April 2018 – 3D Printer Power

Bottom Line Up Front Our Pros: Its ease of use is spearheaded by the simplicity attached to it. Here, we mean that working with only PLA give beginners the freedom to experiment with different ideas cheaply. Its operating interface also plays a role in simplifying its use. Our Cons: The 3D20 is strictly a desktop 3D printer for beginners and must be seen as such. Therefore, its limited build capacity, non-leveling print-bed, and filament removal issues are things you should expect to deal with. Our Bottom Line: The Dremel Digilab 3D20 is for the classroom and 3D prints small models admirably. It also costs less than a $1000 which means you will be getting good value for your money. Stop reading here and Buy the Dremel Digilab 3D20 Now! Educating Beginners The best way to dive into the world of 3D printing is through a hands-on approach; which involves working with a 3D printer immediately. You can watch Youtube videos and read how-to articles forever, but the best way to learn is to get in there and practice. The Dremel Digilab 3D20 is a great entry point to the world of 3D printing and you can learn all about its manufacturing abilities here. Entering the world of 3D printing is daunting. Are you trying to make your hobby into something your children will appreciate and grow into? It can be frustrating to look at the current lineup of non-kid friendly, non-user friendly 3D printers on the market. You can tell they are for enthusiasts. Lucky for you Dremel took on the challenge and made the Dremel Digilab 3D20. Dremel Digilab bills itself as the educational arm of the 3D printing community and you will definitely witness their attempt to teach and aid you throughout a project’s life-cycle executed with one of its 3D printers. This is why; the 3D20 comes with pre-set 3D models which you can immediately try your hands on. Read on, as we attempt a holistic review of this desktop 3D printer that has the classroom and other learning hubs as its target audience. The Criteria for Reviewing the Dremel Digilab 3D20 To ensure that beginners grasp everything one must know before purchasing a desktop 3D printer, we have outlined the most-important factors you must consider before purchasing a desktop 3D printer. And if you still have a hard time understanding what each criterion means and their importance to the 3D printing process, you can go through this user guide on purchasing 3D printers for a clearer understanding. The criteria to consider are: Printing Technique/Type - For at hobbyists this is usually a choice between FFF/FDM and Delta. Assembled or kit - Are you a DIYer or do you want to plug in and get going right away? Filament Type - 3D printers can use a variety of printing materials. What materials can the printer you are buying use? Build Volume - How big of an object can you print? Print Bed - Is it heated or auto-leveling? Connection - How do you get your idea to your 3D printer? Print Speed - How fast is it, and how well does it print at speed? Extruder - Where all the work gets done, and it impacts more than you think. Unboxing the Dremel Digilab 3D20 On taking the delivery of the 3D20, you get the sense that you have definitely made a good choice due to the professionalism of Dremel’s staff and how well packed the product looks. Opening the box will reveal the following items to you: The assembled Digilab 3D20 printer Instructions manual Quick start guide Power cable USB cable and SD card 1 Dremel filament spool Build tape Leveling sheet and tools The 3D20 is a compact 3D printer which arrives pre-built. Theoretically, you can get to 3D printing within 5 minutes of its removal from its box if you really, really want to. And in terms of design, the 3D20 is truly aesthetically pleasing to the eyes and quite sturdy for a desktop 3D printer aimed at classrooms, and beginners. Dremel Digilab 3D20’s Features Now here is what we have come for! We already know that the 3D20 is beautiful but how does it function in the grand scheme of things? First and foremost, it 3D prints using the popular Fused Deposit Modelling (FDM) technique a lot of 3d printers make use of today. It also comes with an interactive operating interface which consists of a touchscreen that allows you track and control all the major functions of the 3D20. This touchscreen is generally the first thing that grabs your attention before you notice the relatively small size of its build platform. The 3D20 provides you with a build capacity of 230 * 150 * 140mm highlighting the demographic—beginners, hobbyists etc.—serves. It is also a single extruder with the ability to extrude filament at temperatures as high as 230 degrees centigrade. The Dremel Digilab 3D20 makes use of a traditional plastic build platform or heat bed which you have to manually adjust when 3D printing. While it prints with a speed of 100 mm/s and at a layer resolution of 100 microns. The 3D20 is totally dependent on Dremel brand items and it works solely with Dremel’s PLA filament. Although it could also 3D print other PLA brands, this is its limit for it works with no other filament types. On using the 3D20 to actually 3D print some of the custom designs included in its package, we found that removing unused filament with its ‘remove filament’ option does not function as you would expect. When using the 3D20, you will definitely find yourself manually removing filament at intervals. Leveling the print bed is also something you must commit yourself to doing manually after every 3D printing exercise. On the plus side, the interchangeable LED-lights that flicker when using the 3D20 is definitely a delight to watch and will captivate users to continue learning the processes attached to 3d printing. This feature will definitely be a hit to kids interested in learning about 3D printing. The Dremel Digilab 3D20 Software The 3D20 is not open-source but comes with built-in Dremel software. It also works well with Simplify 3D which you can get by yourself. It is however compatible with Windows, Mac OS, and Ubuntu operating systems. Other Cool Features The Dremel Digilab 3D20 is a fully enclosed desktop 3d printer which makes it kid-friendly and a great resource for K 6-12 classrooms. For people interested in having machines around their family and children I highly recommend an enclosure for multiple reasons. First, the hot end gets... hot. I mean really hot. I trust you know if your child is the type that will stay away from something you tell them not to touch, and if they are the type that will gravitate to it. There are also a large number of moving parts on a 3D printer. This can lead to pinches and other minor catches that could lead to harm to digits, or to your machine. Lastly, you have to consider fumes. PLA is generally fine, but if you start branching out into other filament types they have fumes you have to consider, and an enclosure can help with this by making it easier for you to set up a ventilation system. On the just good looking scale, its Led-lights and the responsive touchscreen are all cool features meant to draw-in first-time user. I wish I weren't, but I really am drawn to good looking machines. I know a 3D Printer is about getting a job done, but it's satisfying to look at your machine and appreciate some simple functional beauty too. IS IT DECISION TIME ALREADY? The Digilab 3D20 is a marvel that excels for beginners, and for use as a teaching tool. Because this machine is great in the classroom it is entirely possible you, or if you are old like me, your kids have come into contact with this printer already. Starting your hobby at home off with a base model that is designed to be easily understood is a smart decision. The number one reason I see in forums relating to why people fail at 3D Printing is diving too deep too fast. There are many facets to this hobby. Take your time to learn with a machine that is designed to help you. Now you have a choice to make. Do you want to do nothing at all, and keep putting off the decision to start on this awesome 3D Printer hobby? You know how that will turn out. Do you really want to continue to procrastinate? Take action and turn your daydreams into reality. Finally get that 3D Printer, and make your thoughts real objects you can hold in your hand. It’s time to say goodbye now, but first here’s what you do now. Click the button below to go to Amazon, add this bad boy to your cart, and proceed to checkout. Don’t forget to stock up on filament to start too. I'm Ready to Buy the Dremel Digilab 3D20 Now!