Which UltiMaker 3D Printer is Proper for Me?

UltiMaker has been, and continues to be, a outstanding participant within the desktop 3D printing trade 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 power 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 Methodology sequence, which incorporates the dual-extrusion UltiMaker Methodology XL. It may be difficult to check totally different fashions and decide the very best one to your wants with out realizing what to search for. Fortunately, the Professionals at MatterHackers are right here to information you in your journey.

Let’s soar into it!

UltiMaker 3D Printer Overview of Variations

¹ Extra accent really useful/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. 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 better 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 proposals on among the technical specs described within the Overview desk.

Value

It may be onerous to check pricing for machines that appear very comparable 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 equivalent to interchangeable hotends and a cloth stream sensor. Leaping to the UltiMaker S5 and UltiMaker S7 value tier is important, however comes with rather more capabilities and quality-of-life options that guarantee your manufacturing workflow runs as easily as potential. Should you want an UltiMaker for vital on-demand tasks that require very good end-use, purposeful prototypes, the UltiMaker Methodology XL is properly value investing in.

TLDR; until 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 tremendously between every mannequin so it’s onerous to really examine, however relaxation assured each UltiMaker 3D printer is properly value each penny, mirrored within the distinctive functions they provide.

Variety of Extruders

If you want to print in a number of colours and/or complicated geometries, then the UltiMaker S3, UltiMaker S5, UltiMaker S7, and UltiMaker Methodology XL are the really useful selections to have a look at. The UltiMaker 2+ Join is restricted to 3D printing in just one materials (or colour) at a time. Assist constructions along with your complicated geometries must be extruded in the identical materials as your construct materials, which is completely serviceable. Nevertheless, this will 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 in all probability want extra sprucing of any assist stubs left over). Twin-extrusion 3D printers help you use dissolvable assist supplies so you’ll be able to toss your completed 3D print in a bathtub of water and easily look ahead to 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 elements in two colours, look no additional than the UltiMaker S3, S5, S7, and Methodology XL.

Construct Quantity

Between the 4 UltiMaker fashions, there are basically two dimension courses (see sizes beneath). The UltiMaker 2+ Join and UltiMaker S3 have comparable construct quantity dimensions with the S3 shedding some Y peak attributable to having a twin extrusion head. Take into account that could also be well worth the loss if twin extrusion is vital 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 somewhat bit extra whole 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 worth of the mannequin and your utility/characteristic wants as these can simply make or break your determination between the S5, S7, and Methodology XL.

TLDR; if a giant dimension issues and you don’t have any restrictions in workspace, take into account value 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’ll be able to 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’ll be able to relaxation straightforward realizing the mattress won’t be your limiting issue as it will possibly attain the best 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 best most you’d need readily available if aspiring to print greater temperature supplies however isn’t any downside for this machine attributable to its lively heating chamber that provides an extra 100°C to its enclosed surroundings, giving temperature-sensitive supplies the proper 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 using most supplies that you may 3D print with. Whereas the UltiMaker 2+ Join is restricted to 260°C and is sufficient for any UltiMaker supplies, it might 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 relies in your utility wants (and probably different elements). Should 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 best surroundings for supplies like ABS to succeed. The UltiMaker S5 and UltiMaker S3 are largely enclosed and are able to printing supplies like ABS, but it surely’s value noting that the UltiMaker doesn’t have an Air Supervisor obtainable for the S3 to cowl the highest, and the Air Supervisor that’s obtainable 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 Methodology 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. Should 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) elements presently. Word 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 rapidly break brass nozzles that come normal on these printers. The UltiMaker Methodology XL robotically comes with an abrasive-resistant hotend (with extra hotend choices obtainable). The UltiMaker 2+ Join just isn’t 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 Methodology XL are each viable choices as properly if it is simply unbelievable 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 vital challenge, instantly that quality-of-life characteristic turns into a necessity as an alternative of a need. Whereas the UltiMaker 2+ Join has the widespread built-in hotend format, the UltiMaker S3, UltiMaker S5, UltiMaker S7, and UltiMaker Methodology XL design their hotends in an simply detachable package deal. If you would like a brand new nozzle dimension, new nozzle materials, or if you wish to take away it for normal upkeep, you’ll be able to 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 characteristic saves huge and is a superb funding in the long term in a manufacturing world the place downtime just isn’t an possibility.

Different time and price saving handy options you need to take into account when choosing 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 elimination 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 strategy). See the desk beneath for which capabilities every mannequin has.

TLDR; if absolute minimal downtime is a prime 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’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 that you may 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 obtainable 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. 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 goal 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 robotically 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 may have an almost fully hands-free print job from begin to end, save for the print elimination. It is value 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 surroundings 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

Word that there could also be private variations on specifics equivalent to “restricted area”, “restricted price range”, “minimal manufacturing downtime”, and so forth. Evaluate the Tech Specs Highlight once more for any info 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’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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Focused on extra comparability content material? Try the video beneath! Please notice, the beneath video was created in mid-2021.
Fashions launched post-2021 aren’t talked about such because the UltiMaker S7 and UltiMaker Methodology XL.