In recent years, there has been a surge in both the supply and demand for metal 3D printers.
Manufacturers are launching metal additive manufacturing products that are faster, more powerful, and easier to use, with an increasing number of compatible metals.
Many companies are adopting these metal 3D printing technologies to produce low-cost metal parts and prototypes, while also benefiting from greater design freedom associated with additive manufacturing. Metal 3d printers are suitable for a variety of industries such as aerospace, automotive, healthcare, engineering, and more.
Even though metal 3D printer prices have been slowly and slightly falling, these machines are still relatively expensive acquisitions.
With the selection of metal 3D printers, we provide a comprehensive overview of what is available at different prices and with different metal 3D printing technologies.
Best Metal 3d Printer 2021
Table of Contents
What is metal 3D printing and how does it work?
The metal 3D printing process uses a laser beam to melt layers of 20-60 micron metal powder in layers, allowing designers and artists to create complex shapes and details not possible with traditional manufacturing methods. ..
After printing, the metal is post-treated, including support removal, cleaning, and heat treatment. Sanding may be required depending on the surface finish required by the user.
What are the benefits of metal 3D printing?
In terms of strength and flexibility, there is nothing better than metal.
Metal 3D printing has many advantages, one of which is that there are no design restrictions. Whether it’s a complex shape or a very complex shape, Additive Manufacturing allows you to manufacture each design with greater precision and faster.
One of the most well-known advantages of metal 3D printing is the elimination of tool overhead and bandwidth issues, allowing manufacturers to produce small quantities of parts quickly and at a low cost. It also eliminates manufacturing issues such as inefficient workflows, third-party manufacturers, and complex purchasing processes.
Needless to say, additive manufacturing is the perfect solution if you need to manufacture aftermarket products.
With so many benefits to metal 3D printers, manufacturers can’t help but invest in metal 3D printers.
Best Metal 3d Printer | Comparison Table 2021
| Image | Title | Buy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official Creality Ender 3 3D Printer Fully Open Source with Resume Printing Function DIY 3D Printers Printing Size 220x220x250mm | Comgrow | Check Price | |
| FDM 3D Printers, Official Creality Ender 5 Pro Business Grade 3D Printer, Fully Open Source with Power Off Resume Printing Function, Double Y-axis Control System, Build Size 220x220x300mm | AONESY | Check Price | |
| Creality Ender 3 Pro 3D Printer with Removable Build Surface Plate and UL Certified Meanwell Power Supply Printing Size 8.66x8.66x9.84in / 220x220x250mm | Comgrow | Check Price | |
| Voxelab Aquila 3D Printer with Full Alloy Frame, Removable Build Surface Plate, Fully Open Source and Resume Printing Function Build Volume 8.66x8.66x9.84in | Voxelab | Check Price | |
| NantFun DIY 3D Printer for Kids, Mini 3D Printer for Beginners, Upgraded Extruder Technology Small 3D Printer Fast Heating Low Noise with Free PLA Filament Printing Size 4"×4"×4" Black & Orange | NantFun | Check Price | |
| LOTMAXX Shark V2 3D Printer, Laser Engraving & Bi-Color Printing 2 in 1, Preassembled 3D Printer Machine with Dual Extruder, Print Size 235x235x265mm, (Space Gray) | LOTMAXX | Check Price | |
| Snapmaker 3D Printer, 2.0 Modular 3-in-1 3D Printer with 3D Printing/Laser Engraving/CNC Carving, All Metal, Auto-Leveling, Working Volume Support up to 320x350x330mm | Snapmaker | Check Price | |
| ANYCUBIC MEGA X 3D Printer, Large Metal FDM 3D Printer with Patented Heatbed and 1kg PLA Filament, Build Size 11.81in(L) X 11.81in(W) X 12in(H) | ANYCUBIC | Check Price | |
| Tresbro Creality Official Ender 3 V2 3D Printer, FDM 3D Printers Kit with Upgraded Silent Motherboard, Glass Bed, Mean Well Power Supply, Print Size 220x220x250mm | Tresbro | Check Price |
Prices and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Best Metal 3d Printer | 2021 Reviews
1. Comgrow Creality Ender 3 3D Printer
- Fully open-source: Creality 3D printers is working with its wonderful community of users and contributors to improve this open-sourced product every day. A design culminating from some of the best and brightest minds in the 3D printing world.
- NEXT GENERATION TECHNOLOGY: Our upgraded control board offers state of the art, Resume Print technology. Should your printer suffer unexpected power outages, it will resume from the last recorded extruder position. Goodbye failed prints! The advanced MK-8 extruders genius design greatly reduces the risk of clogging and uneven extrusion. High precision ball bearing wheels made from Delrin/POM engineering thermoplastic deliver high stiffness, low friction, and excellent dimensional stability.
- PARTIALLY-ASSEMBLED KIT: The lower base and all wiring completed in our factory. This kit-style 3D printer comes with all tools included and is an excellent project for middle school and high school-aged students. The perfect gift to spark a lifelong love for science and engineering, and provide a deeper understanding of machinery and robotics! updated USB Port makes it more convenient
- CREALITY Official Store We are the ONLY official Creality 3D store! Because all of our products are shipped to the consumer directly from the manufacturer, we provide a 1-year limited and lifetime technical assistance. Professional customer service has always been a cornerstone of our company philosophy.
- Resume Printing: Creality 3D printer equipped with super quiet printing designing, with smooth adjustable pulley, and if power is accidentally cut off during printing, accurate printing can be continued after power is switched on.
2. AONESY 3D Printers
- 【Solid print quality】Boasting a cubic frame and a 220 x 220 x 300mm build volume, the Creality Ender 5 Pro has a similar look and specs to its predecessor. The 260°C nozzle temperature makes it compatible with a wide array of filaments, and as for print quality, the Ender 5 Pro can produce objects with a 100-micron print resolution.
- 【Dual Y-axis Control】Like the original Ender 5, the X and Y-axis measurements of the Ender 5Pro are the same as the Ender 3, but with more print area on the Z-axis. One unique aspect of the Ender5 Pro build is the Y-axis motor, which simultaneously directs both sides of the gantry to create a smoother overall movement. This so-called “double Y-axis control system” is integrated to reduce any potential vibrations that could cause flaws in your 3 D prints.
- 【More smoothly Feed-in】Creality Ender-5 Pro 3 D Printer with Imported Capricorn Blue TeflonTube and the metal extruding unit, provide stronger pressure, which helps stable in filament feed in and wear-resisting, hence, we can get a better printing quality.
- 【Flexible Magnetic Print Bed】The Creality Ender5Pro also features a flexible magnetic print bed that can be detached from the build plate, allowing prints to be removed with ease. this machine also offers a resume print functionality, which can help avoid potential print stoppage from a sudden bout of power failure.
- 【after sale worry-free】All AONESY Store 3d printers are provided lifetime technical assistance and 12-months hardware warranty ( Filament Except ). Whenever or why, when encountering any printing problems you can contact us, we will solve it.
3. Comgrow Creality Ender 3 Pro
- REMOVABLE BUILD SURFACE PLATE: Provide all-round protection to your 3D printer build plate and ensure consistent temperature throughout the build surface. Easy to remove the printing models after cooling.
- SAFE POWER SUPPLY: Ender 3 Pro comes with a UL Certified power supply, protecting your printer from unexpected power surges, that can heat the hot bed to 110℃ in just 5 minutes.
- RESUME PRINT FUNCTION: Ender 3 Pro can resume printing from the last recorded extruder position after suffering unexpected power outages.
- SEMI-ASSEMBLED KIT: This easy-to-setup kit comes partially assembled, allowing you to learn about the basic construction of 3D printers as you finish putting it together. A fun STEM educational experience in mechanical engineering and electronics.
- WHAT YOU GET: Ceality Ender 3 Pro 3D pinrter, lifetime technical assistance and 24 hours professional customer service.
4. Voxelab Aquila 3D Printer
- Fast Heating and Silent Printing: The Aquila 3D printer equipped with carbon crystal silicon glass plate and super quiet printing designing, the printing model will not easily become warped and the printing sounds is below 50 decibels.
- Resume Printing Function: Aquila 3D printer could automatically resume printing when power comes on. It won’t print from scratch once meeting filament breakage, saving time and avoiding waste.
- Semi-Assembled Kit: The easy-to-setup kit comes partially assembled, enabling you to learn about the basic construction of 3D printers as you finish putting it together.
- Fully Open Source: Aquila is a straight forward BD printer based on open source technology. It allows for flexible upgrades and various modifications. Meanwhile, you are able to choose your favorite software as VoxelMaker, Cura and more...
- Warranty and Service: All Voxelab 3D printers provides Lifetime technical support and 12 months warranty, with 24 hours quick response.
6. LOTMAXX Shark V2 3D Printer
- 【3D Laser Printer】LOTMAXX 3D Printer integrates the functions of 3d printing and laser engraving. Laser kit included, Laser Size: 235*235, Rated Power 1600mW and Support materials: Leather, Paper, Wood etc.
- 【All Metal Dual Extruder】This FDM 3D Printer is Equipped with two all-metal extruders, it supports automatic dual color filament switching in a single nozzle. With dual gear extruder, it provides better and more accurate printing.
- 【Ultra-Silent Driver】SHARK V2 adopts silent drive TMC2208, fully equipped on X, Y, Z, E axis, almost no sound can be heard during printing, and supports night mode.
- 【More Features】1: 4.3 Removable Touch Screen 2: Magnetic heated bed 3: Resume Printing 4: All Metal Frame Design 5: Meanwell Power Supply
- 【Warranty and Service】All of our 3d printers provide one month free return and exchange, one year warranty and lifetime technical support.
7. Snapmaker 3D Printer
- Innovation 3-in-1: Snapmaker 2.0, the modular 3-in-1 3D printer that unlocks your full creative potential, from 3D printing to laser engraving, cutting, and CNC carving. Snapmaker 2.0 is smarter, faster, larger, and more powerful than ever before. It is a new generation of 3-in-1 3D printer that comes with everything you need!
- Large Workspace: Snapmaker 2.0 has three models: A150, A250 and A350. You can make large prototypes, or multiple smaller objects in one go. A150: 160 x 160 x 145 mm, A250: 230 x 250 x 235 mm, A350 provides the largest build volume, measuring 320 x 350 x 330 mm.
- Modular Design: Imagine a 3D printer that you can upgrade and customize. Snapmaker is more than just a series of machines. Its a system of powerful modules and add-ons for creative people like you. You can enjoy a lot of new features simply by getting the new modules or new kits.
- High Resolution: Built with high-precision parts and an overall upgraded design, Snapmaker 2.0 is able to consistently print, engrave, cut, and carve objects in high resolution. The repeatability of the machine is 0.005 mm, and the homing repeatability is 0.01mm.
- 3-in-1 Software: Our 3-in-1 software, Snapmaker Luban, is tailor-made for your Snapmaker machines. One single and powerful software for all your tasks. With a plugin system, API and tutorials, Snapmaker Luban enables you to easily add new features for existing modules. You can even develop new features for your customized modules. We will build a truly modular system together.
8. ANYCUBIC MEGA X 3D Printer
- Fast Assembly, Mega X 3D printer came in two modules and all it takes is to plug in 12 screws and 3 cables, easy to assemble and get printing right out of the box, Perfect choice for beginners and veteran
- High Print Precision, This 3D Printer’s print precision is greatly improved by equipping it with Y Axis Dual Sideway Design and Z-axis dual screw rod design, The pitting in the skin and texture in the clothing all can shows up
- Large Build Volume, This FDM printer comes with larger build spaces available, At 11.81in(L) x 11.81in(W) x 12in(H), able to print models that 90% of other 3d printers could not. More space for fulfilling your fantastic idea
- Patented Heat Bed, No hassle of sticker any more, Ultrabase bed surface coated with patented microporous coating, allowing the print holds strong when printing and then effortlessly falls off the bed when it cools to room temp at the end of the print, Kindly note, The bed will not go over 90 degree
- More Function, Resume Print: One click to resume from the last recorded position when suffered power outages, TFT Touch Screen: As responsive as operating on the phone, Meanwell Power Supply: Compliance with UL60950-1, enhance the safety performance, All ANYCUBIC 3D printers backed with lifetime technical support
9. Tresbro Crealityl Ender 3
- 【Excellent Technical Support】Ender 3 V2 has a wide audience which makes it easy to get guides or help in some communities. Tresbro also have a trained technical team to provide professional technical support to our customers. We offer One-Year-Warranty, life time tech support to all of creality 3d printers. Please do not hesitate to contact us for any questions regarding installation or DIY printers.
- 【Creality Upgrade 32 Bits Silent Mainboard】The noise of 3d printers can be very annoying. This upgrade mainboard has eliminates this problem. It has been built to offer a beefy level of power, featuring an ARM Cortex-M3 STM32F103 CPU and a TMC2208 stepper drivers. This makes it powerful to operating a great machine, but also near-silent in operations, completely void of the classic stepper driver squeaks and squeals as the stepper motors twist and turn.
- 【UL Certified MeanWell Power Supply】Equipped with brand name MeanWell power supply to heat up quickly and let useers choose between power voltage of 115V or 230V. Meanwhile the ender 3 v2 has been shielded by its power supply from voltage spikes and power outages. If electrical power is lost, prints can be resumed from the last layer, saving time and reducing waste.
- 【Beginner Friendly】Creality Ender 3 V2 offers easier to understand operations, simplified involvement from the user, and essentially more accessibility to Makers of all ages and expertise. These kinds of upgrades means beginners don’t have to spend the many hours of learning, testing and tweaking to enjoy great prints nowadays, reducing the barrier of entry and allowing everyone to get involved in the beautiful culmination of creativity and science that is 3D Printing.
- 【Many More Minor Improvements】The sleek design with discretely hidden power supply, the nice blue extruder knob for easy filament feeding and filament changes. A tiny tool drawer for keeping tools, spare nozzles and other handy items in, improved belt tensioners that are both easier to reach and nicer to use. They all add to the overall user experience, making the ender 3 v2 printer easier and more convenient to use and understand.
How to Choose The Best Metal 3d Printer | Buyer’s Guide 2021
Before you buy a 3D printer, ask the most basic questions.
- What kind of metal or composite material should I print?
- What are the mechanical properties required for the final print?
- Are speed and volume important to my business?
Before you buy a metal 3D printer, it’s important to keep some important factors in mind when choosing the right model. Here, we will introduce what you need to do for that.
Printing Technology:
This is the most basic element. However, deciding which 3D printing technology to use is difficult, but it is the most important step in getting a 3D printed object to be what you expect. Ask yourself what characteristics the finished product should have. By enumerating these characteristics, you can determine which technology is best suited to your production needs and choose the printer accordingly.
Accuracy and print quality:
Take a close look at the machine’s specifications to make sure it has all the attributes you need to ensure impressive accuracy and outstanding quality.
Ease of use: Equipped with advanced software that makes it easy to print parts without sacrificing quality. In addition, you should provide a user-friendly interface that guides you through each step.
Size:
Metal 3D printers come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Take a close look at the machine’s specifications to see if there is space available in your office.
Material Compatibility:
This is another important factor when buying a 3D printer. When a 3D printed product is used for a particular application, the part must be printed with the most appropriate technology. The material must have the properties required to meet the intended specifications. Therefore, it is essential to select a technology that can print with materials that are close to the intended use.
Speed and Volume:
If speed is important, it’s wise to look for a printer that’s smooth enough to require no post-processing. Also, if you want to print multiple metal parts at the same time, choose a printer with a large build volume.
Also, depending on the material, harmful gas may be generated when inhaled, so be careful. To avoid this, you need to buy a printer with a housing and ventilation system to let smoke and gas out.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What metal can I use for a 3D printer?
Common metals such as titanium, stainless steel, aluminum, copper, and bronze, and precious metals such as gold, silver, and platinum are printed directly by adhering to metal powder, resulting in a three-dimensional shape.
Where is metal 3D printing used?
Metal 3D printing creates tool parts and finished products in industries such as aerospace and automobiles. It is also widely used not only in dentistry but also in the medical field.
In other words, almost every industry that uses metal parts benefits from time, cost, labor, and material savings from metal 3D printing.
Are Metal 3D Printers Expensive?
Some metal AM systems are only available to large companies due to their high cost. However, other companies, such as Markforged and Desktop Metal, have more economical components in their systems that even smaller businesses can buy.
What are some of the metal printing technologies currently in use?
3D metal printing is evolving rapidly and new technologies are being introduced every day.
These include a variety of technologies that need to be selected depending on the project. Some of these technologies are introduced below.
- Direct laser sintering of metal
- Selective laser melting
- Melt deposition modeling
- Binder jet
- Low wax casting
- Powder extrusion with adhesive
- SLM and DMLS are currently the most mainstream metal 3D printing processes, especially suitable for high-end applications.
Are 3D-printed metal parts as strong as metal parts made by traditional manufacturing methods?
This is highly dependent on the environment and the type of technology used for the 3D printing of metal parts. However, in general, printed parts are as strong as parts made by traditional methods.
Conclusion
In recent years, metal 3D printing has received the most attention in the AM industry. As technology evolves, it has proven to be far superior to traditional methods.
Metal 3D printing is an expensive option, but it can add great value to the manufacturing process by giving new opportunities to manufacture parts that were previously uneconomical or exorbitantly expensive in design. The fact that it can be done cannot be denied.
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