When buying a 3D printer, it is important to note that not all devices are the same. 3D printers vary in terms of cost, functionality, quality, materials, and other important features. Knowing what to look for in advance can help you make the right decisions when it comes to choosing a 3D printer. A good printer should be able to meet your needs and be within your budget.
One point that is worth noting is that the highest price does not necessarily mean that you will get the best 3D printer model. It is important to understand the type of Printer that you need in order to purchase a device that sufficiently meets your expectations.
Here are some important aspects that you need to look for when buying a 3D printer. These tips will help you select any of the top 3D printers for your printing job.
- Your Budget
Your budget is one of the key factors that will determine the type of 3D Printer that you need to buy. There are different types of 3D printers with different features, and their prices vary widely. The good news is that there are numerous less expensive printer models that are impressive.
Still talking about your budget for a 3D printing machine, the prices of 3D printers vary depending on the type of technology that the device uses. The most common types of printing technologies used in 3D printers are SLA and FDM. SLA printers use resin printing technology, while FDM devices use filament printing. When compared in terms of price, SLA printers are, on average, more expensive than FDM printers.
While looking at your budget, you also need to look at the cost of the materials that you will be using with your 3D Printer. Most printers that use the FDM technology can be used with many different materials. These printers have been in use for a long, and therefore, many materials have been developed for them.
The range of materials that FDM printers can use includes the most common ones such as PLA, PETG, and ABS. FDM printers also use other types of filaments, including TPU, nylon, PVA, Ultem, and PEEK, as well as combinations of ceramics, wood, metal, fiber, or carbon.
Materials that are used for SLA printing tend to be more costly compared to those used with FDM printers. They are also exclusive in that they are used only with specific types of printers. Each manufacturer designs their own resin box so that it is only compatible with a particular type of Printer. The limited availability of SLA printing materials makes them more expensive.
- What You Would Like to Print
Your choice of a 3D printer will also depend greatly on the objects that you would like to print. For example, if you would like to mainly print car parts that are weather or heat resistant, then your Printer should be designed to suit this kind of job.
On the basis of the purpose of a given 3D printer model, the requirements for the materials to be used and the type of Printer are varied. For example:
- Decoration / figures / display models – You need a device that is focused on visual quality.
- Model making – Your Printer should have a high load capacity
- Tools – The printers should have high stability and be reliable
- Prints for use outdoor – The Printer needs to produce objects that are weatherproof and UV resistant.
- The Properties That You Expect from the Printer
You should ask yourself whether you need your Printer to be fast, quiet, able to print large models, and so forth. Besides the intended use of the objects that you will print using your device, there are also additional features that can be used to differentiate various types of printers. These include:
- Connectivity
In order to print a 3D object, you need a 3D printer as well as a computer that has a USB or WLAN connection and a slot for a USB card. This will enable you to transfer the model that you would like to print to the printing device.
- 3D Printer Kit/Fully Assembled
The market has printers that can be purchased as a kit or fully assembled. While 3D printer kits are cheaper than fully assembled printers, assembling them can be challenging for you, especially if you are a beginner. On the other hand, when you buy a fully assembled 3D printer, you don't have to be worried about assembling the device. You simply set it up and start printing.
- Printer's Speed
If you are about to buy a3D printing machine, its speed can be a notable concern because you need to know how fast you will be able to get your printing jobs completed. While considering speed, you also need to look at other factors such as the Resolution of the output, the temperature of the nozzles, the materials that you are printing on, filament thickness, the thickness of the printed layers, and the number of supports that will be required.
- Resolution
A resolution has already been mentioned above as an important aspect that is related to a 3D printer's speed. The top 3D printers are those that can create prints of high quality at a good speed. The quality of prints is determined by the Printer's Resolution.
A good printer needs to have nozzles that make smaller movements so that the object that is printed can be of great quality. A printer whose nozzles make larger movements while Printing is likely to produce prints that are blocky or grainy.
- Print Size
Print size is an important factor because it is the aspect that determines the largest size of an object that you can print using your 3D Printer. The volume is calculated based on the XYZ dimensions, i.e., length, width, and height.
You can go for a large printer that will print large objects or opt for a printer with smaller print size. If you choose a smaller print size, you will have to be printing large objects in parts and then connect these parts together.