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Our team is considering investing in a 3D printer. For the teams that have one (or have access to one), what model/brand do you recommend? Any pros/cons we need to be aware of with a 3D printer. Thank you!

Bambu Labs (https://bambulab.com/en) has just released a 3D printer that is providing features of a professional 3D printer but at hobby printer pricing. Currently only pre-orders are available due to the very high demand for these.

The Bambu Labs printer is designed to make printing easier for those with less experience too. Check out all the YouTube videos with independent reviews. Almost everyone is extremely impressed by this new printer.

Hey! I was actually about to post a similar question, haha!
Anyways, I was wondering what you build people out there prefer for 3D printers. I main vehicle events, and I'm considering investing in a 3d printer to print frames and other materials for personal use. (I would be printing components such as joint pieces to attach rods together, axle holders(IDK proper terminology) to hold bearings in, and in later seasons, most of the frame.) Anyone know of any good brands out there for this level of precision? What are some other factors to look at? I am worried about the bearing/rod not fitting properly, or shifting around and causing inaccuracies. Any help would be much appreciated, thanks in advance! )
(of course I'm going to make the frame adjustable-I'm not sure about the bearing holders though, they have to be friction-fit and almost perfect.. I have heard of people having issues printing holes in the right size)

There are A LOT of brands out there to pick from. I can give you our take on 3D printers but, initial disclosure, the brand that I recommend has sponsored our team in the past.

We used to have several brands of 3D printers but this was actually a problem due to every printer being different, filament being different, different software, etc. It got to be too much. I say this because I have worked with many different brands of 3D printers over the years but in no way have I worked with every brand out there. In the end, I honestly believe that Makerbot (https://www.makerbot.com/) makes one of the best consumer and prosumer 3D printers on the market. Of course, people will disagree with me, so I will present pros and cons.

Pro: These printers are VERY, VERY user friendly and if something is not working, they have had US based support that has always helped with any issue (which have been few and far between). We have had several of their printers for over 5 years and they are still working flawlessly. Additionally, this company works with schools and purchasing. This is really important as well- some smaller brands will be difficult for schools to purchase due to some rules for certain districts/schools. Also, you really have to consider the software. Makerbot has really great slicing software called Makerbot CloudPrint (https://www.makerbot.com/3d-printers/cloudprint/) that is cloud based from start to finish. A few reasons why this is a "pro"- the school doesn't have to install software (which can be a difficult thing to do, depending on the school or district), it is always up to date, and it just works well for all of the Makerbot printers (they all show up on the dashboard so you can see what they are all doing and control them). Also, you can send design files from anywhere to start printing- so even if you design at home, you can automatically send it to the printer at school so you can pick it up when it is complete. Also, Makerbot filament is consistent and easy to purchase from vendors that are approved by schools and districts.

Cons- Well, are they more expensive than some other brands? Yes- but I firmly believe in this case you are getting what you pay for. Some of the specific models might have cons such as some not having a heated build plate, but some do.

To be honest, most 3D printers have a VERY similar level of precision and will be indistinguishable from each other. Typically, we would 3D print a prototype piece to check fit with a low infill to save filament then a high quality final product with a higher infill. Also, it is usually not the 3D printer that is "off" when it comes to dimensional accuracy- the initial measurement from the student is what is usually not correct or "off" by 0.1mm, which is enough to make something not fit.

I would recommend this specific model: Makerbot Replicator+ (https://www.makerbot.com/3d-printers/replicator/). It is easy, consistent, and durable (these are the printers that still work flawlessly after 5 years of printing). I think this model is great for most items that you could build throughout the year. If you have questions about Makerbots other printers, let me know- we have a few different models of their printers here. I am happy to answer questions about them here or over PM.

3D printing can definitely change how your team completes builds, but I can tell you, the design work prior to printing is what really matters and is the difference between a winning design and a design that just won't work. It is great technology, but the "drawing board" is still the most important step.

Also, if your teacher/coach wants to contact me about it, just PM me and I will share my direct contact info.

pumptato-cat wrote: ↑October 19th, 2022, 5:06 pm Hey! I was actually about to post a similar question, haha!
Anyways, I was wondering what you build people out there prefer for 3D printers. I main vehicle events, and I'm considering investing in a 3d printer to print frames and other materials for personal use. (I would be printing components such as joint pieces to attach rods together, axle holders(IDK proper terminology) to hold bearings in, and in later seasons, most of the frame.) Anyone know of any good brands out there for this level of precision? What are some other factors to look at? I am worried about the bearing/rod not fitting properly, or shifting around and causing inaccuracies. Any help would be much appreciated, thanks in advance! )
(of course I'm going to make the frame adjustable-I'm not sure about the bearing holders though, they have to be friction-fit and almost perfect.. I have heard of people having issues printing holes in the right size)

If you are looking to print smaller components at a higher precision, you may want to look into resin printers. Some notable brands that produce these printers are Anycubic, Creality, Formlabs, and Elegoo. Unfortunately, I don't have enough expertise to recommend a brand/model with confidence.

scispork- I'm concerned about resin printers' fumes... I don't have anywhere to put my printer that is well-ventilated or frequently accessed. Thanks though! Do you have any experience printing resin pieces? If so, are they as tedious to deal with as the internet says?
JonB- Thank you for your advice, but unfortunately my team is student-led and low funded. I'm paying for everything with personal funds and I simply cannot justify/afford a cost of $2000... I was considering the prusa mini- if anyone has any experience with that, what is your opinion on it? Also, I'm concerned with the pieces curing-people say that pieces tend to shrink during the process. Would that be another possible reason for inaccuracy with printing? And you mentioned that all printers are generally the same w/ precision... have they been precise enough for your purposes? Sorry for all the questions..
Again, thanks for your advice everyone!

pumptato-cat wrote: ↑October 20th, 2022, 11:18 am scispork- I'm concerned about resin printers' fumes... I don't have anywhere to put my printer that is well-ventilated or frequently accessed. Thanks though! Do you have any experience printing resin pieces? If so, are they as tedious to deal with as the internet says?

That is certainly a valid concern. Yes I do, I own an ELEGOO Saturn and have printed 15-20 pieces on it so far. If you do gain access to a ventilated space in the future and decide to go with this route, the Saturn costs $399 right now and the 8k version costs $490. You also will have to purchase a UV curing machine, sometimes this is paired with an automatic washing station which is the route I went with. They can be tedious at times with the gloves and mask as safety precautions, as well as having to wash the piece in alcohol (or water if you have water-washable resin). Additionally, the free slicing software that came with the Saturn has some features that are blocked by a paywall for a premium version, such as infill %, which is disappointing. Despite all of that, I have noticed that the accuracy of my prints has been higher than the filament printers I have used. I have experienced little to no print-time errors while using my Saturn. Resin printing is also typically faster than filament printing.

Thanks! Yeah I think I can't get a resin printer If you don't mind sharing, where do you normally keep your printer? I was considering the garage, but my family uses it every day and I don't want the fumes in there... I'm not sure where to go from here.

pumptato-cat wrote: ↑October 20th, 2022, 6:30 pm Thanks! Yeah I think I can't get a resin printer If you don't mind sharing, where do you normally keep your printer? I was considering the garage, but my family uses it every day and I don't want the fumes in there... I'm not sure where to go from here.

Just in an office room, the only times the fumes are an issue are when you cure resin with UV light (normal printing and curing), so I just open a window in that room and keep the door closed whenever I print something.

pumptato-cat wrote: ↑October 20th, 2022, 11:18 am scispork- I'm concerned about resin printers' fumes... I don't have anywhere to put my printer that is well-ventilated or frequently accessed. :( Thanks though! Do you have any experience printing resin pieces? If so, are they as tedious to deal with as the internet says? :|
JonB- Thank you for your advice, but unfortunately my team is student-led and low funded. I'm paying for everything with personal funds and I simply cannot justify/afford a cost of $2000... I was considering the prusa mini- if anyone has any experience with that, what is your opinion on it? Also, I'm concerned with the pieces curing-people say that pieces tend to shrink during the process. Would that be another possible reason for inaccuracy with printing? And you mentioned that all printers are generally the same w/ precision... have they been precise enough for your purposes? Sorry for all the questions.. 😅
Again, thanks for your advice everyone! :)

I have a Prusa MINI+ that I purchased as a kit/unassembled. It prints very nicely right after assembly as it self calibrates at the start of every print. In comparing printers you may notice that the Prusa MINI+ is Bowden drive which simply means that the filament is pushed by drive gears farther upstream from the extruder compared to direct drives where the drive gears are in close proximity to the extruder (which is what the Prusa i3 MK3S+). A result of this is that the Prusa MINI+ is more likely to produce cobweb-like stringing when moving between two geometries that are narrow and separate like two pillars. It's a good test to demonstrate the differences between the two mechanisms but practically you'll probably avoid these geometries when designing your parts. Happy to answer any other questions about this printer or printers in general.