Make Magazine MK3 Top Rating - What do high-end printer provide
I'll prefix this question with the fact that I've only ever worked with RepRap style FDM printers. My first was a Prusa clone many years ago and eventually moved to a genuine MK2S and then a genuine MK3 at the beginning of 2018. I love the printer. This is not a complaint about the printer or Make Magazine's ratings.
My question: What does a high-end (let's say $3K-$10K - not something that Make reviewed) printer get me in print quality that I don't already have with the MK3? Or does that kind of money move it out of the FDM realm?
And as a side question, why would I spend hundreds or thousands more for one of the other printers? There has to be something they offer that the MK3 doesn't. It can't just be brand preference or marketing.
Re: Make Magazine MK3 Top Rating - What do high-end printer provide
With the higher end printers you get:
- Enhanced support options which could even include on-site maintenance and repair like a copier.
- Hardware components that are designed for the duty cycles found in a production environment.
- Options like changeable tool heads, touch screen displays and network connectivity options.
The items above help if you need a work horse printer for a business with need for high availability, but it doesn't actually guarantee that the more expensive printer will produce a better print.
Re: Make Magazine MK3 Top Rating - What do high-end printer provide
What does a high-end (let's say $3K-$10K - not something that Make reviewed) printer get me in print quality that I don't already have with the MK3? Or does that kind of money move it out of the FDM realm?
its not necessarily about print quality and more about consistency and durability.
look at something like the new ultimaker:
-better motion system
-IDEX
-no printed parts
-enclosure + camera
-maintenance - swapping print cores, electronics/disconnects, etc
Re: Make Magazine MK3 Top Rating - What do high-end printer provide
You can take this to the extreme and still have comparable print quality, for instance my employer has five Stratasys F900's which cost a fortune, the print quality and build speed is comparable to my i3 Mk3 in almost every aspect. The major differences are the build volume @ 914 x 610 x 914 mm and better bridging due to a temperature controlled enclosure.
Re: Make Magazine MK3 Top Rating - What do high-end printer provide
Open Source is one of the most important differences between the affordable printers available to the public and the high end / high cost proprietary 3D printers that is only available to manufacturing companies. The RepRap project's goal of developing a self replicating machine gave the world the first low cost 3D printer.
Companies such as Prusa and Aleph Objects continue to evolve the Open Source 3D printer movement and design by making their products Open Source and by supporting the Open Source community.