How to choose your 3D printer?

We suggest choosing a 3D printer that is suited for your requirements based on several key performance attributes. Here are some 3D printing performance aspects to consider when comparing 3D printers:

Build Volume/Print Area: Obviously the bigger the build area, the bigger the objects which can be create within the printer. 

Printing Speed: Desktop FDM 3D printer speed ranges between 40mm/secto 150mm/sec. It means that the printer is able to extrude 40-150 mm/sec molten filament every second. This attribute is directly dependent on the the printing resolution. The higher the resolution, the slower the speed and vice-versa. The type of material used and the complexity level of the print can also affect the printing speed.

Layer Resolution: The resolution of the final printed object can be chosen and you can choose to create high and low resolution objects. A high resolution object tends to be relatively smooth, has very thin layers and with very high resolution it’s difficult to see each individual layer whereas a low resolution object has thicker layers and it’s easy to see each layer.

Extruders: In FDM printers, the extruder assembly involves a heated printing nozzle and a motor which forces the filament into the nozzle, a temperature sensor and often times a cooling system for the motor itself. One aspect which is important to consider is how many extruders a 3D printer includes. More than one extruder will allow you to print an object in different colors and/or different materials.