Which UltiMaker 3D Printer is Proper for Me?

UltiMaker has been, and continues to be, a distinguished participant within the desktop 3D printing business for a very long time. They provide a complete vary of options for each a part of the 3D printing course of, from filament and their free slicing software program, Cura, to polished, high-quality 3D printers and invaluable equipment that add comfort to your workflow. UltiMaker’s line of machines is a drive to be reckoned with, providing highly effective choices that vary from their skilled S-series line like the one extrusion UltiMaker 2+ Join and their twin extrusion assortment of the UltiMaker S3, UltiMaker S5, and UltiMaker S7 3D printers. In addition they provide their specialised engineering Methodology sequence, which incorporates the dual-extrusion UltiMaker Methodology XL. It may be difficult to check completely different fashions and decide the very best one to your wants with out understanding what to search for. Fortunately, the Execs at MatterHackers are right here to information you in your journey.

Let’s leap into it!

UltiMaker 3D Printer Overview of Variations

¹ Extra accent beneficial/required.
○ The Methodology XL doesn’t make the most of the identical Materials Station because the UltiMaker S-series line. Nevertheless, it does include a Materials Case designed to maintain filament dry whereas printing. Observe filament nonetheless must be pre-dried earlier than putting into materials case/station.
*Be taught extra within the Tech Specs Highlight part! Hyperlinks within the desk above straight take you to the part going into larger element about that function. Click on on the product identify hyperlinks for extra data on that particular product.

UltiMaker 3D Printer Tech Specs Highlight

Want extra data to tell your resolution? Carry on studying for extra particulars and proposals on among the technical specs described within the Overview desk.

Value

It may be arduous to check pricing for machines that appear very related and but have some fairly vital variations. Whereas the UltiMaker 2+ Join and UltiMaker S3 have comparable construct volumes, the two+ Join is kind of a bit cheaper than the S3 at the price of being solely single extrusion and leaving out handy options corresponding to interchangeable hotends and a cloth stream sensor. Leaping to the UltiMaker S5 and UltiMaker S7 worth tier is important, however comes with far more capabilities and quality-of-life options that guarantee your manufacturing workflow runs as easily as potential. When you want an UltiMaker for necessary on-demand initiatives that require very good end-use, practical prototypes, the UltiMaker Methodology XL is nicely price investing in.

TLDR; except your precedence is to maximise a restricted finances, your selection will primarily come all the way down to their capabilities. The options can differ tremendously between every mannequin so it’s arduous to really evaluate, however relaxation assured each UltiMaker 3D printer is nicely price each penny, mirrored within the distinctive functions they provide.

Variety of Extruders

If you could print in a number of colours and/or advanced geometries, then the UltiMaker S3, UltiMaker S5, UltiMaker S7, and UltiMaker Methodology XL are the beneficial decisions to have a look at. The UltiMaker 2+ Join is proscribed to 3D printing in just one materials (or shade) at a time. Assist buildings along with your advanced geometries should be extruded in the identical materials as your construct materials, which is completely serviceable. Nevertheless, this may require fairly a little bit of post-processing effort and time chipping and clipping away on the helps to disclose your 3D print beneath (which can most likely want further sharpening of any assist stubs left over). Twin-extrusion 3D printers assist you to use dissolvable assist supplies so you possibly can toss your completed 3D print in a bath of water and easily look ahead to the helps to dissolve away and reveal a easy mannequin.

TLDR; if you wish to decrease post-processing advanced prints and/or need to print components in two colours, look no additional than the UltiMaker S3, S5, S7, and Methodology XL.

Construct Quantity

Between the 4 UltiMaker fashions, there are primarily two dimension lessons (see sizes beneath). The UltiMaker 2+ Join and UltiMaker S3 have related construct quantity dimensions with the S3 dropping some Y peak as a consequence of having a twin extrusion head. Take into account that could also be well worth the loss if twin extrusion is necessary to you! In distinction, the UltiMaker S5, UltiMaker S7, and UltiMaker Methodology XL are significantly bigger. The S5 and S7 share the very same dimension whereas the Methodology XL has a bit of bit extra complete quantity than the S5 and S7. If giant prints are in your future and you are not restricted in benchtop area, take into account the value of the mannequin and your software/function wants as these can simply make or break your resolution between the S5, S7, and Methodology XL.

TLDR; if an enormous dimension issues and you don’t have any restrictions in workspace, take into account worth and model-specific options when deliberating between the S5, S7, and Methodology XL.

Most Temperatures

The temperatures that your 3D printer can attain dictate what supplies you possibly can and might’t work with. Within the case of the UltiMaker 2+ Join, its most mattress temperature is 110°. The UltiMaker S3, UltiMaker S5, and UltiMaker S7 have a most mattress temperature of 140°C, so you possibly can relaxation straightforward understanding the mattress is not going to be your limiting issue as it might probably attain the perfect temperature for even essentially the most excessive supplies like ABS or Polycarbonate. The UltiMaker Methodology XL reaches a most mattress temp of 105°C which is generally not the perfect most you’d need available if desiring to print greater temperature supplies however isn’t any drawback for this machine as a consequence of its lively heating chamber that provides a further 100°C to its enclosed atmosphere, giving temperature-sensitive supplies the precise area to succeed.

Moreover, they differ within the temperatures that the nozzle can attain; as a result of the UltiMaker S3, S5, S7, and Methodology XL make the most of interchangeable hotends, the utmost printing temperature is 280°C (for the S-series) and 300°C (for the Methodology sequence) which ought to enable for the usage of most supplies you can 3D print with. Whereas the UltiMaker 2+ Join is proscribed to 260°C and is sufficient for any UltiMaker supplies, it could add problem for different manufacturers of filament that want greater temperatures.

TLDR; the UltiMaker S3, S5, S7, and Methodology XL needs to be the go-to concerns in case you intend on printing any materials that requires greater than 260°C to efficiently print.

Enclosed

All UltiMaker 3D printers are enclosed to a point—how a lot depends in your software wants (and doubtlessly different elements). When you plan on simply printing PLA and PETG, then the UltiMaker 2+ Join can be an optimum selection because it is not absolutely enclosed and would prevent extra cash. Nevertheless, in case you plan on printing numerous ABS for manufacturing, then both the UltiMaker Methodology XL or UltiMaker S7 can be the operating candidates since each come out of the field absolutely enclosed. The Methodology XL even has the distinctive bonus of getting an actively heated chamber, offering the perfect atmosphere for supplies like ABS to succeed. The UltiMaker S5 and UltiMaker S3 are largely enclosed and are able to printing supplies like ABS, nevertheless it’s price noting that the UltiMaker doesn’t have an Air Supervisor out there for the S3 to cowl the highest, and the Air Supervisor that’s out there for the S5 is a separate buy both by itself, as an improve bundle, or bundled along with the printer.

TLDR; if materials compatibility and success are the principle precedence, the 2+ Join is ideal for printing primarily PLA/PETG whereas the Methodology XL and S7 are the highest decisions for out-of-the-box optimum efficiency with temperature-sensitive printing supplies.

Materials Compatibility

It is important to know whether or not or not the machines you are contemplating can print particular supplies. When you intend to make the most of each steel and composite 3D printer filament, the UltiMaker S5 and UltiMaker S3 are the highest contenders. The UltiMaker S7 and UltiMaker Methodology XL knock composite 3D printing out of the park however are unable to print steel (inexperienced) components right now. Observe that no matter whether or not you are printing steel or composite filament, you will want a Print Core CC hotend for the S-series (S3, S5, S7) 3D printers as abrasive supplies like steel and composites will shortly destroy brass nozzles that come commonplace on these printers. The UltiMaker Methodology XL routinely comes with an abrasive-resistant hotend (with further hotend choices out there). The UltiMaker 2+ Join shouldn’t be geared up with a dual-geared extruder to deal with the abrasive filament nor does it include an abrasive-resistant nozzle (it is also not suitable with Print Core know-how).

TLDR; the UltiMaker S3 and S5 can fulfill each steel and composite 3D printing wants. The UltiMaker S7 and Methodology XL are each viable choices as nicely if it is simply implausible composite 3D printing you want (whereas maintaining in thoughts that Print Core CC‘s are essential for the prolonged lifespan of your S-series [S3, S5, S7] 3D printer’s nozzle).

Handy Options

If you’re on a time crunch for an necessary mission, all of a sudden that quality-of-life function turns into a necessity as an alternative of a need. Whereas the UltiMaker 2+ Join has the frequent built-in hotend format, the UltiMaker S3, UltiMaker S5, UltiMaker S7, and UltiMaker Methodology XL design their hotends in an simply detachable bundle. If you’d like a brand new nozzle dimension, new nozzle materials, or if you wish to take away it for normal upkeep, you possibly can swap out your complete hotend in seconds and have one other pre-packaged hotend able to go whereas the opposite is out of fee. Having this interchangeable function saves massive and is a good funding in the long term in a manufacturing world the place downtime shouldn’t be an choice.

Different time and value saving handy options you must take into account when selecting your 3D printer candidates are if they arrive with a cloth stream sensor (pauses your printer when it runs out of filament), what sort of construct floor it consists of (versatile plates imply simpler print removing and an simply swappable construct floor), and what sort of mattress leveling system it makes use of (automated leveling equals assured accuracy and handy hands-off method). See the desk beneath for which capabilities every mannequin has.

TLDR; if absolute minimal downtime is a high precedence to your wants, take into account the UltiMaker S7 and UltiMaker Methodology XL for prototyping functions or the UltiMaker S7 for print farm jobs.

Air Filtration and Management

If you already know you’re going to be printing with among the stinkier 3D printing supplies like ABS or Polycarbonate, having built-in filtration to scrub the air of the printer is a worthwhile funding. Each the UltiMaker Methodology XL and UltiMaker S7 come built-in with an air filtration system. The UltiMaker 2+ Join and The UltiMaker S5 have the Air Supervisor add-on you can buy that merely plug into the again of the Ultimaker, snap onto the highest, and supply full management of the air surrounding the 3D print. Within the case of the UltiMaker S3, there isn’t a filtration choice out there from UltiMaker.

TLDR; in case your workspace requires filtration otherwise you actually don’t desire the smelly scents that come up with filaments like ABS and PC, take into account the Methodology XL or UltiMaker S7 which incorporates an air filter system. The S5 and 2+ Join are additionally candidates in case you mix them with their respective Air Supervisor add-ons.

Materials Station

The UltiMaker S5 and UltiMaker S7 actually stand out on this lineup by having the choice to make the most of the Ultimaker Materials Station which manages as much as 6 of your supplies directly with none consumer intervention. Preserve a number of supplies or colours loaded and on the prepared (though you possibly can solely use 2 supplies per print job). The primary objective of that is to totally make the most of the Ultimaker Cloud to ship, for instance, a Yellow PLA with PVA print to your cloud-synced print farm and have the UltiMaker S7 / S5 routinely unload filament and cargo within the desired supplies to get began. Paired with a sensor in each bay to find out in the event that they’ve run out of fabric earlier than the job is completed, and you may have an almost fully hands-free print job from begin to end, save for the print removing. It is price noting that, whereas not the identical factor as a Materials Station, the UltiMaker Methodology XL comes with a Materials Case that shops two spools of filament to keep up a humidity-controlled atmosphere to your materials (essential for printing success).

TLDR; if rising automated materials loading for max manufacturing uptime is a should, look no additional than the UltiMaker S7 and UltiMaker S5 fashions.

Summarized Advice Information

Observe that there could also be private variations on specifics corresponding to “restricted area”, “restricted finances”, “minimal manufacturing downtime”, and so forth. Overview the Tech Specs Highlight once more for any data you might have missed or click on on the product names beneath if you wish to be taught extra about these particular machines.

As you possibly can see, UltiMaker has a spread of 3D printers that encompasses varied additive manufacturing wants. Hopefully issues are a bit clearer now and you’ve got a greater sense of which UltiMaker 3D printer would be the powerhouse manufacturing machine for you!

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Fascinated about extra comparability content material? Try the video beneath! Please be aware, the beneath video was created in mid-2021.
Fashions launched post-2021 are usually not talked about such because the UltiMaker S7 and UltiMaker Methodology XL.