Which UltiMaker 3D Printer is Proper for Me?

UltiMaker has been, and continues to be, a outstanding 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 pressure 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. Additionally they supply their specialised engineering Technique collection, which incorporates the dual-extrusion UltiMaker Technique XL. It may be difficult to check totally different fashions and decide the perfect 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 bounce into it!

UltiMaker 3D Printer Overview of Variations

¹ Extra accent really useful/required.
○ The Technique XL doesn’t make the most of the identical Materials Station because the UltiMaker S-series line. Nonetheless, it does include a Materials Case designed to maintain filament dry whereas printing. Word filament nonetheless must be pre-dried earlier than inserting into materials case/station.
*Be taught extra within the Tech Specs Highlight part! Hyperlinks within the desk above instantly take you to the part going into higher element about that characteristic. Click on on the product title hyperlinks for extra info on that particular product.

UltiMaker 3D Printer Tech Specs Highlight

Want extra info to tell your determination? Carry on studying for extra particulars and suggestions on among the technical specs described within the Overview desk.

Value

It may be onerous to check pricing for machines that appear very related and but have some fairly important 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 akin to interchangeable hotends and a fabric circulate sensor. Leaping to the UltiMaker S5 and UltiMaker S7 value tier is important, however comes with way more capabilities and quality-of-life options that guarantee your manufacturing workflow runs as easily as attainable. For those who want an UltiMaker for necessary on-demand tasks that require excellent end-use, practical prototypes, the UltiMaker Technique XL is properly price investing in.

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

Variety of Extruders

If that you must print in a number of colours and/or complicated geometries, then the UltiMaker S3, UltiMaker S5, UltiMaker S7, and UltiMaker Technique XL are the really useful selections to have a look at. The UltiMaker 2+ Join is proscribed to 3D printing in just one materials (or colour) at a time. Assist buildings along with your complicated geometries should be extruded in the identical materials as your construct materials, which is completely serviceable. Nonetheless, this could 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 is able to in all probability want extra sprucing of any assist stubs left over). Twin-extrusion 3D printers will let you use dissolvable assist supplies so you’ll be able to toss your completed 3D print in a bathtub of water and easily anticipate the helps to dissolve away and reveal a clean mannequin.

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

Construct Quantity

Between the 4 UltiMaker fashions, there are primarily two measurement lessons (see sizes under). The UltiMaker 2+ Join and UltiMaker S3 have related construct quantity dimensions with the S3 shedding some Y peak on account of having a twin extrusion head. Understand that could also be definitely worth the loss if twin extrusion is necessary to you! In distinction, the UltiMaker S5, UltiMaker S7, and UltiMaker Technique XL are significantly bigger. The S5 and S7 share the very same measurement whereas the Technique XL has just a little bit extra complete quantity than the S5 and S7. If giant prints are in your future and you are not restricted in benchtop area, contemplate the worth of the mannequin and your utility/characteristic wants as these can simply make or break your determination between the S5, S7, and Technique XL.

TLDR; if an enormous measurement issues and you don’t have any restrictions in workspace, contemplate value and model-specific options when deliberating between the S5, S7, and Technique XL.

Most Temperatures

The temperatures that your 3D printer can attain dictate what supplies you’ll be able to and may’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’ll be able to relaxation simple understanding the mattress is not going to be your limiting issue as it will possibly attain the best temperature for even probably the most excessive supplies like ABS or Polycarbonate. The UltiMaker Technique XL reaches a most mattress temp of 105°C which is often not the best most you’d need available if desiring to print larger temperature supplies however is not any downside for this machine on account of its lively heating chamber that provides a further 100°C to its enclosed setting, 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 Technique XL make the most of interchangeable hotends, the utmost printing temperature is 280°C (for the S-series) and 300°C (for the Technique collection) which ought to enable for the usage of most supplies you could 3D print with. Whereas the UltiMaker 2+ Join is proscribed to 260°C and is sufficient for any UltiMaker supplies, it might add problem for different manufacturers of filament that want larger temperatures.

TLDR; the UltiMaker S3, S5, S7, and Technique XL ought to be the go-to issues when you intend on printing any materials that requires greater than 260°C to efficiently print.

Enclosed

All UltiMaker 3D printers are enclosed to some extent—how a lot relies in your utility wants (and probably different components). For those who plan on simply printing PLA and PETG, then the UltiMaker 2+ Join could be an optimum selection because it is not totally enclosed and would prevent more money. Nonetheless, when you plan on printing a lot of ABS for manufacturing, then both the UltiMaker Technique XL or UltiMaker S7 could be the working candidates since each come out of the field totally enclosed. The Technique XL even has the distinctive bonus of getting an actively heated chamber, offering the best setting for supplies like ABS to succeed. The UltiMaker S5 and UltiMaker S3 are principally enclosed and are able to printing supplies like ABS, however 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 primary precedence, the 2+ Join is ideal for printing primarily PLA/PETG whereas the Technique XL and S7 are the highest selections 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. For those who 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 Technique XL knock composite 3D printing out of the park however are unable to print steel (inexperienced) components presently. Word that no matter whether or not you are printing steel or composite filament, you may want a Print Core CC hotend for the S-series (S3, S5, S7) 3D printers as abrasive supplies like steel and composites will rapidly break brass nozzles that come customary on these printers. The UltiMaker Technique XL routinely comes with an abrasive-resistant hotend (with extra hotend choices out there). The UltiMaker 2+ Join is just not outfitted with a dual-geared extruder to deal with the abrasive filament nor does it include an abrasive-resistant nozzle (it is also not appropriate with Print Core expertise).

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

Handy Options

Whenever you’re on a time crunch for an necessary venture, immediately that quality-of-life characteristic turns into a necessity as a substitute of a need. Whereas the UltiMaker 2+ Join has the widespread built-in hotend format, the UltiMaker S3, UltiMaker S5, UltiMaker S7, and UltiMaker Technique XL design their hotends in an simply detachable bundle. In order for you a brand new nozzle measurement, new nozzle materials, or if you wish to take away it for normal upkeep, you’ll be able to swap out all the hotend in seconds and have one other pre-packaged hotend able to go whereas the opposite is out of fee. Having this interchangeable characteristic saves large and is a superb funding in the long term in a manufacturing world the place downtime is just not an possibility.

Different time and price saving handy options you need to contemplate when selecting your 3D printer candidates are if they arrive with a fabric circulate sensor (pauses your printer when it runs out of filament), what kind of construct floor it consists of (versatile plates imply simpler print removing and an simply swappable construct floor), and what kind of mattress leveling system it makes use of (automated leveling equals assured accuracy and handy hands-off strategy). See the desk under for which capabilities every mannequin has.

TLDR; if absolute minimal downtime is a prime precedence to your wants, contemplate the UltiMaker S7 and UltiMaker Technique XL for prototyping purposes or the UltiMaker S7 for print farm jobs.

Air Filtration and Management

If you understand 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 Technique 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 could 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 possibility 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, contemplate the Technique XL or UltiMaker S7 which incorporates an air filter system. The S5 and 2+ Join are additionally candidates when 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 person intervention. Maintain a number of supplies or colours loaded and on the prepared (though you’ll be able to solely use 2 supplies per print job). The principle function 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 finished, and you’ll have a virtually utterly 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 Technique XL comes with a Materials Case that shops two spools of filament to keep up a humidity-controlled setting to your materials (essential for printing success).

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

Summarized Advice Information

Word that there could also be private variations on specifics akin to “restricted area”, “restricted price range”, “minimal manufacturing downtime”, and many others. Overview the Tech Specs Highlight once more for any info you will have missed or click on on the product names under if you wish to be taught extra about these particular machines.

As you’ll be able to see, UltiMaker has a spread of 3D printers that encompasses numerous 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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Curious about extra comparability content material? Try the video under! Please word, the under video was created in mid-2021.
Fashions launched post-2021 should not talked about such because the UltiMaker S7 and UltiMaker Technique XL.