5 Cool 3D Printers and How They Work
In just the last decade, 3D printing has gone from a niche hobby to something that can be found everywhere. Users have found countless uses for the models and parts that a 3D printer can create. And as printing has become more mainstream, more companies have created 3D printers! These products come in both expensive and budget varieties, as well as a variety of sizes and use-cases. We’ve found 5 of the most interesting 3D printers that you can buy in 2023. Some of these provide a lot of quality for their price, while others utilize unique printing methods to achieve their goal.
How Do 3D Printers Work?
Just how do 3D printers turn a digital model into a solid plastic chunk? It’s not as simple as a normal paper printer that just applies ink to paper. In fact, it’s significantly more complicated. But it can be summed up rather simply. A 3D printer works by breaking up the model into many very thin slices, then stacking those slices on top of each other. It’s a bit like creating a tower out of Lego bricks, or making a multi-layer cake. You start at the bottom and build it up one piece at a time!
Instead of using ink and paper like a normal printer, 3D printers extrude melted plastic or powder. The material is then fused together to create a solid object, one layer at a time. These devices generally use ABS plastic, which has a low enough melting temperature that it can be safely used in a printer, but a high enough melting point that your creations won’t melt if you leave them in the sun.
Since each layer of plastic needs to be accurately placed on top of the previous one, 3D printers have very accurate motors and extruders. But this accuracy and consistency is also one of the factors that determine the price. There are very cheap printers and very expensive printers. Which ones you consider purchasing will depend on your use case. A hobbyist can get by with a cheap entry level unit, while someone who sells their models will want to invest in something that can consistently create high-quality models.
Printers work in stark contrast to most manufacturing that takes away material rather than adding it. Subtractive manufacturing might involve carving away from a block of wood to create a design. 3D printers are less wasteful because they only use the amount of material they need to create the model.
Monoprice Mini Delta V2
For the absolute beginner, who isn’t sure if 3D printing is for them, the sub-$200 pricetag of the Monoprice Mini Delta V2 will be attractive. This printer is obviously not going to have the highest print quality, but it’s perfect for someone who wants to get a feel for the craft. It also prints very quickly, so you can iterate multiple times. While most printers use a normal Cartesian x-y-z axis, the Monoprice uses the Delta method, where the extruder is controlled by several arms. It’s a unique entry-level product with good quality for the price. The only downside is its relatively small size, but it will be perfect for printing small items like figurines. It’s far from perfect, but first-timers will absolutely love it.
Formlabs Form 3+
The Formlabs Form 3 uses a different method of printing than most conventional printers, although it’s not unique in this. Rather than extruding melted plastic, the Form 3 uses laser projection to create objects from a pool or UV-curable material. The laser causes a layer to solidify, building up piece by piece. The Form 3+ prints at industry-quality and does so quickly and reliably. This is why it starts at $3,750. It’s no small investment, but it’s perfect for those who take 3D printing seriously and need to create perfect prints. But despite its high quality and industrial standards, it’s actually very easy to use.
Dremel DigiLab 3D45
At $2000, the Dremel DigiLab 3D45 is a high-quality 3D printer with a lot to love. It has a ton of features, prints very accurately, and its variety of connection methods. It can print from USB or over the internet, or from a USB drive. The DigiLab can also connect to the web where you can remotely start print jobs and monitor your progress with the onboard camera. This makes it a great option for businesses. Imagine you have a noisy workshop and don’t want to sit in that room watching the print finish. It was originally designed to be used by engineers for product design, so it is built to professional-level specifications, but at a price and size that a home or small business user could justify for frequent use.
Lulzbot Mini 2
The Lulzbot Mini 2 is a great option for beginners. But it will also scale with you as you become more advanced. While other beginner 3D printers might restrict the options available to you to avoid confusion, the Lulzbot lets you choose your level of experience. You can use the basic interface to adjust simple settings. But you can use the separate advanced settings if you feel comfortable with them. Because of its easy setup and operation, it’s perfect for hobbyists. For the same reasons, it’s also perfect for schools! It uses powerful software and has solid print quality. However, the print quality is probably not high enough for professional use. This second iteration of the Lulzbot improves over the original with faster print speed, support for more materials, and improved print quality. It competes with the previously mentioned Dremel DigiLab on price, coming in at $1500, but despite the better price, many reviewers prefer the Dremel for its superior quality.
Anycubic Kobra Go
If you’re looking for a budget option, the $220 Anycubic Kobra Go is a compelling offer. It’s perfect for a beginner to 3D printing or as a secondary machine for someone more experienced. It includes only a small 2.4-inch screen with no touch capabilities, although it’s still easy to navigate with the knob controller. But it does have some other great features. The biggest one is an auto-leveling bed. The printer needs to be assembled, which may take a few minutes, but this helps shave a chunk off of the price compared to other printers in this price range. It’s also incredibly quiet compared to similar options! The print quality is great for the price as well, so you can rest assured that even your detailed models will only need a small amount of sanding.
