Can you buy a 3d printer

The Best Cheap 3D Printers for 2022

While we'd hesitate to call 3D printing a mature technology, you might say it has reached its teenage years. Through their first decade-and-change, 3D printers have come down in price, grown easier to set up and operate, and become more reliable. And you may pay less than you expect: Many once-high-end features have migrated down to inexpensive models.

PC Labs has been reviewing 3D printers since 2013. Today, the state of 3D printing is strong, but that wasn’t always the case. For the first several years, it was often an adventure getting one of these printers up and running, let alone successfully through our testing regimen. Issues with filament-based—aka fused filament fabrication (FFF) or fused deposition modeling (FDM)—printers were abundant.

Filament feeders had to be coaxed into delivering filament from the spool to the extruder. Print beds had to be manually aligned. The extruder or hot end had to be positioned just right to minimize the gap between the nozzle and the build plate (the flat surface on which the object is printed). Objects frequently stuck to the build plate, and required careful, sometimes unsuccessful, efforts to pry them off. These and other issues required painstaking effort to resolve, often combined with calls to tech support.

Not so much anymore. While they can still be rebellious at times, 3D printers have grown up a lot, and achieving the 3D printer basics has gotten a lot less likely to end in a shouting match over small things. And they've gotten a lot more affordable, too, for curious DIY-ers and hobbyists to try.

If you're in the market for a beginner or low-cost 3D printer, it's important to know how lower-end models differ. Read on for mini-reviews of the top budget 3D printers we've tested. After that, we go into more detail on understanding the 3D printer specs and tech relevant to beginning buyers. Ready to take the plunge? Read on.

Original Prusa Mini

Best Overall Budget 3D Printer

4.5 Outstanding

Bottom Line:

It requires assembly and calibration care (plus shipping from the Czech Republic), but the Original Prusa Mini is a compact, open-frame 3D printer that consistently produces superb-quality output for a great price.

PROS

Top-notch object quality
Supports a variety of filament types
Useful, professionally printed user guide
Great support resources
Versatile, user-friendly software

CONS

First-layer calibration can be tricky
Only includes starter packets of filament
Requires monitoring if young children or pets are around

Sold By	List Price	Price
Prusa Research	$399.00	$399.00	See It (Opens in a new window)

Read Our Original Prusa Mini Review

XYZprinting da Vinci Mini

Best Budget 3D Printer for Schools, Community Centers

4.0 Excellent

Bottom Line:

The XYZprinting da Vinci Mini is a consumer-oriented 3D printer that provides a winning combination of low price, ease of setup and use, solid print quality, and smooth, misprint-free operation.

PROS

Very low price.
Reasonably priced filament.
Good print quality.
No misprints in testing.
Easy setup and operation.
Quiet.
Prints over a USB or Wi-Fi connection.

CONS

Occasional problems in trying to launch prints.
Removing printed objects from the print bed is sometimes tricky.

Sold By	List Price	Price
Walmart	$199.95	$199.95	See It (Opens in a new window)
Amazon	$199.95	$199.95	See It (Opens in a new window)

Read Our XYZprinting da Vinci Mini Review

Toybox 3D Printer

Best Budget 3D Printer for Children

4.0 Excellent

Bottom Line:

The Toybox 3D Printer works well as a model designed for children, offering reliable printing from a browser or mobile device and a few thousand toys to print, plus creative options to output drawings or photos. Just bear in mind the tiny build area.

PROS

Reliable, misprint-free printing
Easy setup
One-touch operation
Well-composed help resources
Access to more than 2,000 printable toys and projects
Lets you create your own printable designs

CONS

Tiny build area
Not ideal for importing 3D files created elsewhere

Sold By	List Price	Price
Amazon	$299.00	$299.00	See It (Opens in a new window)
Toybox Labs	$379.00	$299.00	See It (Opens in a new window)

Read Our Toybox 3D Printer Review

Monoprice Mini Delta V2 3D Printer

Best Budget 3D Printer for Beginners, Non-Techies

4.0 Excellent

Bottom Line:

3D printing gurus will be intrigued by the Monoprice Mini Delta V2's use of the delta rather than Cartesian coordinate system, but beginners will just enjoy its low price, ease of use, and speedy printing.

PROS

Sub-$200 price
Quick, nearly misprint-free printing
Easy setup and operation
Sturdy steel-and-aluminum frame
Supports multiple filament types

CONS

Tiny build area
So-so print quality
Mere one-year warranty

Sold By	List Price	Price
Amazon	$323.98	$323.98	See It (Opens in a new window)

Read Our Monoprice Mini Delta V2 3D Printer Review

Anycubic i3 Mega S

Best Budget 3D Printer With an Open Design, Big Build Area

3.5 Good

Bottom Line:

The Anycubic i3 Mega S, an inexpensive open-frame 3D printer, produced decent-quality prints in our testing. To get the most out of it, though, may require precise calibration.

PROS

Modestly priced
Large build area for an inexpensive printer
Supports a variety of filament types
Generally solid print quality
Uses well-known Cura software

CONS

Finicky print-platform alignment
Supported coils of filament are small
Poorly placed spool holder

Sold By	List Price	Price
Amazon	$229. 98	$229.98	Check Stock (Opens in a new window)
AnyCubic	$279.00	$279.00	Check Stock (Opens in a new window)

Read Our Anycubic i3 Mega S Review

Anycubic Vyper

Best Budget 3D Printer for the Biggest Build Area Possible

3.5 Good

Bottom Line:

Anycubic's modestly priced Vyper whips up large 3D prints on its open-frame design, and provides automatic print-bed leveling. Just know that some minor assembly is required—and printed objects may require a bit of cleanup.

PROS

Relatively large build area
Automatic bed leveling
Simple assembly

CONS

Short (one-year) warranty
Includes only a small starter filament coil
Using Cura software with the Vyper requires tweaking a couple of settings
Test prints showed some "hairy" filament residue

Sold By	List Price	Price
Amazon	$429. 99	$429.99	See It (Opens in a new window)
AnyCubic	$369.00	$319.00	See It (Opens in a new window)

Read Our Anycubic Vyper Review

Creality Ender-3 V2

Best Budget 3D Printer for Tinkerers and DIY Types

3.5 Good

Bottom Line:

Hands-on tweaking defines Creality's budget-price Ender-3 V2, an open-frame 3D printer that you build from a kit. It produces generally above-par prints, but its print bed can be tricky to keep leveled.

PROS

Inexpensive
Slightly above-average print quality
Good-size build area for its price
Supports several filament types

CONS

Manual print-bed leveling can be tricky
Setup instructions could be deeper, more legible
Questionable quality control on some parts

Sold By	List Price	Price
Amazon	$299. 00	$246.00	See It (Opens in a new window)

Read Our Creality Ender-3 V2 Review

Flashforge Finder 3D Printer

Best 3D Printer for the Very Tightest Budgets

3.5 Good

Bottom Line:

The Flashforge Finder 3D Printer is moderately priced and offers good print quality, but it proved tricky to get up and running in our tests.

PROS

Quiet.
Good print quality.
Connects via USB 2.0 cable, USB thumb drive, or Wi-Fi.
Reasonably priced.

CONS

Some objects pulled off the platform during testing.
Poor documentation.
Modest build volume.
Limited to printing with polylactic acid filament (PLA).

Sold By	List Price	Price
Amazon	$729.00	$729.00	Check Stock (Opens in a new window)

Read Our Flashforge Finder 3D Printer Review

Polaroid PlaySmart 3D Printer

Best Budget 3D Printer for Dabbling in Small Objects

3. 5 Good

Bottom Line:

The Polaroid PlaySmart 3D Printer is a compact, stylish 3D printer with above-par overall print quality, but, alas, a tiny build area for the money.

PROS

Small, lightweight for a desktop 3D printer.
Easy to set up and use.
Supports PLA, PETG, and wood composite filaments.
Multiple-color support.
Wi-Fi camera monitors print jobs.
Prints from USB drives, SD cards, or mobile devices.

CONS

High price for its capabilities.
Small build area.
Too-brief warranty.

Sold By	List Price	Price
Amazon	$699.00	$699.00	See It (Opens in a new window)

Read Our Polaroid PlaySmart 3D Printer Review

XYZprinting da Vinci Jr. 1.0 A Pro

Best Budget 3D Printer With Closed Design, Roomy Build Area

3. 5 Good

Bottom Line:

The XYZprinting da Vinci Jr. 1.0 A Pro is a moderately priced closed-frame 3D printer with a large build volume and overall good performance, but a potentially balky filament-feeding system.

PROS

Spacious build area
Works with third-party filaments
Self-leveling print bed

CONS

Build plate is not heated
Limited to PLA- and PETG-based filaments
Guide tube is prone to detaching

Sold By	List Price	Price
Amazon	$299.95	$199.95	See It (Opens in a new window)
Best Buy	$449.95	$449.95	Check Stock (Opens in a new window)

Read Our XYZprinting da Vinci Jr. 1.0 A Pro Review

Monoprice Voxel 3D Printer

Best Budget 3D Printer for Cheap Filament

3. 0 Average

Bottom Line:

The Monoprice Voxel is an under-$400 3D printer that's easy to set up and use. It exhibits generally good print quality, but it was unable to print two of our test objects.

PROS

Easy to set up and use.
Budget price for printer and filament spools.
Supports PLA, ABS, and several composite filament types.
Versatile software.
Prints over Ethernet or Wi-Fi, or from a USB thumb drive.

CONS

Frequent misprints on certain test objects.
Slightly balky touch screen.

Sold By	List Price	Price
Amazon	$449.99	$369.26	See It (Opens in a new window)
Walmart	$429.99	$369.26	See It (Opens in a new window)

Read Our Monoprice Voxel 3D Printer Review

Buying Guide: The Best Cheap 3D Printers for 2022

How to Buy a Cheap 3D Printer

The biggest changes to 3D printers over the last few years have come to the cheaper models. Nowadays, many of those classic, ornery 3D-printing issues have been resolved (most of the time, anyway), even for consumer and bargain-priced 3D printers. Automatic print-bed leveling is the norm, and you can usually remove 3D-printed objects from heated and/or flexible build plates with a minimum of coaxing. And most 3D printer manufacturers have either developed and refined their own software, or have adapted an open-source printing platform such as Cura(Opens in a new window).

(Credit: Zlata Ivleva)

What separates more expensive 3D printers from cheap ones ("cheap" defined as $500 or less, for the purposes of this article) is often a select group of features. These include the build volume, the type of frame, the varieties of supported filament, the software, and the connectivity mix. Let's run through those in turn.

What's the Right Build Volume for a 3D Printer?

A 3D printer’s build volume is the maximum dimensions (HWD) of a part that it can print. (We say “a part” because a 3D-printed object can consist of multiple parts that are printed, then glued or otherwise pieced together.) While the smallest build volume of any 3D printer we have tested is 3.9 by 3.9 by 4.9 inches, we consider any build volume smaller than 6 by 6 by 6 inches to be small, any between that and 10 by 10 by 10 inches as medium, and any printer with at least one build dimension of more than 10 inches as having a large build volume.

(Credit: Molly Flores)

As a general rule, inexpensive 3D printers have small build volumes, while more expensive ones have larger build volumes. This depends in part on the type of printer. Closed-frame 3D printers—and most semi-open models, which have a rigid top, base, and sides but are open in front and, often, back—tend to have small build volumes, while open-frame printers, lacking as rigid a physical structure, often have relatively large build volumes for the price. You'll want to weigh the build volume against the kinds of objects you will print.

Should I Get an Open-Frame or Closed-Frame 3D Printer?

Which brings us to the frame "form factor" question: open-frame versus closed-frame. Closed-frame 3D printers are boxlike devices, with a rigid base, walls (with a see-through door in front), and top. Among their advantages? They muffle the operating noise, as well as reduce the odor from melted filament (which is potentially an issue with ABS plastic), and they provide some protection for people or pets who might inadvertently touch the hot extruder. A downside: They tend to have smaller build volumes than open-frame 3D printers, which have fewer (often, no) walls to constrict them.

(Credit: Zlata Ivleva)

Low-cost 3D printers include both open-frame and closed-frame models, as well as a few stereolithography printers. If a relatively large build volume is a priority, you’re likely to get more bang for the buck with an open-frame model. Open-frames do have some clear downsides by definition: They tend to be noisy, emit odors when certain plastics are melted, and provide little protection for someone who might touch the hot extruder.

(Credit: Molly Flores)

Also, recognize some potential negatives of open frames, depending on the model. Some require assembly, being essentially kits, and most require more setup care than a closed-frame printer, plus more maintenance to keep them running smoothly. Still, these very traits should not deter—and may even appeal to—hobbyists and DIY folks.

What Should I Look for in 3D Printer Software and Connectivity?

Gone are the days when tinkerers had to cobble together several different programs to get a 3D printer to run. Manufacturers either include their own 3D printing program or modify an existing platform such as the open-source Cura.

3D printing software performs three main functions: processing an object file (resizing, moving, rotating, and in some cases duplicating it), slicing it (into virtual layers, based on your chosen resolution), and printing it. These are almost universally combined into a seamless process. Some high-end printers have software that supports a wider range of settings you can tweak, but even the basic suites work at least reasonably well.

More likely to vary among the cheaper set is the array of connection options from model to model. Nearly all have a USB Type-A port to fit a thumb drive for printing from document files. Most also have a USB Type-B port for connecting directly to a computer, and some offer Wi-Fi, too (or as an alternative), while a handful let you connect via Ethernet to share the printer across a local network.

Some printers support storing 3D files on an SD or microSD card (which may also contain the printer’s system files). Most 3D printer manufacturers (even the discount ones) have a mobile app to launch and monitor print jobs, and a few provide access to cloud services from which you can print.

While high-end 3D printers tend to have an abundance of connection choices, discount models vary widely in their choices. Some are generous and some are basic, so it pays to assess what a given model offers.

What Should I Look for in Filament Support?

Filament support tends to be a key area that separates the cheaper models from the higher-end ones. (See our guide to understanding 3D printing filaments for more particulars.) Inexpensive 3D printers tend to support a limited number of plastic filament types, some of them only PLA and/or ABS.

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3D Printing: What You Need to Know

3D Printer Filaments Explained

(Credit: Molly Flores)

PLA (polylactic acid) is a biodegradable, plant-based polymer, while ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) is the same tough plastic that Legos are made from. Objects printed from ABS are durable and nontoxic, though the material can be tricky to work with. ABS can emit an acrid, unpleasant odor during printing, and the bottom corners of objects being printed with it have a tendency to curl upward a bit, especially if you are using a non-heated print bed. This can lead to unsightly prints, and/or prints prematurely pulling off the build plate, ruining them.

Many entry-level and low-price 3D printers stick exclusively to PLA. If you want to experiment with a larger variety of filaments—which include water-soluble filament, wood- and metal-laced composites, and both tough and flexible varieties—you may have to pay more, although a few discount models support a wide range of materials.

Should I Consider a 3D Printing Pen Instead?

Although they aren’t printers per se, inexpensive 3D pens are close kin to 3D printers—using the same filament types and a similar extrusion system—and we include them in the 3D printing category. Rather than tracing out a programmed pattern, you use the 3D pen much like a normal pen, except that you draw with molten plastic. You can trace a pattern or draw freehand, and even draw in three dimensions as the plastic quickly solidifies and hardens once extruded.

(Credit: 3Doodler)

Most 3D pens cost less than $100, and some cost $50 or less. At a glance, 3D pens may appear to be toys, but some artists and craftspeople have taken to them, as it is possible to make quite complicated and beautiful objects with them. If your aim in 3D printing is something closer to freehand design and free expression than computer-centric, structured, and repeatable output, you might give one a try.

So, What Is the Best Cheap 3D Printer to Buy?

Buying a budget 3D printer needn’t mean a world of sacrifice. Plenty of capable and reliable models sell at less than $500, and while they may not be as feature-rich as their more expensive cousins, there's no sense in paying for things you don’t need.

Many casual 3D-printing experimenters will be fine with printing over a USB cable or from a thumb drive, and sticking to PLA may be the best choice for a starter 3D printer. If you focus just on the features you want, you may be pleasantly surprised at what you find. Below, check out a spec breakdown of the best under-$500 3D printers we have reviewed, paralleling our picks above. Also, for a look at the broader market, see our guide to our favorite 3D printers overall.

The Best Places to Buy a 3D Printer Online (& Which To Buy)

You’ve seen the YouTube print time-lapses, watched hours of unboxings and reviews of the latest Snapmaker or Creality 3D printer, and now you’re itching to buy a 3D printer online.

But while most 3D printers are great, picking the wrong one — or from the wrong distributor — can cause issues if anything goes wrong. And for more expensive and professional 3D printers, our top recommended sellers provide aftersales support to ensure everything goes smoothly.

So, which 3D printer should you buy online, and where are the best places to buy a 3D printer online?

We’ll first try and help you decide which type of 3D printer best suits your ambitions, the price range and level of 3D printer you need to achieve your goals, and then recommend based on those needs and which country you’re located in, the best places online to buy a 3D printer.

This article covers:

Why you should (or shouldn’t) buy a 3D printer
Which type of 3D printer to buy
Which price range 3D printer you should buy
The best places to buy a 3D printer online

Why You Should Buy a 3D Printer

3D printers are amazing. You can create almost anything, with almost any geometry (where CNC routers struggle) and from so many different materials.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to buy one. Some technical knowledge is required (or a willingness to learn), especially for cheap 3D printers that don’t come with auto-leveling and that will need parts replacing or upgrading over time.

So, before you commit to buying a 3D printer, think about whether you have the skills, or the time and a moderate level of dedication required to get the most out of it. If so, then buying a 3D printer will add endless creativity and fun (and potentially profit) to your life — you just need to decide which 3D printer – or type of 3D printer – to buy.A vase we recently printed with the Snapmaker 2.0 3D printer.

Which Type of 3D Printer To Buy

Within the 3D printer umbrella, there’s a range of different technologies. Most, like metal 3D printing technologies, are reserved for industrial uses and we won’t be recommending them here — this article is for hobbyist and small business 3D printers rather than industrial.

These 3D printers come in two main types: resin and FDM printers.

Buying an FDM 3D printer

FDM 3D printers are considered the cheapest, most accessible, and easiest to get started with. They’re the least hassle overall — and while things can (and probably will) go wrong, parts are more easily interchangeable and replaceable, which also opens up many possibilities for upgrading them.

Cheap FDM printers start at around $200, usually come as DIY kits, so you’ll need some basic skills (they’re SO much easier to make now than 5 years ago) and up to an hour to get it going, but this shouldn’t faze most people. They’re great for 3D printing almost anything, and most of the materials you can print are durable enough to make general household items and fun projects.

You can print a variety of plastics and other more exotic filaments like PLA, PETG, ABS, and wood-filled filaments, on nearly all FDM 3D printers you can buy online. More commercial FDM printers can print tougher filaments like PC (polycarbonate), Nylon, and high-temperature printers can even 3D print PEEK.

We’ll discuss more on what you can expect within each price range further on, but generally the more you pay, the less hassle (auto-leveling, filament sensors, better touchscreens, WiFi) and the better quality prints you get, larger build volumes, and faster printing. You can also buy a dual extruder 3D printer for printing two different materials, or two colors, at the same time.

Buying a resin 3D printer

The other type of 3D printer you can buy online at a decent price are resin 3D printers. These are typically LCD printers (or MSLA) or DLP printers, using a variety of different light sources to cure and solidify liquid resin.

They’re much more accurate than FDM 3D printers, and at high resolutions, you’ll barely be able to see the layer lines on your finished model. This makes them popular for 3D printing miniatures and figurines with intricate details, as well as castings for jewelry molds.

Like FDM printers, the cheapest resin printers start at around $200, but more reliable, accurate and powerful printers like the Form 3 will set you back a few thousand. Buying a resin or FDM 3D printer depends on your priorities and needs.

What price range do you need?

Another factor in buying a 3D printer online is how much you’re willing to pay – and also what you can expect in terms of features and performance, for your money.

For a full rundown: how much does a 3D printer cost to buy and maintain?

For the lowest end, you can buy usable FDM kits and resin 3D printers online costing around $200. You likely won’t get any extra functionalities, such as auto-leveling or a built-in enclosure on an FDM kit, or super high resolutions and reinforced z-axis for stability on a resin 3D printer, but they’re absolutely still good enough for fun hobbyist projects, such as 3D printing keychains, small-ish cosplay props (FDM), or fun character models (best in resin).

At around $500, you can expect WiFi connectivity which generally saves you time and improves your workflow, you may get an auto-leveling 3D printer such as the Anycubic Vyper or Creality CR-10, and you can expect better accuracy and reliability. They increasingly have touchscreens for better monitoring of nozzle and bed temperature and quicker settings adjustment.

From $1,000 to $7,000, most of the extras are in larger build volumes, better setup for rapid prototyping and 3D printing in a small business (better analytics and monitoring, and more materials for tougher filament printing), and even better accuracy (such as the Formlabs Form 3 for resin, or the Ultimaker S3 or S5 for FDM).

They work like workhorses, offer large build volumes (such as the Raise3D Pro2 Plus), rarely fail prints, and can be operated remotely, as well as integrated into a larger workflow as part of a 3D printer factory, if you’re printing on many printers at once. You also typically get aftersales support with these, whereas for low-cost printers you may have to wait 24-hours for email support if something goes wrong.

The Best Places to Buy a 3D Printer Online

Now you’re better equipped to decide which type of 3D printer best suits your needs, and your budget, here’s some of the best places to buy a 3D printer.

Amazon

Amazon are everpresent, and you’ve probably got an Amazon Prime account. 3D printers are routinely available on Prime for super-fast delivery, and they’re also competitively priced (though read on for tips to save money by buying direct from manufacturers).

They have a wide selection of popular low-cost 3D printers to buy online, as well as a few more commercial 3D printers, though some prefer to buy these 3D printers from dedicated distributors for better aftersales service.

Some great 3D printers available online on Amazon include:

Creality Ender 3
Elegoo Mars (and other versions)
Flashforge Adventurer 3
Anycubic Mega S
Anycubic Mega X
Anycubic Photon Mono
Anycubic Photon Mono X

Read more: we have a full list of the best 3D printers on Amazon

Creality

While most Creality 3D printers are available on Amazon, you can sometimes get a better price by going straight to the source. Creality make some of the world’s most popular 3D printers, including the Ender 3, CR-10 range, and more.

3D printers you can buy online with Creality include:

Ender 3
Ender 5 Pro
Ender 6
Creality CR-10 Smart, CR-10 V2 and CR-10 V3
CR-30 conveyor belt printer

Prusa — best place to buy a 3D printer kit online

Prusa are known throughout the 3D printing industry for making some of the best 3D printer kits around. The Prusa i3 range have become the most popular RepRap kits, and the newer Prusa Mini, as well as the Prusa SL1 resin 3D printer, are all considered some of the best printers in their price range.

You can either buy them as a kit and build them yourself, or pay a couple hundred dollars extra and have it sent pre-assembled.

Prusa 3D printers you can buy online include:

Prusa i3 MK3S+
Prusa Mini+
Prusa SL1S Speed

Anycubic

Anycubic have come to dominate the low cost resin 3D printer market as well as the low cost FDM kit scene. Their Anycubic Mono range became instant best-sellers for high-quality, low-cost resin printing, and their Mega S and X printers offer large build volumes and good reliability at a low price point.

Anycubic 3D printers you can buy online include:

Vyper
Mega S
Mega X
Photon Mono
Photon Mono X

Matterhackers

Matterhackers is one of the largest online 3D printer stores, mostly focusing on more commercial printers by Ultimaker, Makerbot and more, though they also have lower-cost 3D printers by brands like Monoprice, as well as CNC routers and laser engravers. They have a wide range of supporting blogs and videos for common problems like nozzle clogging to help troubleshoot common 3D printing problems, and their team are on hand to help if you need it.

As well as selling printers, they’ve already released their own printer, the Pulse XE, a Prusa clone designed specifically for printing tough filaments like NylonX and carbon fiber — but at a far lower cost than other compatible printers.

Some great 3D printers you can buy online include:

Ultimaker S3
Ultimaker S5
Peopoly Phenom
Monoprice Voxel
Makerbot Method
Zmorph Fab

Dynamism

Dynamism sell some of the best-quality commercial 3D printers around, by brands such as Ultimaker, Formlabs, Makerbot, Raise3D, EnvisionTEC, and more. These range from mid-range small business and hobbyist commercial printers like the Ultimaker S3 and Dremel 3D45, to more industrial 3D printers like Desktop Metal’s metal fiber 3D printers.

Dynamism have been leaders in 3D technology since 1997, with 20 years of success and innovation in 3D printing — and have recently launched their own 3D printing service for getting parts made on-demand. They pride themselves on their service and support, and as well as 3D printers, also sell Glowforge’s range of industrial laser cutters.

You can buy 3D printers online including:

Ultimaker S3
Ultimaker S5
Formlabs Form 3
Dremel 3D45

Snapmaker — where to buy a 3D printer that can laser cut and CNC

Snapmaker made headlines when their second release, the Snapmaker 2. 0, raised an incredible $8.5 million on Kickstarter to become the most-funded technology project of all time.

Read our review: we tested the Snapmaker 2.0 3D printer

The Snapmaker 2.0 has since released, a 3-in-1 3D printer that can be easily switched out to a CNC or laser engraving module, and you can also buy the 4-axis rotary module to give yourself another dimension for the laser and CNC tools.

Snapmaker 3D printers include:

Snapmaker 2.0
Snapmaker Original

Toybox — best place to buy a 3D printer for kids

Toybox specialize purely in making 3D printers for kids — though they’re also great introductions to 3D printing by adults who want an easy route into the more technical parts.

They’re great; super simple to get started and use, and you have the option to print your own toys with Toybox’s partners, including Batman and Wonder Woman prints!

Toybox 3D printer: Available here

Read our review: we tested the Toybox 3D printer

3DJake – where to buy a 3D printer in UK and Europe

3DJake’s online 3D printer range include:

For any Europeans looking to buy a 3D printer, 3DJake service UK, France, Germany and the rest of Europe with a wide range of hobbyist 3D printers.

As well as 3D printers, 3DJake also sell 3D pens, 3D scanners, laser cutters, and more.

Elegoo Mars
Anycubic Vyper
Creality CR-6
Creality Ender 3 & Ender 3 V2
Biqu B1

Large Area 3D Printer

Create functional plastic items up to 2.5 meters!

Learn more

Discovery 3D Printer is a range of industrial 3D printers made in Spain for creating large-sized products and prototypes using FFF/FDM technology.

Discovery 3D Printer additive machines produce objects from high-strength thermoplastics and are designed for industries ranging from shipbuilding and automotive to architecture and medicine.

Problems solved

Replacement of spare parts or lost parts in engineering, shipbuilding, oil and gas and energy enterprises

Production of small and medium series of products as an alternative to injection or molding of plastic parts automotive, shipbuilding and oil and gas industries

Creation of objects of exterior and interior design and design products for construction, production of facing materials

Production of functional prototypes for R&D and design bureaus in mechanical engineering, shipbuilding and aircraft construction

Production of large-sized wax or burnt master models for metal casting and metallurgy or trolleys)

Looking for a 3D printer for your needs?

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Super Discovery 3D Printer Workstation 3D Printer

3D large format printer combination: unique 2 in 1 combination and milling systems

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Your unique 3D printer

Do you need to print a product larger than 6 meters?

We will develop an individual solution with any build chamber for your needs. tasks - for printing products of any size!

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3D Printing Consumables

Do you have questions about 3D printing media?
Set them to our experts online!

Discovery 3D Printers work with all thermoplastics, including:

PLA / PLA: biodegradable polymer provides a smooth and gliding surface products. Designed to obtain detailed and ready-to-use objects
ABS / acrylonitrile butadiene styrene: impact-resistant material is able to withstand heavy loads and high temperature, resistant to heat, moisture and various alkalis
PET / polyethylene terephthalate: is a hard and strong material with high abrasion resistance. Excellent suitable for making gears, carriages and guides
PA / polyamide: hard engineering plastic with excellent mechanical properties characteristics. Widely used in various industries
ASA / acrylonitrile styrene acrylate plastic: analogue of ABS, characterized by increased weather resistance, minimal shrinkage and high impact strength
Nylon: is elastic, wear-resistant and remarkably durable. Good suitable for printing functional parts and mechanisms
HIPS / polystyrene: Lightweight, alkali and acid resistant polymer. deserved popular in traditional manufacturing due to its impact resistance

Advantages of Discovery 3D Printer Solutions

ISO 9001 certified products

3D printers with the largest build chamber in the world

Ability to design a custom printer

The only 3D printer on the market with an integrated CNC system for finishing milling a part after printing

Accelerate the creation of new products thanks to the dual extrusion system

Repair and replacement of products faster and more economically than contractors

Ability to use a large number of third-party materials

Self-leveling platform function for automatic compensation of irregularities

Case Studies

FDM Airbus Spare Parts 3D Printing

Industry:	Aircraft industry
Equipment:	Super Discovery 3D Printer
Material:	CFRP SABIC LNP™ THERMOCOMP™ AM EZ006EXAR1

Created a strong mold for autoclave forming parts with a sealed surface and a low thermal expansion coefficient.

3D printed car bumper

Industry:	Automotive
Equipment:	Super Discovery 3D Printer
Material:	ABS with carbon fiber

Prototype car bumper printed, measuring 1800 x 600 x 4500 mm and weighing 12 kg.

Large format 3D printed chair

Industry:	Design
Equipment:	Super Discovery 3D Printer
Material:	3D850

Printed design armchair measuring 45 x 50 x 95 cm and weighing 18 kg.

3D printed architectural statue

Industry:	Architecture
Equipment:	Super Discovery 3D Printer
Material:	ABS with cellulose fiber

The solid statue is printed and is 1. 87 m high and 45 kg in weight.

3D printing of railway components

Industry:	Railway industry
Equipment:	Super Discovery 3D Printer
Material:	plastic

The front part of a tram for CAF was made in one printing session.

Helicopter seat 3D printing

Industry:	Design
Equipment:	Super Discovery 3D Printer
Material:	ABS with carbon fiber

Printed helicopter seat measuring 120 x 70 x 45 cm and weighing 20 kg.

3D printed internal combustion engine

Industry:	Engineering
Equipment:	Discovery 3D Printer 2021
Material:	Premium PLA

Prototype of an internal combustion engine was created, the dimensions of which were 100 x 60 x 50 cm and the weight was 5. 5 kg.

3D printed exclusive piece of furniture

Industry:	Design
Equipment:	Super Discovery 3D Printer Workstation
Material:	ABS

A custom and exclusive chair created without the need for any further finishing.

Architectural 3D printed in durable ABS with cellulose

Industry:	Design
Equipment:	Super Discovery 3D Printer Workstation
Material:	ABS

A street sculpture has been made that fully implements the initial decorative idea of the project.

Dior boutique window dressing

Industry:	Advertising
Equipment:	Super Discovery 3D Printer Workstation
Material:	plastic

Huge bottles 3D printed for exclusive display at Dior's flagship stores.

FDM Cap Prototype

Industry:	Design
Equipment:	Discovery 3D Printer 2021
Material:	3D850

Prototype cap printed at 29 x 19 x 4.5 cm and weighing 146 g. Shipbuilding Equipment: Super Discovery 3D Printer Material: fireproof ABS

A prototype of a modular toilet has been printed, measuring 2200 x 1700 x 1200 mm and weighing 250 kg. At the same time, the weight of the product was reduced by almost 50%.

3D printed marine ventilation grille

Industry:	Shipbuilding
Equipment:	Super Discovery 3D Printer
Material:	ABS with carbon fiber

Ventilation grill printed 59 x 89 x 4. 5 cm and weight 3500 g. Automotive Equipment: Discovery 3D Printer 2021 Material: PACF

Printed motorcycle part measuring 42.5 x 16.5 x 4.5 cm and weighing 165 g. Instrumentation Equipment: Discovery 3D Printer 2021 Material: ABS HI

Prototype printed with support measuring 10 x 9 x 2.5 cm and weighing 18 g. Instrumentation Equipment: Discovery 3D Printer 2021 Material: fireproof ABS

Created a square mold that measures 10 x 10 x 2 cm and weighs 67 g. Automotive Equipment: Discovery 3D Printer 2021 Material: E.P.

Printed fender for a wheel measuring 55 x 16 x 20 cm and weighing 645 g. Energy Equipment: Super Discovery 3D Printer Workstation Material: ABS with carbon fiber

3D printed and post-processed a high-strength mold for wind turbine blades.

3D printed car wheel

Industry:	Automotive
Equipment:	Super Discovery 3D Printer
Material:	ABS with carbon fiber

A wheel for a car was made, the diameter of which was 440 mm, and the weight of the product was 5 kg.

3D printed designer vase

Industry:	Design
Equipment:	Super Discovery 3D Printer Workstation
Material:	ABS with carbon fiber

Printed vase in ABS for excellent interlayer adhesion and minimal warping.

Geometric 3D printing

Industry:	Design
Equipment:	Super Discovery 3D Printer Workstation
Material:	ABS with carbon fiber

Pyramid printed with an 8mm extruder with a smooth surface thanks to the built-in milling system.

More projects and examples of 3D printing in production - in the blog 3D experts

Go to blog

Useful materials

Webinar on 3D printing large objects with complex geometry

How can 3D printing help you optimize production?
Features FDM-technology for printing products up to 2. 5 meters
Benefits of using 3D plastic printing
Real cases

Large Format Plastic 3D Industrial Printing Brochure

Benefits of FDM Technology, Overview of Equipment and Consumables, industries and implementation examples - this and much more in one material!

About the manufacturer

CNC Barcenas / Spain

is one of the leaders in the European market for large format 3D printing.

The company specializes in the production of industrial 3D printers Discovery 3D Printer for printing large-sized products and prototypes based on FFF/FDM technology.

discovery3dprinter.com

Take a closer look at Discovery 3D Printer solutions - take a virtual tour of companies!

3D TOUR OF COMPANY

About us

iQB Technologies is a Russian distributor of 3D printers, consumables, 3D scanners and software from the world's leading manufacturers.

We develop complete 3D solutions, provide printing services and scanning, as well as training specialists in the use of 3D technologies in their work.

iQB Technologies is the exclusive distributor of Discovery 3D Printer solutions in Russia.
3D printers are available for order
in this section .

iqb.ru

Why order a 3D printer from iQB Technology?

The best prices for this class of equipment

Training on how to use 3D printers

A wide range of integrated solutions: 3D printer + 3D scanner + software

Provision of services for the implementation, maintenance and repair of 3D equipment throughout Russia

Participation in public procurement and tenders

Still have questions?

Our experts will advise you free of charge on Discovery 3D Printer solutions

Frequently Asked Questions

Which technology to choose: the method of fusing granules (FGF) or polymer filaments (FFF / FDM)?

What are the kinematics and mechanics of the Discovery equipment?

In this respect, all Discovery equipment differs from budget additive solutions. The products are based on the kinematic diagram of a CNC machine. Gears, pulleys, lead screws, no belts. HIVIN rail guides are used. The entire structure is made with European quality from advanced products in the machine tool industry.

What consumables can be used with Discovery products?

Any material (other than PEEK and PEKK) sold in bars or pellets. First of all, thanks to the heating of the table to 175 ° C and vacuum fixation, as well as due to the installed nozzles made of hardened steel.

How is such a large print platform heated?

A matrix of separate equidistant heaters is built into the platform from the bottom side; these modules provide uniform heating of the surface of the printing platform. The maximum recorded temperature difference over the entire area is 3°C.

How to speed up printing on such large dimensions?

There is a special method for properly emptying the internal volume, which you can learn more about from our technical experts. This procedure will have very little effect on the strength and elasticity of the print object, but will still reduce the time by up to 60%.
It is important to consider that with a large range of large-sized products, it is better to consider Super Discovery 3D Printer or Super Discovery 3D Printer Workstation with a capacity of up to 11 kg / h (depending on the material used).

Is it possible to upgrade this equipment for a specific enterprise?

Yes. Most of the Discovery machines can be upgraded for a specific production project. This is possible, since the equipment was designed for the tasks of Production 4.0, and our specialists will help to integrate it correctly.

What is the warranty for this equipment?

24 months, which is 1.5 - 2 times more than analogues from Europe, Russia and China. Permanent customer support is provided directly by the vendor or iQB Technologies specialists.

How to get a high quality product so that it can be handed over as a final product?

3D printing is basically a high quality preform process. If you need to get the final product, it is suggested to use milling or turning equipment, manual machining, priming, painting or varnishing.
This is often not necessary as the product is not visible.

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what he is capable of and how to make money on it

Victor tells how he turned his hobby into a profitable business. And why does he no longer have "work time"

Victor tells how he turned his hobby into a profitable business. And why does he no longer have “working time”

Victor

On YouDo
since October 2016

Victor prints everything (almost) on the printer - from a machine gun to dental crowns. And on YouDo he finds couriers who deliver all this. We decided to ask him what kind of business it is - 3D printing, how it works and whether it is profitable to do it.

Victor

On YouDo
from October 2016

How I got hooked

Four years ago, I realized that the office is not about me. I try in life to do only what is interesting. Something to create, organize, be creative. My hobbies have always been something like this.

Manufacturers say: “I brought it home, pulled it out of the box — voila, print it!” But this is all marketing

3D printing was in full view then. It seemed to me that it was just about creation and creativity, so I got hooked. I bought a printer, installed it at home, and began to find orders via the Internet.

Manufacturers say: “I brought it home, pulled it out of the box - voila, print it!” But this is all marketing, you need at least elementary training. You will have to spend at least a day to understand how the printer is refueled and a special slicer program works, which converts a 3D model into a special G-code. By reading this code, the printer understands what and how to print.

Four years ago, Victor decided to turn his hobby into a business

What you need to know at the start

A 3D printer is used in the jewelry industry, in the automotive industry, and in instrument making.

Even rocket parts and photopolymer dental crowns have been printed on it! That's why I love 3D printing so much: you cover a wide range of issues, you can communicate with specialists from completely different fields. It broadens your horizons!

3D printers are different. There are capricious samples, but there are user-friendly ones. These cost from 50,000 ₽. 80,000 ₽ will be enough to start your business.

Calculation for launch

-Printer-50 000 ₽
-Plastic (1 kg)-from 800 ₽
-Visit site-10 000 ₽
-Internet advertising-20 000 ₽

80 000 ₽

starting budget

There are no complex algorithms in the production process itself, I quickly figured it out. But to improve the level of skill, it takes time. Only after working on several printers and performing hundreds of diverse tasks did I understand how, for example, to increase the speed of printing without losing its quality.

I'll show you how it all happens using the YouDo logo as an example.

Draw a drawing

I do rendering and 3D visualization of

I choose plastic

I load the coil in the printer

I put the thread to the extruder

so the plastic is supplied, the smiley of

is printed first and let it print

Packed in a box

What we left and what we came to

My first product was a prototype of a mouse for a computer. It turned out so badly that I thought they wouldn't accept it - miraculously it worked. At that time, I did everything myself: I posted ads on the Internet, took orders, did modeling - I created a 3D model in a special program and printed it.

The first order turned out so badly that I thought they wouldn’t accept it - it miraculously worked

The number of orders began to grow over time, I began to hire freelance assistants. Until now, a significant part of our team are freelance modelers who create 3D models.

Two people work in the office:

a full-time modeller,
a project manager responsible for receiving applications and printing parts.

There is also an accountant, but he works remotely. We also do not need a regular courier, because on average we have one delivery per day. We arrange delivery through YouDo. I know that you can find cheaper delivery options, but YouDo is more reliable: you look at the rating, reviews - it’s immediately clear who you are working with. Our main requirement for the courier is to be careful, especially when some unusual things need to be delivered.

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Submit what is possible and that it is possible and that it is possible and that I can do the tasks of our company to creative, engineering, production and scientific:

Creative -Figures of Mastodontovs, Model Models, Work with Jewish Jewish. Most often it is souvenir products, the creative process.
Engineering is the creation of elements of device cases, a copy of parts. The latter is especially relevant. If some part is broken, it is not for sale, or you can only buy it complete with a mechanism - we come to the rescue.
Scientific - any experimental samples that are used by scientists for research. For example, for graduate students in dentistry, we made dentures, metal crowns, special samples of dental polymer, which they tested for strength.

Souvenirs made of plastic, photopolymers, which are stored in Victor's workshop

The largest order in size is a copy of a two-meter machine gun

Often there is something adjacent. Once they made a souvenir for a large oil company: they printed typewriters that they actually operate at their facilities. They also made hands for robots. The robots themselves are funny: they ride on caterpillars, there is a display on their stomach. We printed their hands, now some of them work as waiters in a cafe.

The largest order in terms of size is a copy of a Russian-made two-meter machine gun for a military-patriotic camp. On May 9, they attached it to an UAZ with a cut-off roof, drove it to a performance.

What now?

Once upon a time, 3D printing was just my hobby. Gradually, it grew into a profitable business. So far not so profitable that my salary was much more than the office one. But I realized how cool it is when a hobby brings money.

One printer was enough for a hobby, now four is not enough

I don't have to rush between work and free time. I am basically free. I plan my day the way I want. And each of my days can be completely unique and not like the next or the previous one.

In the morning I work on one project, and in the afternoon I discuss another, and so on. And I can generally take it and go for a ride on a scooter in the middle of the day.

I no longer have such a thing as "working time". Or "non-working". There is just time, and I use it the way I want.

How do you know when it's time to leave your office and start your own business?

Driven by a hobby, but not enough time for it.
There are several business ideas with at least approximate business plans, and not an abstract desire to "do something of your own."
You are ready to take almost all the work on yourself at the beginning and do not expect a crowd of professional altruists to run into your startup.
You have grown to a level of responsibility where "quitting office work" means for you to work for two weeks under the contract and close all unfinished tasks.
You understand that your income may not exceed the average office salary for a long time.

Have you also made your hobby your business? Tell us how it was: blog@youdo.

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