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 pressure to be reckoned with, providing highly effective choices that vary from their skilled S-series line like the only 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 collection, which incorporates the dual-extrusion UltiMaker Methodology XL. It may be difficult to check totally different fashions and decide one of the best one on 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 Further accent really useful/required.
○ The Methodology 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. Be aware filament nonetheless must be pre-dried earlier than inserting into materials case/station.
*Study extra within the Tech Specs Highlight part! Hyperlinks within the desk above immediately take you to the part going into larger 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.

Worth

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 sort 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 fabric movement sensor. Leaping to the UltiMaker S5 and UltiMaker S7 worth tier is important, however comes with way more capabilities and quality-of-life options that guarantee your manufacturing workflow runs as easily as doable. When you want an UltiMaker for essential on-demand tasks that require excellent end-use, practical prototypes, the UltiMaker Methodology XL is properly price investing in.

TLDR; until your precedence is to maximise a restricted price range, your alternative will primarily come right down to their capabilities. The options can differ vastly 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 you have to print in a number of colours and/or advanced geometries, then the UltiMaker S3, UltiMaker S5, UltiMaker S7, and UltiMaker Methodology XL are the really useful selections to take a look at. The UltiMaker 2+ Join is restricted to 3D printing in just one materials (or shade) at a time. Help buildings along with your advanced geometries must be extruded in the identical materials as your construct materials, which is completely serviceable. Nonetheless, 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 is able to in all probability want further sprucing of any help stubs left over). Twin-extrusion 3D printers assist you to use dissolvable help supplies so you may toss your completed 3D print in a bath of water and easily look forward to the helps to dissolve away and reveal a clean mannequin.

TLDR; if you wish to decrease post-processing advanced 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 under). The UltiMaker 2+ Join and UltiMaker S3 have related construct quantity dimensions with the S3 shedding some Y top on account of having a twin extrusion head. Needless to say could also be well worth the loss if twin extrusion is essential 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 massive prints are in your future and you are not restricted in benchtop area, think about 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 haven’t any restrictions in workspace, think about 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 may 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 may relaxation straightforward understanding the mattress won’t be your limiting issue as it will 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 often not the perfect most you’d need available if aspiring to print larger temperature supplies however is not any drawback for this machine on account of its lively heating chamber that provides a further 100°C to its enclosed atmosphere, giving temperature-sensitive supplies the suitable 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 collection) which ought to permit 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 could add issue for different manufacturers of filament that want larger temperatures.

TLDR; the UltiMaker S3, S5, S7, and Methodology XL ought to be the go-to issues 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 utility wants (and doubtlessly different components). When you plan on simply printing PLA and PETG, then the UltiMaker 2+ Join can be an optimum alternative because it is not absolutely enclosed and would prevent extra cash. Nonetheless, in case you plan on printing a lot of ABS for manufacturing, then both the UltiMaker Methodology XL or UltiMaker S7 can be the working 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, but it surely’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 selections for out-of-the-box optimum efficiency with temperature-sensitive printing supplies.

Materials Compatibility

It is vital 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) elements presently. Be aware 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 shortly break brass nozzles that come commonplace on these printers. The UltiMaker Methodology XL robotically comes with an abrasive-resistant hotend (with further hotend choices out there). The UltiMaker 2+ Join is just not 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 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 incredible composite 3D printing you want (whereas protecting in thoughts that Print Core CC‘s are mandatory for the prolonged lifespan of your S-series [S3, S5, S7] 3D printer’s nozzle).

Handy Options

Once you’re on a time crunch for an essential venture, out of the blue 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 Methodology XL design their hotends in an simply detachable bundle. If you would like a brand new nozzle dimension, new nozzle materials, or if you wish to take away it for normal upkeep, you may swap out your entire 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 massive 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 it’s best to think about when choosing your 3D printer candidates are if they arrive with a fabric movement 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 on your wants, think about the UltiMaker S7 and UltiMaker Methodology 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 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 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, think about 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 without delay with none consumer intervention. Preserve a number of supplies or colours loaded and on the prepared (though you may 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 completed, and you’ll 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 on your materials (essential for printing success).

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

Summarized Suggestion Information

Be aware that there could also be private variations on specifics corresponding to “restricted area”, “restricted price range”, “minimal manufacturing downtime”, and so on. Evaluate the Tech Specs Highlight once more for any info you could have missed or click on on the product names under if you wish to study extra about these particular machines.

As you may 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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Serious about extra comparability content material? Take a look at the video under! Please word, the under video was created in mid-2021.
Fashions launched post-2021 usually are not talked about such because the UltiMaker S7 and UltiMaker Methodology XL.