The Tronxy X5S is one of the new 3D printers kits which seems to hit a sweet spot with customers worldwide. The Tronxy X5S is the bigger brother of the Tronxy X3S and has overtaken it in popularity. Since early 2018, it has become one of the best-selling 3D printers on stores like Gearbest and Aliexpress.
The most obvious feature of the machine is its size. A 3D printer that offers a build volume of 330 x 330 x 400mm for under $300 sounds like a very good deal – but is it really?
Review the Specifications
The specifications for the Tronxy X5S read very similarly to most low-cost 3D printer kits on the market. Here are the specifications, as to be found on the official information sheet:
- Technology: FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling), single extruder
- Build Volume: 330 x 330 x 400 mm
- Layer Resolution: 0.1 – 0.4mm
- Nozzle/Filament Diameter: 0.4 mm / 1,75mm
- Connectivity: USB, SD Card
- Heated Bed: Yes
- Print Speed: 20-150 mm/s
- Operational Extruder Temperature: max 270C
- Operational Heatbed Temperature: max 100C
- Input rating: 110V/220V AC, 50/60Hz
- Printer Dimensions: 520 x 490 x 498 mm
So what makes the Tronxy X5S specifications stand out?
- The Tronxy X5S comes as a 3D printer kit, so you have to assemble it yourself. Assembly time should be between 4 and 5 hours, depending on your expertise with building 3D printers. Also, some parts come pre-assembled.
- The frame is made of aluminum, which makes the printer very stable.
- Its build volume os 330 x 330 x 400mm. This makes the machine bigger than a Zortrax M300 (300 x 300 x 300mm), which also costs ten times more. Still, the build volume is smaller than a Creality CR-10 S5 (500 x 500 x 500mm).
- TheTronxy X5S comes with a heated bed, so – at least according to the specifications – you should be able to 3D print with materials like ABS, Nylon or PET-G.
Voices from the Community
According to most reviewers, you shouldn’t buy a Tronxy X5S if you have no experience in building, tweaking and maintaining a 3D printer whatsoever. But in the hands of an experienced and dedicated maker, it can become a good addition to any workshop – if you are willing to spend a lot of time and a significant amount of money to replace inferior components.
Here‘s what the Tronxy X5S reviewers found out:
1. Problems with Heat Management
The most obvious problem you’ll encounter in a Tronxy X5S review is heat management. According to 3D Maker Noob, the machine is so heavily underpowered, it will lead to inferior print quality.
For starters, it took the Tronxy X5S 10 minutes to get the heated bed up to 40° Celsius. When heated up to 50° Celsius, the machine even wouldn’t start printing – the Tronxy X5S review unit was simply not able to heat up to this temperature, so the print didn’t start.
This also caused serious layer shifts while printing, because, the stepper motors didn’t get the proper voltage they need to move according to the G-code instructions. The only way the Tronxy X5S was able to print was by turning off the heated bed. But that means you’re limited to only printing PLA – and that’s not what Tronxy promises in the specs.
Some commenters pointed out that you can adjust potentiometers to adjust the current for the motors on the motherboard – but this isn’t probably something a beginner should do.
2. Problems with Electronics
There’s nothing wrong with a Marlin 3D printer board whatsoever – lots of 3D printers are using them without having any trouble. But according to Tri.L, who claims to have used the printer for quite a while, the Marlin 1284p board uses an older software version. What makes matters worse, it doesn‘t come with a bootloader.
Why would you want to update the Tronxy X5S software? Because the user interface is buggy, it lags, even hangs sometimes. Also, it does not recognize the SD card reader most of the time.
In order to update the Tronxy X5S’s board, you need an Arduino and considerable experience in flashing boards. Again, this is nothing a beginner will want to do.
3. Problems with Documentation and Missing Parts
Two more Tronxy X5S reviewers (here and here) complained not only about missing parts but also on faulty documentation. If you have already built a 3D printer, you probably can handle most of the problems; but beginners will have a hard time building this machine.
Where to Buy the Tronxy X5S
You can order the Tronxy X5S from most popular online stores like Amazon, Matterhackers, or Gearbest.
In the hands of a 3D printing veteran, the X5S is a formidable machine with a large build volume and a low price tag.
Tronxy doesn’t offer a dedicated English homepage. In case of questions regarding the 3D printer, you can go to the Tronxy X5S Facebook group.
This concludes our Tronxy X5S: Preview the Facts article. We’ll keep you up to speed on this 3D printer. If you have any addition, please feel free to add them to the comment section.
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