindoh-3DWOX-DP200-3D-Printer/dp/B017IZBFB2

One more. Look at the Zortrax M200, it may be a bit too expensive at $2100, but its pretty well regarded. It uses a proprietary slicer but its now open to any filament. I'm looking at it if the Kodak doesn't work out.

CES is going on this week so there should be MANY new models launched. As it turned out the consumer space wasn't very successful for 3D printers, so now everyone is going after the industrial/educational market, so in the $1500 range, you might find some good printers.

You could also consider making your own printer, for $1500 you could quite easily make a large scale (500mm+) enclosed cube printer with a solid aluminium extrusion frame. Might be the cheapest route as there isn't much in the large format consumer market and it's definitely the best way to get it exactly to spec with what you want. That being said, it's a bit more work, but there are designs out there you can use and I'm sure people (including myself) would be happy to help you with the design process if you choose that route.

Hello everyone and thanks for the quick replies. I'm primarily looking into options at the moment to see what's available.

I appreciate the suggestions and will definitely look into them a bit further. As for the build volume I really don't need that large. I guess I should of specified more clearly what I was looking for. Really the Flashforge Dreamers build volume is decent for me, but would prefer something a bit larger.

I plan to print with PLA, ABS, PETG, Nylon variants on occasion and flexible filament once in a great while probably.

Thanks again!

the only filament that offers any difficulty is nylon.

And the only nylon filament that doesn't offer any difficulties is MyMat nylon from spain. Amazing stuff, no warp, doesn't need heated bed or enclosed print volume, just works. Price has come right down in the last year or so too.

ABS - not really much point using this on fdm machines unless you have noth an actively Heated and Enclosed print volume. And you won't get a thermostatically controlled heated print volume on a $1500 machine.

So while an enclosed print volume is a good idea - don't let that be the deal breaker.
And bear in mind that Enclosed and Heated - are quite different.

The sindoh looks interesting, but also looks like it uses proprietary filament - which is ALWAYS expensive.

Suggesting specific printers is getting harder each week.
More and more new machines are coming on the market. I try and limit my recommndations to machines I've either seen in person or are similiar enough to my own machines that I know what they'll be like.
The TCT show is brilliant for seeing machines - but is only once a year.

For $1500 I'd lean towards a kit. The higher end kits tend to come partly assembled so it's often a case of simply bolting a few modules together.
If I had your budget I'd be looking either at saving up till I could afford a bnc3d sigma, or looking at the tevo little monster: https://www.gearbest.com/3d-printers...saAo2lEALw_wcB

well within your budget, and you could enclose the print volume very easily, should you still want to.
It fits all the other criteria.
The other machine I'd be looking at is the formbot - t-rex. Forget enclosed build volumes - what you REALLY want are dual independant extruders :-) https://www.3dprintersbay.com/formbo...EaAkr2EALw_wcB

Very large print volume, very slightly over budget - but some seriously great features.
Haven't seen one in the flesh, as it were, but for me the whole IDEX extruder setup is the current holy grail of fdm printing. No doubt something even more innovative will come along soon - but at the moment IDEX is the dogs bollocks !

You're not going to enclose a large i3 style printer - but, again pick the right filament material and you'll never need to.