The placement of the microSD card slot isn’t ideal, andanormalspecificationSDcard readerwould have been a better option. The minimum layer height of 100 microns allows for some very detailed models to be printed, and the process can be controlled by PC over USB, or fromG-codefilesstored on a microSD card. With direct extrusion, Creality Ender-3 V3 SE can print with various filaments smoothly, including the flexible TPU. Y-axis Dual Linear Shafts

If you want to make a model out of more than one material (or in more than one colour) you can often pause the printer part-way through a print job, switch filaments, then resume printing. In this way you could, for example, print an object with a red bottom and a blue top. If you want to combine colours more intricately than this, you’ll need a printer with a dual extruder head, which can switch between two different filament feeds as it prints each layer. There are two main plastics used for this, namely polylactide (PLA) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). PLA tends to produce cleaner results, while ABS models are physically stronger; the difference isn’t huge, though, and most printers can use both. Many can also use filaments that are mixed with other materials, such as wood or copper. This lets you produce items with more aesthetically pleasing textures, and which may even be electrically conductive, if that’s useful to you. For the price you might be expecting an assemble-it-yourself-kit, but this 3D printer comes ready to roll right out of the box, so you can start turning out models in minutes. Though it only has a single extruder head, it’ll work with regular ABS and PLA, plus wood, copper, steel and bronze-filled filaments, so you can create items with a good range of different appearances and physical characteristics. It’s easy to use too, thanks to a large 3.7in colour LCD screen and intuitive control wheel. The most complicated parts, like the hot end and the base,are pre-assembled. However, you do need to finish the frame, add the PSU, mount the Y axis and complete the electronics cabling. As 3D printer designs go, the Ender 3 is a reworking of the same concept that Creality developed with the previous Ender models and the CR-10 series machines. It differs from typicalPrusastyle designs in only having a singleZ-axishelical shaft, relying instead on angled bearings to keep the horizontal support arm at 90 degrees to the vertical.If you are wondering if the generosity of Creality has a limit, it does, and this shows in the tiny sample amount of bundled filament. At just 15g, this isn’t enough to print much of anything, and not enough for the demoG-codefiles of a dog that canbe foundon the microSD card.

But the problem with the Ender 3 which caused us the most headaches was one that confronts most people trying to print in 3D–bed levelling.Designs like thePrusai3, and its clones, have automatic bed levelling, and it won’t take long to envy those with that feature. It is possible with some technical skills to add bed levelling with products like theBLTouch, and for those with a bed that isn’t entirely flat, that’s worth serious consideration. With its 4.5in colour touchscreen the 3D45 is a breeze to use, and you can share it across multiple computers too – the supplied software supports both Windows and macOS – making it ideal for workshops and educational settings. Key specs – Printing type: Single-extruder FDM; Print materials: 1.75mm PLA, MakerBot Tough PLA, bronze fill, copper fill, wood fill; Nozzle diameter: 0.4mm; Print resolution: 0.1mm; Quoted printing speed: Not stated; Print volume (WDH): 295 x 195 x 165mm; Printer dimensions (WDH): 528 x 441 x 410mm; Interface: 3in colour LCD with control dial; Connectivity: USB, Ethernet, Wi-FiLike the Dremel Digilab, the Replicator+ includes a built-in camera so you can monitor your print progress from afar. Support for 20 different file formats means you can work with pre-designed models from any number of sources, and in addition to built-in Ethernet and Wi-Fi connections there’s also cloud support, so you can manage print jobs over the internet – perhaps using the MakerBot Mobile app for Android and iOS. Key specs – Printing type: Dual-extruder FDM; Print materials: 1.75mm ABS, PLA, PETG; Nozzle diameter: 0.4mm; Print resolution: 0.1mm; Quoted printing speed: Not stated; Print volume (WDH): 230 x 150 x 150mm; Printer dimensions (WDH): 550 x 360 x 550mm; Interface: 4.3in colour touchscreen; Connectivity: Micro USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi