Chinese 3D printer manufacturer Flashforge has been busy cooking up new machines. Among them is the Creator 3, a larger and fancier version of the old Creator Pro. Geared more towards professionals, the Creator 3 boasts an independent dual extrusion system (IDEX), a heated and removable build plate, and has a built-in HD camera to monitor prints.
Flashforge launched the machine alongside four other printers at CES in Las Vegas in 2018 and is slowly gearing up to release it in Western markets, however, it’s already available nearer to its home and is priced at about $3,500.
Is it a competitor to the BCN3D Sigma? Is it better than the CraftBot 3? We haven’t gotten a chance to try it out for ourselves yet, but we’ve pored over the specs to see whether this machine is worth your money. Read on for our take of the Flashforge Creator 3.
One of the most exciting aspects of this machine is its independent dual extruder system (IDEX), where both extruders move independently of one another. This offers a range of modes including mirror mode, where two identically prints can be created at the same time. The dual extrusion is especially usefull when printing complex geometries, since each extruder can use a different material. Printing using a soluble material for support structures is one of the best ways to ensure a clean print.
The Creator 3 is fully enclosed, which is handy for printing trickier materials like ABS and should reduce worries over warping. The filament spool also has its own enclosed spot on the side of the machine to protect it a bit from moisture in the air.
There’s no need to hover over your machine and make sure everything’s running smoothly. The built-in HD camera means you can keep an eye on prints remotely — especially handy if you’ve got several printers at work at the same time.
The flexible removable build plate should make it easy to pop prints off the build plate.
The machine should automatically cease printing when it detects any filament feeding abnormalities and help ensure successful prints.
Flashforge’s cloud management system for its 3D printers allows you to upload and store your files, so your own online library of models is just a few taps on the touchscreen away.
You can purchase the Flashforge Creator 3 from the following online retailers:
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