Trying to decide which 3d printer in best for me I been going back and forth between snapmaker u1 and x2d. I thinking into future as far as what I be doing so im not having to upgrade right away I want to be able to run the hard filaments so I make parts and things that b I heat or hanging tools on as well as fun stuff. I would appreciate any thoughts on 4head exchange vs dual nozzleI like the ams on bambu because we do have humidity in Nebraska but I think 4 head exchange b less waste. And what about slicing programs and support which one b better or is there completely different one to look at thanks
I have a Prusa XL tool changer and a snap maker U1. I run Bambu P1s and a P2s.
he x2d has a direct drive nd the second is a Bowden. Having lived with he Bowden for a long time there is good reasons why nobody is using this kind of set up these days. To my mind on nozzle is crippled on the x2. It appears to be designed for support printing mostly.
The snapmaker U1 works really well, prints on mine are some of the best quality of all my printers. (Prusa XL, MK3s+, Bambu P1s, P2s, flsun v400, mono price, U1, Tiko and sidewinder.) The top enclosure is still missing but there are diy and after market supports. The snap maker Orca is terrible, the newest version is better but still far from is parent Prusa slicer. I am hoping to get a good profile for prusa.
To my mind this is a no brainer. Snapmaker. I looked at the Bambu duals and quickly realized its 1.5 or 1.2 extruders no really 2 equal extruders. The IDEX looks better but the snap makers price is impossible to beat.
Thank you for your friendship and input. Im going lean to snapmaker i kept going back to it in the end.
No worries. I don’t have direct experience with the x2d but the Bowden set ups… not my favourite.
It all comes down to what you want to print and how much can you afford.
I just use PLA for utility items that I hang things on outdoors. It works fine and my oldest prints are several years old now. You don’t really need exotic materials for everyday things.
Now if your building your own rocket…
The rule of thumb is use PLA, unless you need heat, light or chemical exposure. PLA is stronger (or can be) if you set it up right. PETG is also a good choice for outdoors use. Neither needs an enclosure.
Slicers are another issue. It seems to me that every printer coming out now has its own reskinned version of Orca. All the hype about what makes a better slicer is nothing if the slicer doesn’t have a profile for your printer. Decide on a printer first, then figure out what your options are.
For slicers you really only have two choices, Cura or Orca (or one of the Orca related slicers). Which one depend a lot on the printer motherboard , which controls how the slicer interfaces with the printer and which functions will work and as Tim said does it have a profile for your printer.
Both machines are solid but it really comes down to your use case. If you’re focused on engineering materials and clean multi-material support work, X2D is stronger. If your main goal is fast 4-color printing with low waste, the U1 is hard to beat. Slicer or ecosystem and material needs should be your deciding factor