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Selecting the appropriate printer

Former Member

I want to buy a 3D printer to be used to print architectural and engineering models.

I am quite keen on the Cube Pro Trio. Does anyone have a review on this printer

and is it the correct printer for my application. Thxz Trevern

  • 0

    Hi Trevor,

     

    Well the Cube Pro Trio is a shiny model but the cubify plastic is cartridge based with smart chips (think inkjet printers where they still have ink but refuse to print).  Whilst it is possible (certainly on the low-end versions) to hack it so you can use bulk filament (approx 5x cheaper!), it's a hack - http://hackaday.com/2013/04/26/cube-3d-printer-hack-lets-you-use-bulk-filament/

     

    One other thing I would point out is that multi-extruder FDM technology is in it's infancy - I've yet to see a flawless print with dual or more extruders on FDM printers. multiple extruders allow for multi-colour and really nicely captive parts with PVA (water soluble) support but there's no PVA cartridges for cubify yet, so you have to use really awkward settings like ABS support (soluble in acetone) with PLA parts, but expect colouring of the PLA to be affected by the process.

     

    You might want to watch for the road-test reviews that are upcoming for the robox 3d-printer, which looks really nice and I'm waiting for mine to review, it might be a better alternative.  Although it too uses chipped cartridges, it does them right, allowing the user to program them.

     

    I'm not very up-to-speed with commercial printers being mostly on the reprap side of things so apologies that I can't offer much more alternative advice than "be careful" :-)

  • 0

    Trevor,

    Martyn has some very good points about dual extruders and support material.

     

    Coming from the AEC industry and having used 3d Printers for showcasing designs I must say that FDM/FFF printers just don't do them justice.  What I have found is that clients (Architectural specifically) want to see the materials applied to the print.  Well current FDM/FFF printers aren't capable.  There are technologies that I hope will bridge this such as http://www.spectrom3d.com/.  The current printers that achieve full color printing are things such as http://mcortechnologies.com/ which is a laminate type of printing process and also http://www.3dsystems.com/ which is a binder jetting process.  Out of the 2 technologies laminate produces far more durable objects.  Now these are professional grade printers so cost far more than lets say a Cube Pro.  I have also found that printing full interiors such as furniture is very complicated on FDM/FFF printers.   If its more for internal collaboration and color isn't necessary then we use an SLA printer.  Very high resolution.  The two technologies I mentioned above can also be used.

     

    The last option you could look into is farming the printing out to some one like http://www.shapeways.com/.

     

    Nate