Welcome to Rave Robot’s 3D printers list. We have included images and vendor links for each system as well as Rave Robot articles and review links. If you want us to add another 3D printer or want to contribute a review, please let us know.
What is a 3D Printer?
A 3D printer is a robot that uses a 3D structural digital file to build the structure. The structure is assembled 1 layer at a time through a process called additive manufacturing. We use 3D printing to rapidly prototype and develop new laboratory capabilities in the lab.
What Types of 3D Printers are used for the lab?
We leverage a few different types of 3D printer technologies in the lab depending on the task we need to accomplish. There are actually multiple technologies that we do not use or discuss in detail for that reason. If you are interested in learning about the complete list, we suggest reading the 3D printing handbook. There are also multiple free web site resources out there.
Material Extrusion
Materials: Thermoplastic filament (PLA, ABS, PET, PETG, TPU)
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM): Extrudes a heated plastic filament which hardens as it cools. FDM printers are the most prevalent on the market and are generally the least expensive 3D printer.
Vat Polymerization
- Materials: Photopolymer resin with multiple grades offering different properties. Vat polymerization resins tends to be more viscous that material jetting resins.
- Stereolithography (SLA): Uses UV Laser to harden a liquid resin. Due to the precision that is achievable with this type of 3D printer and high cost of the laser, SLA printers tend to be the most expensive 3D printers.
- Digital Light Processing (DLP): Uses a UV light emitting screen to harden a liquid resin. DLP 3D printers are rapidly growing in popularity because they can achieve high precision model at a fraction of the cost of an SLA printer.
- Masked Stereolithography (MSLA): Is similar to DLP except that it uses an LED array rather than a UV bulb to emit UV light. The array provides a uniform light source that is screened through a liquid crystal display that is a single layer slice mask. Is tends to be faster and more uniform than DLP.
Material Jetting
- Materials: Photopolymer resin with multiple grades offering different properties. Material jetting resins tend to be less viscous than Vat polymerization resins.
- Material Jetting (Multijet, Polyjet): 3D printing process where droplets of photopolymers are deposited on a build plate in a single layer sort of like a ink jet printer. The layer is then cured by exposing it to light.
3D Printers differ from each other by print technology, build volume, and resolution. You will need to understand your modeling needs to choose the 3D Printer that is right for you.
How many 3D Printers are there?
Below is the list of 3D printers we have used for our own laboratory automation needs. There are other systems out there, but we chose to only include them if we have direct interactions with them or if our readers suggest them. Please comment if there are other 3D Printers that should be added to the list or if you have an experience with one of the 3D printers on the list that you’d like included.
Material Extrusion 3D Printer List
Anycubic i3 Mega
- Manufacturer – Anycubic
- Print Technology – Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
- Build Volume – 21 x 21 x 20.5 cm
Crealty Ender 3 Pro
- Manufacturer – Creality
- Print Technology – Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
- Build Volume – 22 x 22 x 25 cm
Crealty Ender 5
- Manufacturer – Creality
- Print Technology – Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
- Build Volume – 22 x 22 x 30 cm
Crealty CR10 V2
- Manufacturer – Creality
- Print Technology – Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
- Build Volume – 30cm x 30cm x 40cm
Makerbot Replicator+
- Manufacturer – Makerbot
- Print Technology – Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
- Build Volume – 29.5 L X 19.5 W X 16.5 H cm
Experience:
Makerbot Replicator 3d Printer Review Is Easy to Use Worth the Price?
Top 5 Tips to Fix Makerbot Replicator 3D Print Warping
How to level the makerbot replicator 3D printer flex build plate
Monoprice Maker Select Plus
- Manufacturer – Monoprice
- Print Technology – Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
- Build Volume – 20.1 x 20.1 x 18 cm
Prusa i3 MK3S 3D printer
- Manufacturer – PRUSA Research
- Print Technology – Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
- Build Volume – 25 x 21 x 21 cm
Prusa Mini
- Manufacturer – PRUSA Research
- Print Technology – Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
- Build Volume – 18 x 18 x 18 cm
Raise3D Pro2
- Manufacturer – Raise3D
- Print Technology – Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
- Build Volume – 30.5cm x 30.5cm x 30cm
Raise3D Pro2 Plus
- Manufacturer – Raise3D
- Print Technology – Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
- Build Volume – 30cm x 30cm x 60.5cm
Tevo Tornado
- Manufacturer – Tevo
- Print Technology – Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
- Build Volume – 30cm x 30cm x 40cm
Lulzbot TAZ 6
- Manufacturer – Lulzbot
- Print Technology – Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
- Build Volume – 28cm x 28cm x 25cm
Ultimaker S5
- Manufacturer – Ultimaker
- Print Technology – Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
- Build Volume – 33 x 24 x 30 cm
Vat Polymerization 3D Printer List
Anycubic Photon
- Manufacturer – Anycubic
- Print Technology – Digital Light Processing (DLP)
- Build Volume – 11.5cm x 6.5cm x 15.5cm
Experience:
12 Weeks With the Anycubic Photon
How to assemble and finish a multi-part print
How to build a cheap uv curing-chamber
Anycubic Photon Zero
- Manufacturer – Anycubic
- Print Technology – Digital Light Processing (DLP)
- Build Volume – 9.7cm x 5.4cm x 15cm
Creality LD-002R
- Manufacturer – Crealty
- Print Technology – Digital Light Processing (DLP)
- Build Volume – 12cm x 6.5cm x 16.5cm
Elegoo Mars
- Manufacturer – Elegoo
- Print Technology – Digital Light Processing (DLP)
- Build Volume – 11.5cm x 6.5cm x 15cm
Formlabs Form 3
- Manufacturer – Formlabs
- Print Technology – Stereolithography (SLA)
- Build Volume – 14.5 × 14.5 × 18.5cm
Longer Orange 30
- Manufacturer – Longer
- Print Technology – Stereolithography (SLA)
- Build Volume – 12cm x 6.8cm x 17cm
Peopoly Moai
- Manufacturer – Peopoly
- Print Technology – Stereolithography (SLA)
- Build Volume – 13cm x 13cm x 18cm
Peopoly Phenom
- Manufacturer – Peopoly
- Print Technology – Masked Stereolithography (MSLA)
- Build Volume – 27.6cm x 15.5cm x 40cm
Phrozen Sonic
- Manufacturer – Phrozen
- Print Technology – Digital Light Processing (DLP)
- Build Volume – 28cm x 28cm x 37cm
Phrozen Sonic Mini
- Manufacturer – Phrozen
- Print Technology – Digital Light Processing (DLP)
- Build Volume – 9.8cm x 4.7cm x 15cm
Phrozen Sonic XL 4K
- Manufacturer – Phrozen
- Print Technology – Digital Light Processing (DLP)
- Build Volume – 19cm x 12cm x 20cm
Phrozen Transform
- Manufacturer – Phrozen
- Print Technology – Digital Light Processing (DLP)
- Build Volume – 29cm x 16cm x 40cm
Prusa SL1
- Manufacturer – Prusa
- Print Technology – Masked Stereolithography (MSLA)
- Build Volume – 12cm x 6.8cm x 15cm
Tell us about other 3D printers
Did we miss any good 3D printers? Let us know!
If you have experience with one of the above 3D printers and want to write a review or update the list, leave a comment and we will contact you.
If you are interested in any of our other lists, check out Rave Robot’s List page.
