Can't decide between Replicator 5th Gen, Ultimaker 2, and Robo3D R1

[atoff]

Why have you been turned off by the UM2. We got ours a few weeks ago and it has been been printing great daily. It has proven to be a great addition to our printer farm.

No doubt it's a great machine, but for the price, I feel that there are better alternatives out there. Going back to the AW3D HD for example, with it's 12x8x12" build volume for just about the same price and without the 8-10week lead time. With the HD you're looking at about 3weeks, but nevermind the lead times... being that they're based in the U.S. support will be much easier to obtain, the jam-resistant hotend is highly rated, and I really like how they've set up ready-to-go profiles for different materials. That being said, there are also smaller companies that are producing very nice machines. Fusion3 for example (http://www.fusion3design.com/). 12x12x12" build volume, well built, all high quality parts, and the prints look fantastic. It too is the same price as the UM2... and after all of my research, it would probably be my first choice, if it weren't for the shipping cost. He ships LTL only, and to me it would be $330. While I think the machine is top notch, I can't justify the cost to have it delivered. That's not to say it isn't worth it, I'm just personally unwilling to part with that much just for delivery.

I've also been looking at Delta bots. Namely the Rostock Max V2 from SeeMeCNC. $1K for the kit... yes, it's a kit, but still worth a look. Though, the square build area would be pretty small, it would still be larger than the UM2's build area.

So, while I think the UM2 is a really nice machine, I think I can get more for my money elsewhere.

[RepRappa]

Well since I read about the Zortrax I have done masses of reading up about it and I have to say, I am likely not going to order a 5th Gen from MBI.

I contacted them on their forum and uploaded a few STLs of items that I was having problems printing with my RepRapPro Mendel, asking whether the Zortrax would likely be able to print them reliably.

What happened next is what is impressing me the most - one of the Zortrax employees posted that they had taken my files and were going to print them all (one is really big too), so that I could see photos of how they turn out, so I could see what difference their machine would make to my printing. I am waiting for the demo pics, but have to say I am MEGA impressed as it will really give me an idea of what the machine is like with MY prints.

That really shows incredible customer service - something it seems that some people have doubted previously. I'm sure others may have their own opinions, but for me they have been spot on.

At the moment the M200 only does ABS, but the availability of other material profiles is imminent. Plus, it not like that's a handicap - even the MB 5th Gen can only do one material type on launch and but there is no plan whatsoever of them changing this in the future. ABS is probably more useful anyway to me.

So for me the plan is wait and see how my files print and then if everything is good it will be a Zortrax order later this evening!

Thanks for the advise and tips guys.

Cheers,

J

ps if anyone wants to read the answers to the extensive questions I posed to them earlier then here's the link:

http://zortrax.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=351

Still happy with their "incredible customer service" - I watched there site after you said how good they were. Sorry mate but I been laughing my feckin a$$ off after you spent all your time defending them and they just wwent ahead and walked all over you. I hope you have learned ! I sorry that you had to suffer and dont mean any bad feeling but they have royaly screwed you over and you are looking like a dum a$$ now aint you?

And they have played right into hands of huberbobas - they deleted there forum because they didnt want people to see there customers were pi$$ed off - he said they deleted stiff didn't he? You didn't listen did you?

They don't talk to there customers he warned you - you didnt listen did you?

They advertise that there printer beats everyone else, but its all theory and they actually cant do half the stuff they said can they? Levelling, Only 140 and 190 microns layer thickness - not the fine resolution 25, 50 or even 90 microns they have in ads . ABS that sticks (oh no it curls according to Simon there own staff).

If you aint already done it ditch them off as you aint getting anywhere with there incredible customer service now are you?

And you might want change the link you gave to your first thread showing how good they were -- they deleted it guy!

Mica

[huberbobas]

Here some more prints from zortrax users mirrored for obvious reasons:

zortrax curving and warping.jpgzortrax curving and warping2.jpgzortrax curving and warping3.jpgzortrax curving and warping4.jpg

And official reponse from Szymon (zortrax staff)

Please note that Z-ABS is not designed for printing elements as large as that. All of the described issues came from warping and cooling. You can follow the advices noticed by @dhatw and @julia (expect third-party filament - you do it for your own risk!), the best way for large prints is to use less-warping material (that will be available soon) or printing in pieces.

---

Best Regards,
Szymon

[DrLuigi]

Well its kinda normal with ABS, every printer will have these problems,

I know they have Z ABS wich would be better as warping goes, But there are alot of other filaments wich seem to be as strong as ABS and do not have the Warping issues,

Like ColorFabs filament should be decent, from what i've heard.

Thats not realy a flaw of the machine, Just something that happens with every printer.

[jimc]

X2. thats completley normal for abs. we all deal with that.

Well its kinda normal with ABS, every printer will have these problems,

I know they have Z ABS wich would be better as warping goes, But there are alot of other filaments wich seem to be as strong as ABS and do not have the Warping issues,

Like ColorFabs filament should be decent, from what i've heard.

Thats not realy a flaw of the machine, Just something that happens with every printer.

[Trhuster]

Mabey this Ultimaker clone can be good? Seems like a sturdy and good constructed bot imo.

http://www.mankati.com/fullscale-xt1....CtpjcoOw.dpbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsusR8CAG9U

[atoff]

Mabey this Ultimaker clone can be good? Seems like a sturdy and good constructed bot imo.

http://www.mankati.com/fullscale-xt1....CtpjcoOw.dpbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsusR8CAG9U

I was looking at that earlier today. Looks interesting. It's about $1500, so, not a bad price, as long as it uses high quality parts... perhaps the hotend could be swapped for something more reputable otherwise (E3D, Budaschnozzle?).

[jayceekeys]

Sam..... Check your PMs!!

[kaz911]

After zortrax just recently disabled the "orders and shipping" forum section because numerous discussions they did not like to be public some users decided to post questions elsewhere:

Before it gets deleted here is a copy:


user kazz911

Let me first say that I'm not to happy about my quotes being used on other sites - as I am the one who wrote the above.

But let me make it clear - I stand by my criticism - but the biggest issue with Zortrax is the big heads on the management. They should learn to listen to their customers. They have had since the kick-starter beginning to create the firmware and correct the bugs.

But the printer is built like a rock - it is very solid - and very quiet - and I'm not afraid to leave it while it prints. But the things mentioned in my quote are correct. Zortrax went from being very informative to no information at all. Went from software release every couple of weeks - to now none in 7 weeks despite some "idiotic" coding errors that could be fixed in a very short time.

But as I wrote on the Zortrax forum - I can not recommend the Zortax as it is now. To buggy and NOT feature complete. I do also find it cowardly that Zortax requires Serial Numbers to download software AND manuals - even the QUICKSTART requires a S/N to download. That would have made me NOT buy the printer in the first place.

And for me to recommend Zortrax again - the management would have to come "down" from their high horses to the level of their customers - and not display their petty fear by moving, deleting, limiting access and otherwise spoil what could have been a great Company AND Printer and User forum.

[Iona]

At the time of writing the Zortrax forum has been 'down for maintenance' for the past 3 days. Strange - as posts were starting to appear from customers questioning their delivery schedule. I was originally interested in purchasing their printer, but over the past month or so the companies attitude to customers has started to change for the worse, going by Zortrax's staffs forum posts (or lack of).