FDM printers do some phenomenal work, though! Look at some examples in Figure 4-4 to see the quality
level achieved on FDM 3D printers.
FRAME/CHASSIS
This is what you first see when you look at a 3D printer; the overall general shape. There have been many 3D
printers that have enjoyed crowdfunding success on websites such as Kickstarter or Indiegogo because of
beautiful 3D printer enclosures/frames. If the enclosure looks nice, people are more inclined to infer it's a
quality printer. This is only somewhat true, and this is where your own research can really help you make an
informed purchasing choice.
The frame/chassis needs to be structurally sound over time. 3D printers have moving parts, they get
bumped and prodded when you’re removing prints from the build plate, and they need to deal with inherent
vibrations from the printing process itself. There are few (if any) printers in the market right now that use a
wooden frame, so best to stay clear of any you might see. The same thing goes for a plastic frame...you will
always want to look “inside” of a printer to make sure that there is a rigid metal frame underlying any fancy
exterior to help long term durability. Additionally, If you will be moving your printer from location to location,
frame strength is something you will especially want to keep in mind, and a metal frame is more solid than
wood.
Don't judge a printer by its cover! Many 3D printers have 3D printed parts holding them together. And why
not? It helps keep costs down and allows for easier upgrades later on. While 3D printed parts might lack
the durability of machined parts, having 3D printed parts in your printer should not be a mark against the
overall printer itself. If an update to the design becomes available, you can print your own upgrades! 3D
printed parts can be found in all price ranges of printers, and some have no 3D printed parts at all. As with
all products, it is advisable to read the forums and unbiased reviews to see if a printer, no matter how it is
assembled, is reliable.
There are quite a few “kit” 3D printers that you have to put together yourself that are incredibly structurally
sound. One standout printer is named the Prusa i3 MK3S kit from prusa3d.com which positively answers
most of the bullet-point questions below and stands out as one of the best and most popular 3D printer kits
on the market (as long as you are willing to devote 6-10 hours to assemble the printer yourself, following
detailed online guides!).
WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT FDM PRINTERS (OR REALLY ANY 3D PRINTER), LOOK CRITICALLY AT THE
CHOICES THAT THE MANUFACTURERS MADE:
How thick is the sheet metal forming the chassis? Does the chassis have any flex if you try and
bend it?
Is there flex to the horizontal arm that carries the extruder assembly which would result in
potential alignment issues? (There should be no flex)
Does the printer have a heated bed? (You definitely want a heated bed)
What sort of covering does the printer use on top of the heated bed? (Many printers have remov-
able build plates which make print removal very easy)
What sort of components went into the extruder assembly? Are they machined parts, are they
custom made, or something that is shared by many other manufacturers? (For example, extrud-
ers by the company “E3D” are excellent, and used in many 3D printers)
We have a Prusa i3 MK3S (with the additional 5 filament “multi-material upgrade v2”) at the office, and it is a
go-to machine we use for our client 3D prints. When the RepRap Project started developing, many of the 3D
printer development lines were named after famous geneticists: Darwin, Mendel, etc. An individual maker
named Josef Prusa was very active in that community and developed an entire line of printers that is named
after him! There are clones of the “Prusa” printer all over the internet, but they are not as reliable as ones
purchased directly from Josef’s site.
These printers are hallmarked by easy print set up, an elegant two-piece chassis, and great build quality.
The Prusa printer’s thin metal frame might not look robust, but a lot of thought has gone into making this
a reliable printer. There are many printers with the “Prusa i3” name out there, but we recommend the offi-
cial Prusa i3 MK3S from the prusa3d.com website, not only because they are great printers, but imitation
printers reduce their cost in notable areas such as power supply and extruder quality. This results in a less
expensive printer, but at the cost of a more error-prone print process. Prusa is a major contributor to the
FIGURE 44: Bracket with no gaps, and perfect layer finish (left). Very smooth 3D model of “equation of time” based on work from
LongNow.org (right).
Getting Started with 3D Printing 38
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