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Best prosumer 3d printer 2023
Prusa MK3S+ 3D Printer Review: The Heavyweight Champ Continues to Dominate
Tom's Hardware Verdict
The Prusa MK3S+ continues to hold its own in a market saturated with low-cost competitors.
Pros
- +
+ PrusaSlicer provides best-in-class model slicing
- +
+ Flexible build platform sets the standard
- +
+ Automatic bed leveling
- +
+ Stealth Mode enables a nearly silent printing experience
Why you can trust Tom's Hardware Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
There are few 3D printers with as many industry accolades as the Prusa i3 MK3S+, and after spending some time with this printer, it’s easy to see why it’s one of the best 3D printers currently on the market. With a price tag of $999 for an assembled machine or $750 for a DIY kit, the price point of the MK3S+ is towards the high end for an open format consumer 3D printer, but the features of this machine and the ecosystem created by Prusa (they make their own hardware, software, filament, and more) have made the MK3S+ a formidable machine for anyone interested in taking their 3D printing game to the next level.
The features of the MK3S+ (silent stepper drivers, power-panic, etc.), noteworthy when originally launched, have largely become standard on lower-cost machines and may not seem particularly impressive on a spec sheet. However, clever software implementation and well-written documentation have created a machine that provides a best-in-class printing experience. For instance, the auto-leveling SuperPINDA probe of the MK3S+ maps the build platform for surface distortions, but the printer firmware is capable of storing multiple Z-offsets so you can switch build platforms without having to recalibrate every time.
The MK3S+ is a visually distinct machine; and the Prusa team has kept their black and orange color scheme for their smaller printer, the Prusa Mini+. The bright orange printed parts on the MK3S+ have created instant brand-recognition for the Prusa line of printers, and Prusa has doubled down on this by reinforcing their branding across their machine. In fact, you can find the word ‘Prusa’ printed, engraved, or etched into the MK3S+ in 25 places, 29 if you’re using a spool of their Prusa Polymers Prusament PLA material.
Specifications
| Machine Footprint | 16.5 x 16.5 x 15 inches (42.0cm x 42.0cm x 38.0cm) |
| Build Volume | 9.84 x 8.3 x 8.3 inches (250mm x 210mm x 210mm) |
| Material | 1.75mm PLA, ABS, ASA, PETG |
| Extruder Type | Direct Drive |
| Nozzle | .4mm |
| Build Platform | Magnetic Heatbed with removable PEI spring steel sheets |
| Power Supply | 240 Watts |
| Connectivity | USB, SD Card |
| Interface | 3.4-inch Mono LCD and click wheel |
| Filament Run-Out Sensor | Yes |
Included with Prusa MK3S+
The fully assembled Prusa MK3S+ ships with all of the accessories required to make your first print, and also includes enough spare parts to replace almost every fastener on the machine. The fully assembled MK3S+ also includes a bag of Haribo Goldbears, a signature addition from the Prusa team.
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(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)The Prusa MK3S+ includes a full spool of silver PLA material, screwdriver, a metal part scraper, a glue stick (for adhesion), an isopropyl alcohol wipe, lubricant for the linear rails, power and USB cables, a sheet of stickers, a printed handbook, and a diagnostic printout that confirms the functionality of the mechanical and electrical systems.
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(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)The usefulness of the handbook is hard to overstate. When you’re starting out with your first 3D printer, it can be difficult to pinpoint the cause of problems such as loss-of-extrusion, poor layer adhesion, or a clogged extruder. The included handbook is full of detailed photographs, troubleshooting workflows, and solutions to common problems. This is an invaluable resource for beginners, amateurs, and experts alike, and it’s clear to me that Prusa has set the standard for technical documentation.
Setting up the Prusa MK3S+
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)The Prusa MK3S+ ships with a completed print attached to the build platform. This print features a serpentine line with 90 degree angles, curves, and a solid block in the center with the Prusa logo facing upwards. This print serves to confirm that the printer is functional and has been properly assembled and calibrated. I was able to easily remove the print from the build platform by bending the steel sheet and carefully removing it.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)After powering on, the printer automatically runs through an initial setup process. This process involves calibrating the Z axis by running it all the way to the top of the printer, running the mesh bed leveling process to set the Z offsets, and loading the filament. This entire process only took me a few minutes, and the high level of automation involved means that the only thing I needed to do was insert the filament into the extruder after it had heated up.
You might be surprised to find that the Prusa MK3S+ is based on the RepRap i3 (third iteration) frame, originally released in September of 2012. Despite this nearly decade-old release date, the MK3S+ is full of modern advancements and enough innovative features to still be a top contender in the prosumer 3D printer market.
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(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)The bright orange color makes the 3D printed parts on the MK3S+ easy to spot. The brackets mounted to the printer are printed in-house by Prusa using their own Prusament PETG filament. These brackets are robust and sturdy, and the uniform appearance between the printed parts give the printer a professional appearance. This version of the MK3S+ shipped with orange printed brackets, but the printer is also available in an all-black variant. A large selling point of the MK3S+ is the open-source nature of the machine, which means the printed parts are all available to download if you want to download, modify, or print them out yourself.
The monochrome LCD interface and click-wheel on the MK3S+ is one of the few less-than-impressive features on this machine; it feels dated and the UI navigation can be a little clunky. This stands in contrast with printers like the Anycubic Vyper, a sub-$400 machine that features a bright and responsive color touchscreen that shows detailed print statistics during printing. This monochrome display was industry standard when the original 8-bit i3-style of printers was introduced, but it feels outdated when compared to recent printers with color touchscreens.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)The MK3S+ uses a filament spool holder that mounts directly to the frame of the printer. The T-shaped holder is able to hold two spools simultaneously, which is ideal if you plan on swapping between multiple colors to produce a multicolor 3D print. The direct-drive extruder on the MK3S+ feeds filament straight down into the hot end, so mounting the filament directly above the extruder gives the filament a straight path between the spool and the extruder.
At the heart of the MK3S+ is the 8-bit Einsy RAMBo board, housed in a 3D printed enclosure mounted to the frame of the machine. This board is equipped with Trinamic 2130 silent stepper drivers, user-replaceable fuses, and the cable management is clean and professional.
The features made possible by this board (power-panic, live-Z adjust, silent steppers) were all major leaps when originally introduced, but many of these features have made their way down to less expensive FDM 3D printers like the Elegoo Neptune 2. The interface feels sorely in need of an update, and the addition of a color touchscreen and a 32-bit board (such as the one equipped on the Prusa Mini+) would refresh this platform.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)The attention to detail on the Prusa MK3S+ is clear, and a perfect example of this is the wire management across the machine. Current-carrying wires are attached to the extruder module with zip ties that act as a strain-relief to prevent the wires from fatiguing and separating.
The wires from the power supply are tucked neatly under the frame of the machine, out of sight and reach from users to prevent accidentally unplugging them during printing.
What Makes the Prusa MK3S+ Different?
It can be hard to understand why the Prusa MK3S+ costs so much more than a printer like the Creality Ender 3 Pro, which seems to have similar specs on paper. To understand why this machine is so much more expensive, we need to take a closer look at the individual components of the MK3S+.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)Critical to the success of the MK3S+ is its custom-made Delta 240 Watt power supply, mounted to the frame of the machine. This unit supplies 24V power to the bed with a max current of 10 Amps, which provides fast and reliable heating for printing high temperature materials like PETG and ASA. Less expensive machines typically use lower wattage power supplies, such as the 150W power supply used by the Flashforge Adventurer 3 Lite, which take longer to heat and can have difficulty maintaining a higher temperature.
The 24V heated bed is able to reliably hit 100C, which is more than enough to allow high temperature materials like PETG and ASA to adhere to the build platform without delaminating. The magnetic build platform is firmly held in place without any clips or latches and can easily be removed once it cools to room temperature. PETG in particular is easy to remove from the textured surface of the textured spring steel sheet, and the MK3S+ build platform is best-in-class for high-temperature adhesion.
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(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)The MK3S+ is equipped with a genuine E3D hot end, and it has the holographic sticker to prove it (seriously). E3D manufactures every component in the hot end from the nozzle to the heatbreak which means you are very unlikely to run into the type of manufacturing defects that occasionally pop up on less expensive printers (incorrectly drilled nozzles, degraded PTFE tube liner, etc.
) In addition, this nozzle is rated for a max temperature of 300C (572F), which is easily hot enough to extrude most common thermoplastics and even some higher-temperature engineering-grade materials like Nylon and Polycarbonate.
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(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)The printed parts on the MK3S+ are a perfect example of a company applying its in-depth knowledge of a subject to its product. The printed brackets found on the MK3S+ have been printed in PETG, and the outward-facing textured surface shows the level of quality you can expect from using a textured sheet.
In addition, I appreciate that Prusa has applied DFAM (Design for Additive Manufacturing) principles to these parts. These DFAM principles include concepts like printing hexagons instead of circles for relief holes, which print without requiring support material, and printing brackets perpendicular to their intended load to create mechanically tough parts.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)The Prusa MK3S+ comes equipped with a SuperPINDA probe which is used for hands-free leveling of the build platform.
The SuperPINDA (which stands for Super Prusa INDuction Autoleveling sensor) operates by detecting the proximity of the probe to the build platform and storing that information in firmware. The MK3S+ isn’t the first printer to use a probe for bed leveling, but the software implementation in PrusaSlicer means that after the printer has been set up, you can print without spending much time thinking about calibration.
Compared to the manual bed leveling process of a printer like the Creality Ender 3 Pro, the MK3S+ is faster, easier to use, and requires less trial and error. PrusaSlicer includes a “G80” command in the start G-code (the instructions the printer reads when making a part), and this command performs a ‘Mesh Bed Leveling’ which probes the bed in a 3x3 grid to create a mesh surface that is used for calibration. This mesh surface causes the Z-axis motors to undulate over uneven areas while the print head remains perpendicular in the X/Y axis.
During my testing, I didn’t need to run a single non-print calibration on the printer after the initial mesh bed leveling.
Build Platforms on Prusa MK3S+
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)Removing a printed part from the build platform of a 3D printer can be a challenging experience if the printer isn’t calibrated correctly. The Prusa MK3S+ attempts to solve this problem by using a removable build platform that is held in place magnetically and can be flexed to remove parts after the platform has cooled. I’ve tried many different types of build surfaces, and the smooth PEI sheet used by Prusa is by far one of the easiest to print on, remove parts from, and clean.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)Prusa also offers a textured steel build platform for the MK3S+ that has a gritty surface which can give printed parts a more uniform appearance. In fact, the signature textured look of the printed parts on the MK3S+ come from this build platform.
Parts printed on a smooth build platform will have a smooth bottom surface, which looks visually distinct from the striations on the sides of the part.
By using a textured sheet, I was able to make prints that have a textured appearance on the bottom as well as the sides. This sheet is ideal for printing with PETG; the high print temperature of the material requires a textured surface to stick to, but also needs a surface that it can easily detach from.
Printing on the Prusa MK3S+
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)The sample prints on the included SD card with the Prusa MK3S+ are a refreshing change from the sample parts that are typically included with low-cost 3D printers. The MK3S+ includes 16 pre-sliced parts that have been prepared for PLA with the total print time included in the file name. The sample prints vary in time from 23 minutes (a simple block with the word PRUSA on it) to almost 14 hours (a castle printed at .1mm layer height), and have all been prepared using sensible settings for the machine and highlight various features (variable layer height, multicolor printing, and fine .1mm layer resolution).
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(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)One of my favorite sample parts is the planetary gear bearing that prints in a single print. I printed this model using the Prusament Jet Black PLA material, and after removing it from the build platform I was able to easily spin the gear freely. This part really highlights the ability of the MK3S+ to produce parts with functional strength and purpose in addition to parts designed with aesthetics in mind.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)Another stand-out sample print included with the MK3S+ is the dragon model titled Adalinda the Singing Serpent by Loubie3D. This model takes a little longer to print (about 8 hours), but the final print is another favorite of mine. Because this model was sliced by Prusa for the MK3S+ printer, the sample print comes out with a high level of detail and no unexpected settings that can cause problems (too many exterior shells, no retraction, etc.
) like the sample prints included with other FDM 3D printers.
Printing with PrusaSlicer on the Prusa MK3S+
(Image credit: Prusa)Prusa has developed its own in-house slicer for the Prusa MK3S+, called PrusaSlicer. PrusaSlicer is a fork of the confusing-to-pronounce Slic3r app, which is also a free and open-source app. Prusa has invested a considerable amount of time and effort in PrusaSlicer, and this has translated into one of the most powerful 3D printing slicer apps available for desktop 3D printers on the market.
(Image credit: Prusa)The current version of PrusaSlicer (2.3.3) includes profiles for printers by Prusa, Creality, Lulzbot, and more, and also includes a library of material profiles. In addition to these profiles, PrusaSlicer also includes multiple print setting profiles, which range from ultra-high detail at 0.05mm layer height to a draft mode which offers .3mm layers fast print speed at the expense of reduced quality.
Slicing Models in PrusaSlicer for the Prusa MK3S+
(Image credit: Prusa)PrusaSlicer is a feature-rich program with a simplified interface that is accessible to beginners, experts, and everyone in between. I’ve spent a lot of time in the PrusaSlicer settings, and I appreciate how much work Prusa has put into making almost every parameter of the printing process addressable without creating an overwhelming interface.
The settings are broken down into three primary categories: Print Settings, Filament Settings, and Printer Settings. Print Settings generally focuses on the speed / quality of the print, Filament Settings is used to determine temperature and extrusion parameters, and Printer Settings is used for global parameters and determining start / stop instructions.
(Image credit: Prusa)The primary interface offers three settings: Simple, Advanced, and Expert. Simple offers a stripped-down experience with only a few parameters able to be adjusted, while Advanced and Expert allow you to adjust the print on a more granular level.
PrusaSlicer Quality Settings for the Prusa MK3S+ / PLA
(Image credit: Prusa)| Material | Prusa Basic PLA, Silver |
| Layer Height | 0.20 mm |
| Infill Percentage | 15%, Gyroid |
| Print Speed | 45mm/second |
| Extruder Temperature | 215 degrees Celsius (419 degrees Fahrenheit) |
| Heated Bed Temp | 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit) |
| Print Time | 1 Hour, 34 Minutes |
There are few prints that are better at testing out a printer than the 3DBenchy, so I used the included spool of silver Prusa PLA to print this model out using the default .2mm Quality PrusaSlicer settings. I was impressed with the overall quality of the Benchy, and even with a highly-reflective material like a silver PLA which can highlight defects from uneven layers, the layers looked even and consistent throughout.
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(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)The Benchy boat model is designed to highlight various features of a printer (such as the ability to print steep overhangs, small features, etc.), and a quick examination of the model shows that the MK3S+ performed very well and didn’t have any of the common defects typically seen on this model.
PrusaSlicer Spiral Vase Settings for the Prusa MK3S+ / PLA
(Image credit: Prusa)| Material | Prusament PLA, Galaxy Purple |
| Layer Height | 0.20mm |
| Infill Percentage | 0% |
| Print Speed | 60mm/second |
| Extruder Temperature | 215 degrees Celsius (419 degrees Fahrenheit) |
| Heated Bed Temp | 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit) |
| Print Time | 3 Hours, 9 Minutes |
Slicing a model using the ‘Spiral Vase’ mode in PrusaSlicer will automatically create a model that is composed of a single continuously rising helical contour, which allows models to be printed a fraction of the time it would normally take to print using multiple layers.
This mode is ideal for printing objects like vases or enclosures that only require a single contour as opposed to multiple contours and an infill structure. I printed the Curved Honeycomb Vase by eggnot to highlight this printing mode.
The Prusament Galaxy Purple is a favorite color of mine due to the glitter additive in the filament. This additive creates layer lines that are evenly blended and have a textured appearance. Combining this material with the Spiral Vase mode produces parts that look almost conventionally manufactured, with layer lines that are difficult to see. This model printed in just over 3 hours in Spiral Vase mode, as opposed to over 13 hours if it had been printed using conventional settings.
PrusaSlicer Speed Settings for the Prusa MK3S+ / PETG
(Image credit: Prusa)| Material | Prusament PETG, Chalky Blue |
| Layer Height | 0.2mm |
| Infill Percentage | 15%, Grid |
| Print Speed | 60mm/second |
| Extruder Temperature | 250 degrees Celsius (482 degrees Fahrenheit) |
| Heated Bed Temp | 90 degrees Celsius (194 degrees Fahrenheit) |
| Print Time | 4 Hours, 5 Minutes |
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(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)PETG is a material that offers increased mechanical toughness, heat resistance, and flexibility when compared with parts printed with PLA.
Prusa has taken advantage of these material properties by printing many of the components on the MK3S+ with PETG, which creates a rigid part that is able to withstand mechanical stress. PETG is also notoriously difficult to print with due to the high level of stringing that can occur when printing multiple parts simultaneously, but I didn’t have any issues when printing with the Prusament PETG material on the MK3S+.
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(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)I used the default settings in PrusaSlicer to print the clamp model provided by Prusa that was designed specifically for PETG. This model features a functional thread, a flexible ball-and-socket joint, and can be tensioned without snapping the body of the clamp. The part printed in multiple pieces without stringing, and I was able to easily assemble it and verify functionality without damaging the clamp. If printed in a more brittle material (like PLA), I would expect the clamp to crack at a transition point on the body, but the PETG was able to hold tension without deforming or breaking.
PrusaSlicer 3MF Import for the Prusa MK3S+ / PLA
(Image credit: Prusa)| Material | Prusa Basic PLA, Silver |
| Layer Height | 0.20mm |
| Infill Percentage | 15%, Grid |
| Print Speed | 60mm/second |
| Extruder Temperature | 215 degrees Celsius (419 degrees Fahrenheit) |
| Heated Bed Temp | 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit) |
| Print Time | 2 Hours, 17 Minutes |
PrusaPrinters (the online file repository created and maintained by Prusa) offers the unique ability to share 3D printable files that have been pre-sliced and prepared for the MK3S+ with detailed print statistics available from the site. A perfect example of this is the Bag Clip by Andrei; a cam-driven bag clip that highlights the type of design freedom offered by a 3D printer.
This model has been uploaded as a .
3MF file that contains all of the information required to print, such as slicer settings, nozzle and bed temperature, and custom support structures (visibile in the screenshot above.) 3MF is an increasingly popular alternative to the STL file, which doesn’t contain much information aside from the raw geometry of a model.
This part printed flawlessly on the first try, and the provided .3MF (or .gcode) allows a user to send this file to anyone else with the same printer and material and feel confident that the part will be indistinguishable in appearance and performance. I’ve always thought of a 3D printer as the replicator from the Michael Crichton novel Timeline, which is able to produce identical objects at various locations by converting them into digital information. However, the success of a part is frequently beholden to the settings selected by a user for fabrication, so the ability to share the fabrication plans is one step closer to being able to send a physical product as a form of digital data.
At a price-point of $999 for an assembled printer (or $749 for a kit), the Prusa MK3S+ is a machine that doesn’t compromise on user experience and is absolutely one of the best 3D printers currently on the market. The MK3S+ has a professional and neat appearance, but the 8-bit monochrome LCD user interface might be a challenge for some users to get past, given the steep price. Interface aside, the prosumer features of the MK3S+ make it a stand-out machine for anyone who is looking for a reliable machine to produce functional parts without worrying about spending a lot of time tinkering.
If you are looking for a less expensive machine outside of the Prusa ecosystem, the Elegoo Neptune 2 (currently on Amazon for $180) offers similar printing size and features (with the notable exception of automatic bed leveling) at a fraction of the price but without the same level of robust support and documentation provided by the MK3S+ or any of the name-brand components like the E3D hotend.
If you want the Prusa experience but are looking to spend a little less money, the Prusa Mini+ (available from Prusa for $399 assembled, $349 for a kit) is an excellent place to start.
Andrew Sink first used a 3D printer in 2012, and has been enthusiastically involved in the 3D printing industry ever since. Having printed everything from a scan of his own brain to a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, he continues to dive ever more deeply into the endless applications of additive technology. He is always working on new experiments, designs, and reviews and sharing his results on Tom's Hardware, YouTube, and more.
Creality Ender 3 S1 Pro Review: All the Bells and Whistles
Tom's Hardware Verdict
Creality took its most popular budget 3D printer and decked it out with all the upgrades, saving you time, and even a little money.
Pros
- +
Quality prints
- +
Easy assembly
- +
Auto bed leveling
- +
Direct drive
- +
Touch Screen
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Find out more about how we test.
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The Creality Ender 3 S1 Pro is quite a mouthful, but it’s also quite a printer. Shortly after announcing the deluxe Ender 3 S1, Creality inexplicably added even more features to their trusty workhorse and dubbed it the “pro” version.
None of these new features will make you throw your S1 in the garbage, but they are enticing if you’re stepping up from an Ender 3 Pro or V2 model. Ready to compete with the best 3D printers on the market, the Ender 3 S1 Pro comes with Creality’s first all metal hotend, a PEI flex plate, a touch screen, an improved spool holder and a built-in light kit.
That’s on top of core improvements already introduced in the S1 version, such as a direct drive, dual Z axis, auto bed leveling, and a slot for a full sized SD card.
Retailing at $479 on Creality’s website , this printer is a far cry from its budget minded roots. It’s still $360 cheaper Prusa MK3S+ kit, but nearly twice the price of basic Ender 3s still on the market. Those bargain basement Enders are still popular because they are so easily upgraded. Nearly everything that comes on an Ender 3 S1 Pro can be added to a classic Ender 3, if you’re willing to spend at least $350 in parts and add them to the old printer yourself (which is a hassle and costs more if you don’t already own an Ender 3).
- Creality Ender 3 S1 Pro (Black) at Walmart for $429
Specifications: Ender 3 S1 Pro
| Machine Footprint | 6490 x 455 x 625 mm (19.2 x 18 x 24.5 inches) |
| Build Volume | 220 x 220 x 270 mm (8.5 x 8.5 x 10.5 inches) |
| Material | PLA/PETG/TPU/ABS |
| Extruder Type | Direct Drive |
| Nozzle | .4mm (Interchangeable) |
| Filament Runout Sensor | Yes |
| Bed Leveling | CR Touch |
| Connectivity | SD card, Type-C USB |
| Interface | Color Touch Screen |
Creality Ender 3 S1 Pro: Included in the box
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)The Ender 3 S1 Pro comes with everything you need to get your printer set up. You get tools to build and maintain the printer, side cutters, a metal scraper, a nozzle cleaner, a spare nozzle, an extra Z limit switch, and a full sized SD card with a USB adapter.
There’s also a small sample of white PLA to print your first model.
The SD card has two short videos, one on assembling the printer, and another on how to level it. You also get a PDF copy of the manual, a copy of Creality Slicer 4.8.0 and models in both pre-sliced .gcode and .stl format.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)The Ender 3 S1 Pro is quite a bit flashier than the old Ender 3s, but only slightly different from the previous S1.
The Ender 3 S1 Pro has a modern look, with an all-in-one design, smooth metal frame and flat cables. It has Creality’s newest direct drive, the all metal Sprite, which not only improves performance, but does away with the need for a Bowden tube.
The direct drive is an all metal, dual gear unit that works beautifully. It’s a little industrial looking compared to the rest of the machine, but the lack of plastic housing serves to cut down on weight. It’s a titanium heat break allows it to heat up to a toasty 300 degrees. This allows us to print more materials, but more important, cuts down on nasty clogs from burnt PTFE tubes.
The Creality Sprite extruder is shipped unmounted and attaches with a few easy to reach screws. It’s meant to be simple to remove, so you can swap it with a laser kit , purchased separately. We’ll be reviewing the laser at a later date.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)I’m still not loving the awkward front-mounted parts cooling fan, which makes it hard to watch your first layer go down. The machine also comes with a run out sensor mounted near the spool holder and power loss recovery.
Like the S1, the Ender 3 S1 Pro has a CR Touch for auto bed leveling, but kept the bed’s flexible springs and knobs. Should the CR Touch fail completely, or you just hate easy bed leveling, Creality included a Z limit switch you could add to convert it back to manual.
A final intriguing addition is a dual Z axis upgrade, something normally reserved for larger printers. The two lead screws are kept in sync with a belt for added security. The extra Z axis ensures smoother prints by giving the X gantry more support.
I was most excited to see my favorite upgrade – a PEI coated steel flex plate. The PC coated plate on the S1 was both too sticky and too floppy, and damaged a few vase mode prints.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)If you’ve used any Creality machine in the past, the new touch screen will throw you for a loop. The layout is completely different from all the old versions with a complex text menu that, honestly, doesn’t make a lot of sense in places. For example, the automatic preheat buttons are hidden under “manual” and bed leveling is stashed under settings.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)Assembling the Creality Ender 3 S1 Pro
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)The Creality Ender 3 S1 Pro is mostly pre-assembled and comes together with a handful of neatly labeled bolts and screws. Creality learned from the S1 and made the paper manual much larger. If you find video easier to follow, you can watch a good assembly video on the included SD card.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)I installed the gantry first.
It fits into slots on the base unit and is held in place with 2 screws and 2 bolts on each side. Then I fitted the hotend assembly onto the X gantry with four screws. The control screen bolts to the side with 3 screws and the spool holder snaps into place on the top.
Wiring is very simple as everything is already attached to the frame and only needs to be plugged in.
Last, flip the power supply switch to match your main household electric, which is 115V in the U.S. Creality placed a giant sticker to make sure you don’t overlook the hidden switch.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)Leveling the Creality Ender 3 S1 Pro
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)The Ender 3 S1 Pro comes with a CR Touch installed, Creality’s version of the popular BL Touch. It physically taps the build surface with a metal probe and works with both metal or glass surfaces.
To level the printer for the first time, select Level from the settings menu. Click Start and the printer will immediately go into its leveling routine without preheating and tap 16 points around the bed.
Now go back to the previous menu and click “Auto Level” to set the Z offset by sliding a piece of paper under the nozzle. Move the Z offset up or down until the nozzle just scrapes the paper. The printer I tested did not need to adjust the Z, it was perfect the first time.
If the CR Touch is unable to level the bed, you will need to do a manual level. Directions for this are in the manual.
Loading Filament on the Creality Ender 3 S1 Pro
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)The Creality Ender 3 S1 Pro is the first Ender to include a filament loading routine in the control panel. This is located under Ready → In/Out. Click the nozzle icon, enter a number of millimeters you’d like to advance. 20 is a good place to start. If the nozzle is not hot, the Ender 3 S1 Pro will automatically warm up to 200 degrees, then advance the filament.
To unload material, just reverse the process.
Preparing Files / Software for Creality Ender 3 S1 Pro
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)The Ender 3 S1 Pro comes with a copy of Creality Slicer 4.
8.0, which is simply an older version of Cura with Creality branding and every printer its ever made pre-loaded. PrusaSlicer is another popular alternative that’s also free and some consider easier to use.
The latest version of Cura (5.0) doesn’t have a profile for the Ender 3 S1 Pro, but you can use the profile for the Ender 3 Pro and adjust the build height to 270. PrusaSlicer has a profile for the Ender 3 S1, which has the same build size.
Printing on the Creality Ender 3 S1 Pro
The Creality Ender 3 S1 Pro printed wonderfully right out of the box. My first print was a pre-sliced Cat from the SD card – which was also the test print supplied with the S1. I turned out exactly the same, including the same little stray bit of filament on the mouth. This is printed using the sample filament.
Model supplied by S1 (Image credit: Tom's Hardware)I like to test bed adhesion with a print in place model, like a flexi toy. This dolphin from Flexi Factory fit the bill and printed very cleanly.
I did a manual color swap just to use up some final scraps of PLA. This is printed in Inland Turquoise PLA and Matterhackers Pro Series Blue PLA. This took 3 hours and 55 minutes at a .2mm layer height and 60mms speed.
I wanted to test TPU in an interesting way, so I ran this really cool coaster set from Trilobyte3D. It won a contest on Printables.com for, you guessed it, coasters! This is a three part print, with the leaves printed in TPU laying flat, then the stem and pot printing separately without supports. The leaves are made from Matterhackers Translucent Green TPU and come off the stem to place under your drink. The stem is Emerald City Green Silk from Polyalchemy Elixir and the pot is Protopasta Recycled PLA in Still Colorful 11. Everything was printed individually at a standard .2mm layer height, and the whole project took 19 hours and 45 minutes of printing time.
Model by Trilobyte3D (Image credit: Tom's Hardware)I’ve been looking for practical prints, and found it with this credit card cutlery model from jq910.
I used Keene Village Edge Glow Glass PETG. It’s only a nine layers thick, but still quite sturdy. This printed in 36 minutes with a .2mm layer height and 60 mms speed.
To see just how big I can print with an Ender 3 S1 Pro, I took this Twisted Cloud Vase by PressPrint and expanded it 200% until it filled the bed. Then I ran it in Blue/Purple Evyone Matte Dual-Color PLA . It’s a vase mode print, so it only took 7 hours and 36 minutes at a .2mm layer height and 60 mms speed.
Model by PressPrint (Image credit: Tom's Hardware)The Ender 3 S1 Pro is a fantastic printer and a refreshing change of pace from its bare-bones beginnings. It’s easy to assemble and the CR Touch leveling system worked perfectly without a need to make any adjustments. The new PEI coated flex plate is great and all the little upgrades from light kit to all metal hotend make this printer feel like a complete consumer grade product. This isn’t a science project to stick out in the shed, it’s a real piece of hardware to sit proudly on your desk.
Retailing at $479, the S1 Pro has everything you need in a 3D printer, and more features than a lot of the competition. However, if you want the deluxe Ender experience and don’t need an all metal hotend, you can save a few bucks by getting the Ender 3 S1. Another feature packed printer we like is the Anycubic Kobra, priced at $319, it’s an Editor’s Choice and our pick for Best Printer for Beginners.
Denise Bertacchi is a Contributing Writer for Tom’s Hardware US, covering 3D printing.
3D printing market. Is it time to buy shares? / Habr
In this article I would like to talk about companies, each of which is a "unicorn". Shares of two of the three can already be bought on the New York Stock Exchange. There is a pattern: they were all born in the large Boston metropolitan area. And if Silicon Valley is a Mecca for software startups, then Boston, and especially the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), is the Medina for manufacturing innovation.
I'll make it clear right away: I won't analyze the entire 3D printing market, but will focus on some of the most notable representatives of the desktop 3D printing segment.
But even here everything is very conditional, since in the process of improving technology, products smoothly flow from one category to another, and roughly three main categories can be distinguished: desktop, professional and industrial. So…
In 2011, three American students founded Formlabs in their garage. It was headed by Max Lobowski. Born into a family of engineers - emigrants from Ukraine, from his youth he was interested in robotics and new technologies, attended various specialized additional classes in high school. After earning a bachelor's degree from Cornell University, he went on to graduate school at MIT, where he began designing his desktop 3D printer, which is both powerful and affordable.
Max Lobowski The friends were able to quickly get an angel investment, with which they launched their first product, the Formlabs Form 1 printer, in 2013. On the Kickstarter crowdfunding platform, they managed to raise almost $ 3 million from more than 2,000 bakers from around the world, who were excited about the new product, which promised to make 3D printing accessible to almost everyone.
At that time, there were models of printers on the market using the technology of illumination with a laser beam of photopolymer resin (SLA) with a price of 100 thousand dollars, Formlabs offered a printer for 1500 dollars. The company, of course, faced a lot of difficulties in the production of the first batch, but it managed to ship the printers to all buyers. And even though they were far from perfect, this made it possible to attract round A investments in the amount of 19million dollars and return the "angel" money.
The company then continued to improve its product and create an ecosystem like Apple, which includes 3D printers themselves, consumables (resins for various tasks), software for preparing models for printing, and post-processing equipment. In 2019, the company's turnover reached $100 million, in May 2021 it received $150 million in a round of E from the SoftBank Investment Advisers fund, valuing the company at $2 billion. After that, there was talk of an IPO, which would be an absolutely logical step, since investment funds are planning this in the future for 7-10 years, and this period has already come for investors of the first round.
However, despite high market expectations, Max Lobowski said in an interview with BizJournals that he is in no rush to go public: “We would rather take our time and better prepare to be a great public company… We make more money than all 3D -companies taken together that have gone public with the help of SPAC (a procedure that allows startups to go public by merging with another private company). However, when I look at really large, successful, long-term public projects, which is what we are aiming for, I see that they are on a completely different level in terms of predictability and profitability than we are.” These are serious words, and apparently the head of the company has reason to pronounce them. Most likely, the forecast of the company's capitalization in the region of 4-6 billion dollars with a successful initial offering, which will make it the largest company in the market, because even the result of the veteran and long-term market leader - 3DSystems as of August 2021 is no more than 3.
5 billion. dollars.
Unlike the students at Formlabs, Markforged was founded by older guys. However, even here it was not without MIT. MIT alumnus Mark Greg encountered 3D printing while his company was doing a job for the US Navy. Experiments in the field of improving the quality of products led him to the idea of creating a printer that could reinforce the printed model with carbon fiber to make it strong and suitable for use under load.
Employees of the company together with the Metal X printer, Mark Greg is seated to the right of the printer. The company was founded in 2013, and already in 2014 at the Solidworks World exhibition, the startup presented its first product - the Mark One printer, which had two extruders and could reinforce the printed model with nylon, fiberglass and even Kevlar. Later, The Digital Forge, a cloud-based print management platform, was introduced, and already in 2017, MarkForged announced the release of a Metal X desktop metal 3D printer worth $100,000, while competitors' counterparts cost a million.
In 2020, the company's turnover amounted to $ 70 million, and the management decided to bring the company to an IPO using SPAC. The company introduced the concept of additive manufacturing 2.0 to potential investors, allowing the production of finished products rather than prototypes, paving the way for 3D printing to the production of goods. The volume of this market is estimated by experts at 13 trillion dollars.
Based on the Wholers Report, in 2020 the company predicted the growth of the additive technologies market at an average rate of 27%, which means that in the next 8 years from the current 18 billion dollars, the market will grow to 118 billion in 2029 from 10 multiple growth of own revenue up to 700 million dollars already in 2025.
On July 15, 2021, MarkForged was listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker MKFG. The placement was estimated at 2 billion dollars, but a month later the shares lost a little in price, and the current capitalization is about 1.
5 billion dollars. The question remains: is it worth buying shares of a company that plans to be unprofitable for at least another 2 years (the company predicts a turnover of about $100 million this year).
On the one hand, there are enough companies on the market trading at even higher multiples, and on the other hand, 3D printing is not yet such a mature technology that one can be sure of the 100% success of exactly the concept that MarkForged offers. In fact, the company itself considers the emergence of new technologies as one of the risks that could undermine its current technological superiority. In general, investors are now positive about the future of 3D printing. They were impressed by how the technology performed in the first, most difficult months of the pandemic, when production chains were disrupted and many transport arteries stopped working. With the help of 3D printing, it was quickly possible to establish the production of urgently needed valves for ventilation, protective masks, adapters and much more.
The concept of distributed production immediately turned from a beautiful idea into a real necessity. So, as always, the coin has two sides, but if you are interested in stocks with great potential, you should at least take a closer look at this company and the market of additive technologies in general.
The last one in my story is DeskTop Metal. Formlabs was created by MIT students, Markforged - MIT graduates, DeskTop Metal was created by experienced entrepreneurs Rick Fulop and Johan Mayerberg, as well as 4 (!) MIT professors. Going to the goal, Rick Fulop founded 6 different companies, also headed an investment fund. Johan Maierberg has been a lead engineer for various companies and became the CTO of DeskTop Metal.
Rick Fulop in front of DeskTop Metal Studio System 9 printers0002 The company's goal was to create an affordable desktop 3D printer that prints metal models. The company immediately became a favorite among investors and attracted investment rounds with enviable constancy.
Among her donors were BMW, Ford Motor, Stratasys (a pioneer in the creation of 3D printing technology), SaudiAramco investment fund, General Electric and others. The total valuation in the latest round reached $2.4 billion, with a paltry $26 million turnover in 2019. The funds received were used for R&D and attracting the best engineers and developers to the company. In 2017, a three-component metal printing system based on FDM layer-by-layer printing technology was introduced, followed by burning and baking the final model. The system was very "raw": a small amount of materials was available for printing, and the printing itself had a lot of restrictions, the final products looked rough with large dimensional errors. Nevertheless, the developments continued, and the company announced its potential star - the Production System, a high-speed metal printing system, which can hardly be called a desktop one. The company claims that its Single Pass Jetting technology is 100 times faster than any other existing metal 3D printing technology, but deliveries of printers should begin only at the end of this year, so in this case you have to take our word for it.
The company entered the IPO on December 10, 2020 under the same SPAC scheme and in its presentation for potential investors outlined the following parameters: planned turnover in 2025 - 942 million dollars, reaching operating profit in 2023, and also indicated that , which plans to spend a significant portion of the proceeds on acquisitions of other 3D printing companies.
Capitalization on the New York Stock Exchange at the time of its IPO on December 10 was a fantastic $6 billion. During the placement, $580 million was raised and the company was assigned the laconic ticker DM. Already in February 2021, the shares rose even more, and the company's capitalization exceeded $8 billion. DM has said it will be the first company in 3D printing history to have a capitalization of over $10 billion. Having received huge funds at its disposal, already in January 2021, DM announced the first takeover deal: the German manufacturer of professional photopolymer 3D printers EnvisionTEC (founded in 2002 and is one of the oldest on the market) was bought for $ 300 million.
For me, this choice was not obvious, it is difficult to find something in common between DM and EnvisionTEC and it will be difficult to achieve a significant synergistic effect from this transaction. EnvisionTEC has continued to operate under its own brand as a 100% subsidiary of DM and plans to release a number of new models for its key customers - dental clinics and jewelry companies. Also during this year, several small companies specializing in the production of materials and software were bought. DM expands its patent base due to this and gathers under its wing the best ideas and people. The most high-profile acquisition was the $575 million purchase announced in August of another public company, the American ExOne. Established in 2005 in Pittsburgh, it specializes in the production of industrial 3D printers for creating injection molds from sand and other materials. It is also noteworthy that she managed to commercialize a patent for this technology, issued by MIT back in 1993 year.
In this case, we can say that the product lines of DM and ExOne are closer to each other and they have already presented a joint portfolio based on the products of both companies, in which one product complements the other.
It would be logical to assume that DM stock skyrocketed after such high-profile acquisitions, but in reality the opposite happened. Since its peak in February, the shares have fallen 4 times and are now trading at $8 a share, and the capitalization is slightly over $2 billion. Apparently, the first euphoria of investors gave way to a more sober approach to the current results of the company. Perhaps this was influenced by the dissatisfaction of some ExOne shareholders, who considered the sale price of the company unfair and were preparing a class action lawsuit against management in order to block the deal.
Should I buy DM stock now that it has fallen so much, or wait for further decline? I would say that their current level is very comfortable for entry, but, of course, such investments also have a certain risk.
This is despite the fact that the company has reported strong first half results, which DM expects to generate over $100 million in revenue this year.
Summing up, I would like to say that a number of stock analysts consider what is happening in the market of additive technologies to be a "renaissance". The market came into motion after the pandemic, which gave everyone hope that the technology was ripe for serious tasks, and that the situation in the industry of 2013-2014 would not repeat itself. Then the technique was still very "raw", but attracted a lot of attention from the press and potential investors. This drove the stocks of market leaders 3DSystems and Stratasys to unknown heights, and then, when there was disappointment in the results of their work, the fall reached 20 times from peak values. Startups bought in batches, not really understanding what to do with them later. Most of these deals only made it harder for companies to focus on their core business. I would like to hope that history will be a good lesson for the new giants of the industry.
There have already been a number of IPO exits by companies from the 3D printing industry through SPAC this year, with several more large listings planned for the end of the year. And, if you are interested in this sector, stay tuned.
Alexander Kornveits
Expert in the field of additive technologies and 3D equipment, founder and head of Tsvetnoy Mir
The best 3D printers for home, office or studio
printer? There is nothing surprising if such a thought periodically visited you. Today, 3D printing has gone beyond the geek toy it once was, and the 3D printer has become a truly useful device for many creative people. Such printers can be used not only to produce parts for all kinds of design projects, but also to print useful home appliances. In addition, the ability to print with consumables such as metal, rubber, or even biodegradable filaments means that finished products will be strong and durable. And if you are an experienced 3D artist or designer, you can combine your skills and the capabilities of a 3D printer to the maximum.
Be aware that not all 3D printers work the same way. Some use spools of plastic filament that is heated like a hot glue gun and then laid out in layers on the print bed. The print quality of such devices can be good, but some manual processing is often required to smooth out the layer lines. Some models use an LCD screen to shine light onto the resin, while other printers use a laser to solidify the melted resin.
If you do not want to do modeling, then the abundance of marketplaces with ready-made 3D models will allow you to get good results. Thingiverse, CG Trader and many other sites offer all sorts of models in .stl format that you can print with just a few clicks. Very often you can find free models.
Anycubic Vyper
Budget printer with good features
Price: $399.
Print volume: 245x245x260 mm.
Layer thickness: 100 µm.
Pros:
- self-levelling bed included,
- excellent level of detail,
- good print speed.
Cons:
- the need for self-assembly.
Anycubic's 3D printers are all good options, but as the most affordable FDM printer, the Vyper is the best deal. It has features not found in more expensive options, and produces prints with great detail and clarity, while doing so with minimal noise. The heated self-levelling print bed is a great feature, but adding a magnetic spring steel sheet to make it easier to remove prints is a win-win.
Ultimaker S3
Best solution for general 3D printing tasks
Price: $4,080.
Print volume: 230x190x200 mm.
Layer thickness: 20 µm.
Pros:
- double extruders make life easier,
- is an excellent self-leveling heated build platform.
Cons:
- not the cheapest option,
- noise level is higher than some other printers.
Ultimaker printers come in a variety of sizes and capabilities, but the Ultimaker 3 is the model we deliberately included in our list of the best 3D printers.
A 3D printer has most of the features you want from larger brethren, including dual extruders and nozzles of various sizes. This means that you can print models that would be difficult to print using PVA plastic, which dissolves in water. The Ultimaker 3 also has a print progress camera, a great touch screen interface and a solid build. If you need to master large volumes of printing, then choose the advanced version, which is a little more expensive.
Elegoo Mars 2 Pro
Best Resin Printing Solution
Price: $329.99.
Print volume: 129x80x160 mm.
Layer thickness: 50 µm
Pros:
- excellent print quality at a reasonable price,
- fast printing at 1-2 seconds per layer.
Cons:
- self assembly required,
- Printing smoke can be annoying.
Elegoo is relatively new to the 3D printing market, but the original Mars printer made a good impression on the community.
Mars 2 Pro only confirms the serious intentions of the manufacturer. The new 6” screen prints a layer in less than 2 seconds with no loss of clarity or blur, making this 3D printer one of the fastest resin printers around. In terms of prototyping speed, it's hard to beat unless you need larger objects, as the only real downside to the Mars 2 Pro is the small amount of printed assembly. Smoke when printing is typical for this type of printer.
Makerbot Replicator+
Universal 3D printer with FDM
Technology: 4500 dollars
Press volume: 295x195x165 mm
Layer thickness: 100 μm
Plus:
- Fitty brick
- lots of connection options.
Cons:
- takes up more space than most competitors,
- is not the cheapest option.
Makerbot has been around for a long time and is probably the best-known manufacturer of consumer 3D printers. Even Anna Kendrick used it in space in the movie Stowaway.
Experience in this area has allowed Makerbot to maintain a similar area to previous models, but increase the volume of printing and reduce the noise level. This model provides a large number of connectivity options, including Wi-Fi. The Makerbot Replicator+ even has a camera so you can watch what's going on remotely. Printing results are good and need only a little manual refinement, because this is an FDM printer. The Replicator+ is a great and reliable option if you are looking to purchase a 3D printer for your home office, school or workshop.
Anycubic Photon mono SE
Best choice for printing 3D miniatures
Price: $449.89
Print volume: 130x78x160 mm.
Layer thickness: 100 µm.
Pros:
- excellent level of detail,
- smooth surface.
Cons:
- Highlight pairs can be unbearable when printing,
- resin is expensive. Anycubic's
Photo Mono SE is a great choice if you like custom toys, collectibles or action figures from PC games as the detail on this printer is fantastic.
Like other monochrome printers, it is fast enough. It only takes about a second to print one layer. The resin may have an unpleasant odor, but you can place the printer under an air exhaust cabinet. This is a small sacrifice for such a productive machine, which is really worth the money spent.
Markforged Onyx One
Best Metal Printer
Price: $4,794.
Print volume: 320x132x154 mm.
Layer thickness: 100-200 µm.
Pros:
- reliable and durable prints,
- all in one desktop case.
Cons:
- expensive,
- metal filament spools are expensive.
Onyx One prints out of durable metal, but the parts are actually carbon fiber. The main reason for choosing this technology is that although powdered metal filaments are available, they instantly destroy extruder nozzles, making the production of metal objects prohibitively expensive. Markforged solves this problem with a best-in-class desktop solution.
So if you're looking for durable and reliable parts, this printer should be on your list. Just remember that a spool of filament can be quite expensive.
Creality Ender 3
Best Budget FDM 3D Printer
Price: $223.
Print volume: 220x220x250 mm.
Layer thickness: 100 µm.
Pros:
- high quality components,
- ease of use.
Cons:
- open chassis,
- The typing sound can be quite loud.
Ender's range of 3D printers is renowned for its superior performance at an affordable price. And Ender 3 is a perfect example of this. At this price, you would think that Black Friday lasts all year round. Creality has somehow managed to inject some of the highest quality components into Ender 3. The printer comes in kit form, which may not be to everyone's liking, but the assembly process actually gives you a good idea of how the printer works and can help with troubleshooting if there are any in the future.
Formlabs Form 3
Best SLA Printer
Price: $3499.
Print volume: 145x145x185 mm.
Layer thickness: 15 µm.
Pros:
- easy replacement of material cartridges,
- no layer visibility.
Cons:
- expensive,
- additional costs for obtaining a medical version.
Formlabs Form 3 and its predecessor Form 2 set the benchmark for SLA printers (3D printing technology based on the layer-by-layer curing of a liquid material under the action of a laser beam). And the FormLabs Form 3 is by far the best printer on the market. This is a rather expensive product, but the quality of the results speaks for itself. Products are obtained with invisible layers, and the printer itself is equipped with a system that allows you to remove the finished product without the use of cutters. In addition to the impeccable print quality, the big advantage here is the ease of use.
Changing media is as easy as replacing a cartridge on a conventional printer. For a little more, you will have access to biomaterials for use in dentistry and medicine. Oh, and the PreForm software is simple and intuitive too.
3Doodler
Best Portable 3D Printer
Price: $49.99
Pros:
- you can take it anywhere,
- No print volume limit.
Cons:
- expensive consumables,
- print quality is up to you.
One of the biggest limitations for 3D printing is the fixed volume. But since 3Doodler is a 3D printing pen, here you can print projects of any size. The cost of consumables can be quite high, especially if you are trying to model a car in 1:1 scale. What's more, it's fantastic fun to pick up a pen from a table top and draw lines in the air with plastic ink. The threads come in different colors, so you can consider it an added plus. But the downside is that you will have to rely only on yourself for printing accuracy, since the extruder is entirely in your hands, and not on rails.
