Hello. I am looking to buy a semi-professional 3d printer for my child’s advanced robotics programs. We are working on building college and industry quality robotics and require a few components to support specialized heat, pressure and impact requirements.
Because we have a smaller Creality and the school system uses them, can I buy the best Creality printer, like the K2 and get it to print the occasional “engineering-grade” filaments? I mean, everyone does PLA, Silk or Shiny PLA, ABS, TPU, PETG and really could care less about these other than general prototypes. I can’t see buying a Markforged Onxy or anything dual-extruder due to the issues with those. Would anyone have any suggestions for printing these or should I cancel my K2 Plus and buy a Bambu K1C with their AMS thing? Also, Creality needs to get their stuff together with their filaments on the main store… Bambu labs looked much more simple and easy to purchase what you need. I almost went with a Prusa XL or newer Core One but don’t want to deal with EU issues and upcoming supply chain issues.
One other note. I am aware of the blog post at Information disclosed about K2 PLUS & CFS from the K2 product team but we really need something like a manual override that unofficially exists on the Bambu K1C (which allows more than 300C at times. I realize there may be a chicken and egg scenario here, because some of the components used on the inside of the K2 may not withstand this temp, but their should be an upgrade to permit this on occasional usage. I also know these filaments are not your average customer, but I really would prefer a product that is more pro-sumer friendly than the Ultimaker S5 but a step up above the Bambu brand.
You mention in the title wanting to print PEEK, you won’t do that on a home machine. You’ll be wanting industrial grade machine with a really hot heated chamber 100C+ and a 500C hotend, last time I looked you won’t get much change out of £10K. For ABS, ASA, PA you’ll need an enclosed machine with a heated chamber a K2 will do that. I use a Qidi Xplus3 which has an active heated chamber for printing these materials, a slightly cheaper machine.
You are saying the $500-$700 USD printers are better than the BEST that Creality can deliver for $1700 USD?
Sounds like a shame on Creality.,… nobody is buying these $3000 USD expensive printers for small batch runs and sending them out is cost prohibitive. I’m sure if I worked for Andruil, that would be no big deal but perhaps the Bambu K1C and AMS really is a better machine, so long as one can “avoid” their cloud inspection of your data and prints from the US.
I guess I am cancelling my order of K2 Plus and the $1000 of filament spools… Looks like very little quality filaments can be done, other than artistic quality stuff or for toys. K2 Plus Recommended Filament Parameters | Creality Wiki
Not saying the Qidi is better than the Creality, but the Qidi is often compared to Bambu for print quality. Could look at the Qidi Xmax3 for build volume if size is your criteria. I would look at their Plus4 but be aware there is a fixable issue with the SSR in 115V countries, its fine in 230V, they are shipping out new SSR to fix it.
Each machine has different capabilities… Creality (larger build plate heated chamber) and Bamboo prints in color while some Qidi machines have larger build plates but no color yet.
All these machines are good it just depends on what you want to make…
Before I order a machine I know what it needs to do so I won’t have to cancel the order. This machine can print many types including CF and TPU so I wouldn’t say it only makes toys.
We welcome your voice here but stick to actual facts…
If you want to be more informed watch video reviews comparing the K2+ and the BL X1C machines Here
How big do you want to go? I have my eye on a Fysetc Venture XL 600x600x600, $1999, not an actively heated chamber so printing large ABS/ASA/PA might be tricky, but it is basically a giant Voron. All of my PEI build plates are Fysetc, that includes my Ender 5 plus and Snapmaker A350T.
Thanks @Bonfireman Big isn’t super important, 300x300x300 is likely enough.
@jimandyen When I think of serious stuff and not toys, I do not mean offense to anyone. I am more of less referring to things different than FDM like printing Inconel 718 or something. PEEK, PPA are just premium polymers but not metals or alloys that I would want critical components finalized on. I am 100% for spending more on the print and material than the prototypes until it makes sense to scale up. Because much of the market is very limited in the regard to higher polymer and mixed use of alternative spools, the CMS made sense there as did the build volume and that I could print locally without the cloud. I hope there is opportunity to do more with PA, PPS and PEEK. Nylon and Kevlar are popular options, too from my understanding.
Like I said PEEK and likely PPS takes you away from consumer printers. I mentioned to my MD that I would like to print PEEK, we use a fair amount but it is machined pieces, I then showed her the machines that could print it, along with prices. From high interest to zero in the time it took to say PEEK.
PA6 and PA12 either carbon or glass filled is achievable with many consumer machines.
Looked at stainless steel printing but the cost of the filament, post processing then sintering makes it too expensive but possibly achievable with a consumer machine.
After reviewing the advise here, it would appear that the Bambu X1C and X1E, more specfically, is designed for these types of filaments, other than the glass bed recommended by BASF. When comparing the hotend temps, the bed temps and environment temps, the K2 Plus exceeds both of these models. Why would it not handle all the same filaments other than potential challenges with the CMS, just as Bambu had with the AMS?
K2 Plus Specs
K1 Max Specs
Bambu Labs X1C Specs
Bambu Labs X1E Specs
I do like the weight factor in the Bambu Labs… 77lbs is a beast on the K2 but one spec that gets me is that Bambu Labs still has the 10x10x10 build size and a higher temp hotend but somehow goes down to 750W from 1000W, while the K2 is pulling 1200W, supposedly with the same 350C hotend and 120C build plate temp and internal max chamber temp to 60C, which if I recall will permit BASF Ultrafuse to be ran through these units, so long as one can keep them from jamming, etc.
Qidi Xmax3 higher chamber temp, same bed temp, bigger print volume than the Bambi and will print the higher temp materials. Aesthetically questionable. Worth a look if you don’t need MMS but there is a thought that it might be compatible with the upcoming MMS. Worth a consideration and a cheaper printer with comparable print quality and speed to a Bambi
Bigger nozzles needed, 0.6mm and bigger I would have thought. I have access to ovens that will burn off the binder and possibly a kiln for sintering, 1232°C I believe, guess it needs a reducing atmosphere?
