Hello I’m new here.
I have now worked with Elegoo Neptune
2 printer for a long time. I converted it a lot and
finely coordinated. Now I wants to have a modern device.
Simply because the new devices make your work easier.
I have already discovered three brands and devices for myself.
But I have no idea about the current matter,customer support,community and last problems with printer of these brands.
So I thought I came here and ask what you think of my selection.
I just don’t want to have the following brands (!)
(Bambulab, Creality, Elegoo and Anycubic).
Printer that I searched out and prefer are these 3 models:
- Artillery Sidewinder X4 Pro S1
- Sovol SV06 ACE
- Flashforge Adventurer 5 m
I think these printers are modern and have options for the future. But i don`t know
about the real user experience and software or customer support of these brands.
Amazon and other reviews was not helpfull for me.
Thank you for your participation and opinions. It would be nice to read your honest opinions and recommendations. Thank you.
You need to remember that “modern” is just something that will be obsolete next week. There is always the next best thing coming out so go for the features and price that you want.
Personally I would look at enclosed printers just as a safety perspective. Micro particles are beginning o look more of a concern than previously thought.
I own an artillery, Tech support was bad, really bad, they took weeks to reply on multiple occasions and the seller was slightly more help, at the end of the day I ended up figuring it out on my own and buying parts that should have been warranty replacements because it simply took too long. Mine didn’t print out of the box.
The best support hands down is Prusa. Their tech support is good compared to any industry. I have got replies in under 1 hour anytime and if a part is needed shipping is fast. They also have a full upgrade path and one of the best software titles. It is what Orca creakily and Bambu are all based on.
Bambu tech support is not terrible but not great either. Meh. Creality is not good but they have been improving from dismal. I have never had a oval or flash forge so I can’t comment.
Thank you for your previous answers.
I might have expressed myself a little. I just didn’t deal with the printer market for many years. I printed and did my thing. Now I’m looking for new things and I noticed these 3 devices mentioned.
Artillery has linear rails and everything new printer has. (Higher precision, speed and new modern hotends).
Sovol is like Prusa and there seems to be a good community.
Flashforge is a large brand, with expensive spare parts, but apparently a cheap core printer.
I have no comparison which brand I should prefer. So that I get help in the future and which manufacturer provides future -proof.
I just don’t like the other brands that I have excluded due to the poor arrangement and the so many bad user experiences. I just find Bambulab badly done and as a designer I pay attention to things other than a hype about an actually ordinary printer manufacturer.
@KITEDEMON
I don’t think you absolutely need an Enclosure. It depends on which material you print. And you can easily build yourself a simple installation. For me it is nothing that makes a printer better than someone who has no housing.
A printer should deliver reliably and constant quality. And in fact a properly set Elegoo Neptune 2 or even the counterpart of the Ender 3, excellent prints. Unfortunately, only not in the speed that acts modern printer.
And time is money. And many people , like me, earn money with their 3D printer.
So I also have to develop and see where my trip can go now. But I think it is completely unnecessary to spend over 300 bugs. A device in this price range is actually no different than devices over 500. Except for AMS and gimmicks, something doesn’t really change.
I can’t speak to any other than artillery. Mine was completely rebuilt in the first 6 months, completely the aluminum extrusions for example were not taped well and were not square. Time is money, My artillery is the most expensive printer I own by a lot. My prusa Mk3 (upgraded is the lowest and the XL is close.) If reliability and tech support matter.
I looked at a sovel but they had parts melting issues. It is fixed apparently but it represents an inherent flaw. Even resolved it shows a rushed design.
The current studies for VOCS and micro plastics tested PLA, PET(G), ABS, PP, PVA, and Nylon. It is hard to know what the long term impact is but things in your lungs are generally bad. It is quite possible in the next few years open printers will be gone completely. Personally I will not suggest an open printer.
I would look at the flash forge, although you buy into Flashforge you are stuck with flash forge, walled garden like Bambu.
One problem with enclosed printer, printing PLA and PETG maybe others, is that unless you have great cooling (enclosed area less then 35C) you have to leave the door or top open. If you don’t the nozzle can/will jam from heat creep. This kind of negates the value of an enclosure.
I have now taken a closer look at Sovol and the Artillery. The Sovol is being praised a lot right now. But I think the Artillery is much better made. There was a software update. I think I’ll give the Artillery the chance. Many manufacturers want to introduce Core xy devices this year. (Elegoo Carbon, Artillery M1 pro…) I think you might be able to buy a printer with options for multi color like this in the future. But not yet. The selection is small and the prices are too high. In addition, Comgrow is apparently behind most brands on the market anyway. So let us see what happens in future. The Sovol costs about 300 and the Artillery 200. Both have same features. So i have 100 bugs to spent in the Artillery,when i need. Thats my thought now.
Of my 7 personal printers and the 25 at work all but 3 are fully enclosed. Only one has issue with PlA and even then it was minor. It is in my experience not a valid point. Only if you have a Bambu and even then not really a big issue.
It is your choice and health. It is not only VOC but nanoparticles that are of concern. Every filament tested releases nanoparticles. PLA, ABS, ASA, PP, PET(and PETg) and Nylons. Each colour being different, orange PLA is the lowest.
CDC/NIOSH only recommends only enclosed printers:
“Using ventilated enclosures, LEV, administrative controls, and PPE can prevent unnecessary exposures,
control odors, and reduce emissions during 3D-printing and associated tasks.”
eSun PLA SDS says,
" Engineering Controls: Local exhaust recommended to reduce exposure to fiber dust. Specific Personal Protective Equipment:
Respiratory: For operations where inhalation exposure can occur, a NIOSH approved dust mask/respirator is recommended."
Personally I use air quality monitor systems and it doesn’t take long for it to go from green - good to yellow - ok that this is enclosed with filtration and room filtration.
It is not a matter of if, it is when, it will be legislated.
Your health, your risk. Just know the facts.
I also make money working with printers. I hope you have better experience with artillery than I did. I spent parts and labour more than my Prusa XL and MK3 with upgrades combined.
I got mine DOA, warped gantry, warped heat bad. Tech support took on average 5 weeks to reply. I bought all parts but one bed myself as waiting wasn’t possible.
I didn’t in the first year replace the skirt and display. Everything else was replaced at least once. (3 beds the worst was warped more than 2.5mm) I deal with 32 printers and 9 models the Artillery is by far the worst of them all.
I hope they have improved, they can’t possible be worse. Good luck.
Is that before or after the PTB’s will make us have a permit to own a 3D printer because they know we “are all making guns at home with them” and yes that is a thing. Started in New York and will spread.
Does having a filter on the printer really work that well. Mine has a charcoal filter on the back, no HEPA filter (I can add one) but the printer isn’t really sealed up tight, gaps around the door. I can’t see how the fan blowing out the back is going to draw a negative pressure in the enclosure so the particulates are drawn out through the filters.
I thank you very much for the feedback.
Briefly for the housing. In my view, it is better to build yourself. The fans on the finished houses do not suck. They are very weak and always only sit in one wall. Never at the place of origin. Please don’t get me wrong. But with these houses of Bambulab etc. I see more disadvantages than advantages. The whole fog collects in the housing. If you make the door on a lot more fog than if there was no housing. If a house, you have to vacuum at the scene at 1. But then also properly with reasonable suction, as in industry (CNC machines). And you have to open the door with breathing mask and let it evaporate before you take out your part. Some filaments such as Esun or Sunlu smell very strong when printing and therefore I avoid these brands. As soon as a filament (from pla or petg) smells, I basically avoid it. You don’t have to expose yourself to that.
To artillery printers. I hope that you are now in better quality. At least they work on me the new (X4 Pro and X4 Plus) models more of higher quality than the competition. At least the plastics and basically the cabling also feel much cleaner and well thought out. I will just have to test the printer. Sovol Ace can test today I will be happy to share my impressions with you 
I’d suspect it will be a regulation that printers will need to pass and not some silly regulation system that simply will not work. Hard to say.
yes I think some will be able to make a better enclosure and some can’t. the problem is the OP said they are making commercial prints. They MUST follow SDS and that requires ventilation and in theory meets a base minimum. There is no limit value (as of this time last year when we had a OHS issue with our 3d printers at work)
Often in the void of hard numbers it falls on ‘reasonable opinion’ I designed and build a closed system and have made a filtration thing by my self with zero studies and credentials. Against an established company with a team of engineers designed… Joe Public is not ready to accept that an individual can produce something that could be superior or even equivalent to manufacturers.
There are two issues, one is legit safety. There is enough evidence for nano particles to cause lasting and permeant harm that it needs to be a consideration.
The second is it needs to meet legal obligations for safety. As soon as it is a company not an individual it all is dramatically different there are far bigger penalties. All 3d printers in Canada are sold and the suppliers are having inspections done. It isn’t because they want to give money to ULc, or ETLc. It is a legal obligation.
The OP said they were using the machine commercially, it means mods become complicated, parts depending on what it is is crazy expensive. You as a person can fiddle with replacing a plug on a lamp, or a 110 heat bed on a printer. (my artillery is 110 bed) A company cannot, it requires an electrician for anything over 12v.
Over regulation is the main reason so many companies have such a hard time surviving these days.
I am very happy I work in Canada and companies must answer for workplace injuries and death. I would not wish to live and work where workers heath and safety was set aside for profits.
I have no problem with that, I worked in a oil refinery/chemical plant for 32 years. A mistake there could mean death or serious injury and not the good kind. Blazing fires, explosions etc. That being said I did see a lot of gov’ment mandated crap that did not improve safety but did cost a lot by slowing work down. I know of some companies that moved out of the country of just shut down because it became unprofitable to do business here, the cost of over regulation.
I believe we are way off topic. Nuf said.