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Monoprice-113860 Maker Select 3D Printer v2 With Large Heated (200 x 200 x180 mm) Build Plate + Free Sample PLA Filament And MicroSD Card Preloaded With Printable 3D Models, Black
Brand | Monoprice |
Material | Pla |
Color | Black |
Item Weight | 0.04 Kilograms |
Compatible Devices | Personal Computer |
About this item
- Includes Heated Build Plate, 2 Gb Micro Sd Card and Sample PLA Filament. Compatible softwares: Such as Cure, Repeater, or Simplify 3D, the Maker Select is compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux
- Large volume: The large 8 x 8 inches build plate and generous 7 inches vertical spacing means that you can print larger, more complex models. Note: Ensure that the nozzle temperature is set to the correct value for the type of material being printed.
- Check that the GCODE file is complete and not corrupted. Check the original model file. Heated build plate: The heated build plate allows you to print slower cooling materials, such as ABS and modified ABS, as well as PLA and PLA blends
- Micro SD card slot: Use a micro SD card to store sliced G Code files, then plug the card into the micro SD card slot to print without the need to connect to a Windows or Mac PC. Printable Materials- ABS, PLA, XT Copolyester, PET, TPU, TPC, FPE, PVA, HIPS, Jelly, Foam, Felty. Max. Extruder Temp- 500°F (260°C)
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Product details
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- Product Dimensions : 19.7 x 18.9 x 11.2 inches; 1.41 ounces
- Item model number : 113860
- Date First Available : November 24, 2015
- Manufacturer : Monoprice Inc.
- ASIN : B018GZBC3Y
- Best Sellers Rank: #259,191 in Industrial & Scientific (See Top 100 in Industrial & Scientific)
- #375 in 3D Printers
- Customer Reviews:
Product Description
If you're ready to take your ideas and designs from paper or CAD file to the next level, the Monoprice MAKER SELECT 3D Printer is the perfect starter solution for your needs! Unlike kit-based printers, which require a certain level of knowledge, experience, and time to assemble, the MAKER SELECT 3D Printer is assembled using only 6 screws and includes everything you need to begin printing right out of the box. With the ability to print any type of 3D filament and a price point lower than most DIY kits, this entry-level 3D printer is the easiest and least expensive way to join the 3D printing revolution! Includes 2GB micro SD card preloaded with printable 3D models out of the box Includes sample PLA filament so you can print right out of the box Heated build plate allows for high-reliability printing of slow cooling materials, such as ABS Can use compatible software, such as Cure, Repeater, or Simplify 3D Expanded user's manual with detailed, easy-to-follow assembly and usage instructions Tighten just 6 screws and be printing in 10 minutes Choose to give the innovative and creative gift of learning.Ambient Operating Temperature : +59 - +86°F (+15 – +30°C)
Important information
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From the manufacturer
- Includes 2GB microSD card preloaded with printable 3D models out of the box
- Includes sample PLA filament
- Heated build plate allows for high-reliability printing
- Can use compatible software, such as Cura, Repetier, or Simplify 3D
Print with any type of 3D filament
With the ability to print any type of 3D filament and a price point lower than most DIY kits, this entry-level 3D printer is the easiest and least expensive way to join the 3D printing revolution!
Maker Select 3D Printer v2
At less than the price of a new gaming console, give the gift of creativity!
Choose to give the innovative and creative gift of learning. If you're ready to take your ideas and designs from paper or CAD file to the next level, the Monoprice Maker Select 3D Printer is the perfect starter solution for your needs!
Tighten just 6 screws and be printing in 10 minutes
Unlike kit-based printers, which require experience, and time to assemble, the Maker Select 3D Printer is easy to assemble and includes everything you need to begin printing right out of the box.
Print Now:
Unlike DIY kits, this printer comes almost fully assembled and comes with everything you need, including sample PLA filament and a microSD card with sample 3D model files, ready to print!
Compatible Software:
With the ability to use both open-source and commercial software, such as Cura, Repetier, or Simplify 3D, the Maker Select 3D Printer is compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.
Large Volume:
The large 8 x 8 inch build plate and generous 7 inch vertical spacing means that you can print larger, more complex models.
Features
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3D FilamentPrint with any type of 3D filament including ABS-based, PLA-based, XT copolyester, PET, TPU, TPC, FPE, PVA, HIPS, Jelly, Foam, and Felty. |
Heated Build PlateThe heated build plate allows you to print slower cooling materials, such as ABS and modified ABS, as well as PLA and PLA blends. |
MicroSD Card SlotUse a microSD card to store sliced GCode files, then plug the card into the microSD card slot to print without the need to connect to a Windows or Mac PC. The printer includes a 2GB microSD card with sample 3D models, which you can slice and store on the card for direct printing. |
MP Select Mini | MP Select Mini PRO | Maker Select V2 | Maker Plus 10 Mini | Maker Plus 10 | Ultimate | |
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Customer Reviews |
3.9 out of 5 stars
3,134
|
3.9 out of 5 stars
3,134
|
4.0 out of 5 stars
802
|
3.6 out of 5 stars
118
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3.3 out of 5 stars
138
|
3.5 out of 5 stars
136
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Build Area | 120x120x120mm | 120x120x120mm | 200x200x180mm | 200x200x180mm | 300x300x400mm | 200x200x175mm |
Resolution | 100-300 micron | 100-300 micron | 100-400micron | 50-300 microns | 50-300 microns | 20-200micron |
Printing Speed | up to 55 mm/s | up to 100 mm/s | up to 70 mm/s | up to 100 mm/s | up to 100 mm/s | up to 150 mm/s |
Max Extruder Temp | 250℃ | 280℃ | 240℃ | 280℃ | 280℃ | 260℃ |
Heated Build Plate | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Removable Plate | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
Filament Sensor | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
Calibration | Manual leveling | Assisted leveling | Manual leveling | Assisted leveling | Assisted leveling | Manual leveling |
Connectivity | Color LCD Screen, Micro USB, Micro SD card, WiFi | Color TouchScreen, Micro USB, Micro SD card, WiFi | Mini USB, Micro SD Card | Touchscreen, Micro USB, Micro SD card, WiFi | Touchscreen, Micro USB, Micro SD card, WiFi | LCD Screen, USB, SD Card |
Supported Slicing Software | Cura, Repetier-Host | Cura, Repetier-Host | Cura | Cura, Repetier-Host, KISSlicer | Cura, Repetier-Host, KISSlicer | Cura |
What's in the box
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Monoprice 13860 Maker Select 3d Printer V2
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Customer Review: Amazing printer for a tinkerer
Ben Bridges
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Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the ease of assembly of the 3D printer. They say it is easy to set up and produces great prints. Customers are also satisfied with the value of the product. However, some customers have reported issues with the temperature and bed leveling. They mention that the bed stops heating and that the leveling is finicky. Customers also dislike durability. Customers have different opinions on performance, and quality.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the print quality of the 3D printer. They say that it produces very nice prints, and is capable of some great 3D prints. The frame is quite stable, and none of their failed prints have been a problem. The printer is upgradable to produce better prints, with PLA and PETG working well. Customers are impressed with the level of detail that this machine can accomplish, and it prints in as little as ten minutes.
"...This is a fantastic printer that gets better with every mod that is made to it...." Read more
"...Once you get it sorted and level, it can push out some good quality prints...." Read more
"...I love this printer mine right out of the box printed like a dream...." Read more
"...Pros:• Easy Setup <10 min assembly time• Upgradable to produce better prints•..." Read more
Customers like the ease of assembly of the 3D printer. They mention that it is easy to set up, has great prints, and is easy use. Some customers also appreciate the support process, which was pretty painless. Overall, customers are happy with the ease and speed of assembly.
"...Setup is pretty easy, apart from a few issues first being the bed leveling and this is where I recommend if you purchase this machine to go ahead..." Read more
"...All very simple to do. Read the web page I linked.OCTOPRINT!!!!!! Look it up, get a raspberry pi never look back!..." Read more
"...PLA is easy to use and only requires painters tape to stick to the build plate but lacks strength of ABS. If you decide to use ABS, first..." Read more
"...very careful when removing it from the packing because there are cable assemblies and small parts which can be easily damaged...." Read more
Customers like the value of the 3D printer. They say that it is well worth the price, the upgrades have not been expensive, and it is a strong value as an entry way into printing. Customers also say that the printer produces very high quality prints for the price.
"...the Monoprice 13860 Maker Select 3d Printer V2.1 is one of the very best values for an entry level 3D Printer...." Read more
"Good:Excellent, inexpensive machine for those who enjoy tinkering...." Read more
"...Overall I’m very happy with my purchase, this is a fantastic 3d printer for the price and introduce you to the world of 3d printing...." Read more
"...because of what I'd read about how great this printer was for the low price...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the performance of the 3D printer. Some mention that it works well with Cura, the heated bed seems to work great, and there are no major issues. However, others say that they started to fail, the default 60C to 75C and the printer went dead after six days.
"...Print Quality: Rated 4 of 5: Pretty good once setup right. The pictures I provided are examples stock...." Read more
"...hot which caused a bad smell, the display went out and the printer stopped working... This has been a known weak point on this and many other 3d..." Read more
"...the printer comes with a version of Cura for wanhao it works and works well eventually you will probably move on to a better slicer but maybe..." Read more
"Good:Excellent, inexpensive machine for those who enjoy tinkering...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the quality of the 3D printer. Some mention that the components appear to be of high quality, sturdy metal frame which is easy to assemble. However, others say that it was cheaply constructed, flimsy bed carriage, and defective right out of the box.
"...This printer has incredible potential and gives the user many options. The many options mean that it is easy to inadvertently screw things up...." Read more
"...Bad:Downright flimsy bed carriage which leads to the need to level the bed after each print if you apply any effort at all to remove a print...." Read more
"...Upgradable to produce better prints• Components appear to be of high quality, sturdy metal frame which is supposed to be superior compared to..." Read more
"Reasons to AVOID this printer:Mine was defective right out of the box. (And they (Monoprice) really don't care...." Read more
Customers have negative opinions about the temperature of the 3D printer. Some mention that the bed stopped heating, the temperature wildly fluctuates, and the printer won't hit the target temperature. The heat tends to damage the mats and tape over time, and it will require replacement. The cooling shroud is comically ineffective and tends t to burn up and cause hot bed failures.
"(update 3-23-18) After a year and a half the primary power connector on the mainboard got hot which caused a bad smell, the display went out and..." Read more
"...bed plug on the control board, even after recent revisions still gets too hot and smokes for *some* users...." Read more
"...Heating the bed is no help - I have read other people hitting the object with a hammer but that will throw off the level of the bed...." Read more
"...Without a fan cooling the extruder motor, heat from the element creeps up and softens the filament...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the bed leveling of the 3D printer. Some say that it is finicky, difficult, and frustrating, and that it needs to be releveled frequently. Some customers also mention that the X-axis was not level.
"...It required some patience as you made adjustments. There were just little blemishes or issues on the prints...." Read more
"...Right out of the box, my Maker Select V2 had bed leveling issues, which was obvious by looking at the sample print provided by MonoPrice...." Read more
"...My heated bed became bowed towards the middle making it nearly impossible trying to level it...." Read more
"...'s gotten so bad to this point that even over glass it's immensely hard to level the bed at this point...." Read more
Customers are dissatisfied with the durability of the 3D printer. They mention that the bed was bent, the SD card slot was bent in, and the board was physically damaged. Some customers also report that the aluminum bed came with some dents and scratches.
"...These are not rigid enough and bend so much that they fall right off if you even move the machine 1/2" and most of them will fall off as soon as you..." Read more
"...The first few layers had some warping, but that must be due to the fact that I didn’t store my old white Hatchbox PLA properly, which lead it to..." Read more
"...My print bed has warped slightly and replacing the carriage tray doesn't seem to have helped...." Read more
"...Cons:-The print bed is terrible. It warped after probably about 20 hours of printing at temperature...." Read more
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Despite the problem mentioned in the edit above... I still believe that the Monoprice 13860 Maker Select 3d Printer V2.1 is one of the very best values for an entry level 3D Printer. You can read and research for months, but you are not really going to learn much until you take the plunge and start working with a 3D Printer. This is a fantastic printer that gets better with every mod that is made to it.
As others have noted this is a "rebadged" Wanhao Duplicator I3. The same printer is rebadged by several other companies as well, so it is known by several names. Largely as a result of input received from the community of users that has come together on internet forums this printer has evolved since it was first released. Many of the improvements that people started making early on are now already incorporated into the printers now being sold. Over the past year counting all of the output under the various names it has quietly become one of the most popular entry level 3D Printers in the world. This is because it simply is a great value when you compare its features and potential with other offerings.
There are many very good reviews both here on Amazon and in many other places on the internet. Many of the issues mentioned in reviews even just from a few months ago have been corrected. I would like to comment just on my experiences with it so far and my thoughts as someone who has much experience with computers starting from the early 1980s and also with the manufacturing process who worked as millwright for about a decade many years ago.
This printer comes very well packaged, but you need to be very careful when removing it from the packing because there are cable assemblies and small parts which can be easily damaged. This is a deceptively complex device despite its uncomplicated looking appearance. It basically comes with all the pieces that are provided in kits that can take many hours, days or even weeks to complete... only already assembled.
Many of the highly critical reviews actually reflect as much about the person writing the review as they do about the printer itself. Specifically, reviews from people who claim to have sent multiple printers back are generally from people who should not have purchased this type of printer to start with. Despite my great enthusiasm for this printer. There are many people who will never be happy with this printer and should not buy one. This printer has incredible potential and gives the user many options. The many options mean that it is easy to inadvertently screw things up. It will print the examples that come with it right out of the box, but to master it will take some time and patience.
Our Monoprice 13860 came with a broken limit switch behind the moving platform. The printer uses mostly off the shelf parts that are easy to find replacements for. I went to Radio Shack for a couple of dollars and bought a replacement that was similar to get the printer working. I then emailed Monoprice and they sent me the correct replacement part which arrived a few days later. I am still using the Radio Shack part however. The Monoprice support people were helpful, but the real help is on the online forums which have a huge following mostly under the Wanhao name.
Currently we have had the printer for a little less than a month. I downloaded and printed many upgrades for it from Thingiverse. I printed out a lot of fun stuff that other people designed. I also have designed and printed several original designs that I put together myself using software that is free to home users. My two favorites are 123D Design from Autodesk and their more advanced program Fusion 360. Both are extremely good programs and the full versions are both provided totally free to home users. And there are great tutorials available for both programs. I would suggest that you do start with 123D Design.
A couple notable projects... I designed and printed out a gear box with a 36 to 1 increase to hand crank a 12v 6w bicycle for powering lights and charging batteries and cell phones. It is much more powerful than the little ones you can buy. I printed out a flange that attaches an aluminum adapter to run our home generator on natural gas. I have also printed out hard to find replacement gears for a couple different tools. These gears and parts are best printed with special filaments that are designed for the type of service the parts are intended for.
Many of the printers that were designed for the plug and play crowd will not handle any filament other than the type that the manufacturers sell for them. To get good results someone else has figured out all the optimum settings for the preselected filament which by strange coincidence costs multiple times what bulk filament from other sources cost. Interestingly enough filaments that are sold on Amazon and are made from the same basic material PLA, ABS, Nylon, etc. etc. often behave differently. For instance in PLA black seems to stick to the printing bed better than white.
Nylon needs a different type of bed adhesive than PLA and you need to turn off the fan that cools the filament as it is being printed. ABS must have the printing bed heated to a high temperature and it works best if you cover the printer with a tub to keep the heat in. There are many variables that you can easily control with this printer that will make things work better or worse depending especially on the filament that you are using. In a little less than a month I have discovered through research on the forums etc. and experience a lot that is helping me get great results. I have learned a lot.
This printer has literally been running night and day since we got it. I have already put hundreds of hours on it and gone through full spools and miles of filament. The bearings under the print bed get the most abuse and are a little problematic and I have ordered replacement bushings. They haven't gone out yet, but if you do not keep them properly lubed they start feeling pretty stiff and I do not trust them. I have done a number of other mods that have helped me to get amazing results. There are many videos on YouTube especially that show the types of mods that people like to do.
At this point in time, I think that a 3D Printer is a valuable tool for a home shop. Learning 3D modeling with professional quality software that hobbyists can get free licensing for has been exciting. In just a little less than a month I am able to design and print out my own useful parts, creations and replacement parts in various materials. This is something that can augment a wood working shop, machine shop, home shop, or just a tinkerer with printer sitting in the kitchen. For me this has been a great new endeavor. I have had failed prints when trying new filament, and I have had some that have turned out incredible just downloading and printing from Thingiverse or some other source and printing them out. It is not for everyone and it will take a little patience but there can be a lot of reward as well. I have learned a lot and will update this review in another couple months.
(Update 01-19-2017) We have had the printer for approximately 2 months now. The first month we literally had it printing night and day. At this point we are still using it frequently, but have become much more proficient at designing our own parts using the software mentioned previously. It is very gratifying to come up with an idea, crate a 3D model and then print it out. We have a shop with a lot of tools and I am proficient in both metal and woodworking, but this adds a new dimension. While I took drafting in college decades ago, I seldom used this skill when making metal and wooden objects. Now this new software makes it easier to create not only drawings with precise specifications, but be able to create the parts with little effort afterwards, and they are repeatable.
There is much more to 3D Printing than one realizes initially. You can learn a lot by reading the forums for this and similar printers. We have no regrets that we started with this printer and it should meet our needs for quite a while down the road. Because a big job can take so long, having more than one 3D Printer is very common among enthusiasts. Personally, I am more inclined to use the new skills I have learned designing 3D objects by eventually adding a CNC router or milling machine to our shop.
TLDR: If you do not feel like reading below, words of advice before printing anything: Check EVERY screw, including Set Screw on Filament Gear inside Hot End Assembly, Check X Level, Check for Y Carriage Warp, Upgrade Y Carriage.
Setup is pretty easy, apart from a few issues first being the bed leveling and this is where I recommend if you purchase this machine to go ahead and also order a good sturdy Y Carriage Plate Upgrade such as the one from Gulfcoast Robotics. (Read on for Info) I will definitely be adding auto bed leveling to this printer as getting your fingers on them screws without mods at all (specifically the rear adjustments) is a big pain.
I started off with just assembling and doing a few prints after trying to manually level the heat bed the best I can (really wish this came with auto-bed leveling - that is my next project for this machine)
Issues:
Y Carriage: In my case my Y Carriage Plate came pre-warped which contributed to (but wasn't the major factor in manual bed leveling issues) After a few initial test prints I decided to go ahead and take off the build plate to see what was up and after placing it on a flat glass surface I found that 2 diagonal opposing corners are slightly bowed approx. 0.5mm. Since the heat bed being much more sturdy isn't going to really bow/bend much if any at all this causes those corners to project from the Y carriage to those corners of the heat bed and when you adjust one opposite corner the other 3 sides are affected which when things are off or even warped causes a headache trying to get the opposing sides level.
Z Screws: While working on my build plate I noticed some corkscrew shaped metal shavings approx. 1"-2" long just off the side where the Z Screws are, apparently, I lost a slight amount metal from threads off the Z Screws on both sides. Turned out after measuring from the heat bed up to the X Rods that the Axis was off by around 1.2" from one side to the other (accurate within 0.5mm given the bow on the Carriage) This was causing the screw to bind as the Z Axis moved up and down along the plane since X is leveled on left and right via the Z Axis Screws and X plane needs to move evenly on both sides at the same level and speed. This was an easy fix, simply placing a flat object (such as a small plastic storage container) on the bed under the X Rod, starting on one side, adjusting then moving to the other side and adjusting that side (repeat until pretty level). You can, with the power off or with stepper motors disabled, free hand turn the screws on the Z Axis to level these out. Z Axis does not slide freely without manually turning the screws, that being said, while I do not expect leveling to be spot on out of the box, I would not expect that much off that it can actually shred metal off the screws due to binding. At most 1-5mm off would be within reason from the factory with 5mm being quite a bit for "preset factory tested". Mine was obviously not used as it still had a butterfly test print stuck to the heat bed when I received it which also indicated that it had to be tested? But, obvious that some inhouse auto level method was used to run the print and not manually calibrated.
Filament Gear: (Small Gear used to feed/pull Filament down into the hot end). Mine was loose, I kept hearing a semi muted thumping noise as it would pull filament, I noticed that the Hot End appeared to vibrate/bounce a little as it made the noise so I decided to investigate it. Found that this gear was semi loose and pushed its way back away from where the filament is causing the filament to ride the edge of the gear instead of a aligned at or near center to give and even run as the gear is pressing against it which applies pressure to it onto a roller on the apposing side allowing the gear to grip and pull the line. Easy fix, re-adjust gear to a better position, apply some blue thread lock to the set screw on the gear and tightened back down. Has not moved at all since then.
Build Sheet: (Sheet of material that sticks to or is placed on Heat Bed that gives print a place to stick during print) I had to remove the Build Sheet that came on the machine and this should have been my first indication that something was wrong, but.. Mine had come with a pretty deep scratch in it from left to right where the Hot End was sitting when I unboxed it. I did not take a picture of it as again, I was not too worried about that given the machine came with a spare (and I had planned on getting both PEI and Borosilicate Glass which would help in the event the sheet was unusable). At any rate, after my findings above, I went ahead and went through the painful process of removing the old sheet and sticking the new spare to the bed.
Feet: The machine came with around 6 little feet which appear to be some sort of rubber, TPU semi-rubber-plastic feet (not sure on material) However, this has to be one of the worst designs I have ever seen. They are meant to slip onto the frame providing what I assume would be quieter operation and make it harder for machine to slide on a slick surface such as glass table. These are not rigid enough and bend so much that they fall right off if you even move the machine 1/2" and most of them will fall off as soon as you pick the machine up. I had forgot about them and after my initial testing of the machine, I moved it from my desk in another room into a dedicated location in my work shop where I had to backtrack to find the feet that had left an old fashioned bread crumb trail back to its first home.
After the above, I decided to go through the machine and check every screw and I am glad I did. Almost every screw on my machine was loose with exception to the screws I put in to attach the Z Frame to the rest of the machine when I unboxed it. (I did not check inside the power supply/control unit yet.
Quality control could be improved by Monoprice, but, despite the above the machine is not bad and I do recommend it. Once you get it sorted and level, it can push out some good quality prints. At the price point and what it is capable of with a little TLC out of the box is not bad at all.
How/Why I rated it the way I did:
Print Quality: Rated 4 of 5: Pretty good once setup right. The pictures I provided are examples stock. I have since improved it more but with a few mods including an all metal hotend and Y Carriage. Though, marginal, it did improve. (Image used with arrows indicating varying degree of adjustment to the corners when leveling is not the image of my machine but one I found online that I just needed a higher res image to edit in photoshop to add indication arrows)
Tech Support: I rated it a 5, but I did not contact them so I cannot downrate for having no communication or experience with them.
For Beginner: 3 of 5, sure there is less to put together as its pre-assembled, however, with the other underlying issues such as loose screws including the Filament Gear I would not say this is beginner friendly. However, if you happen to get one that does not have that issue I would rate it around 4.
Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2020
TLDR: If you do not feel like reading below, words of advice before printing anything: Check EVERY screw, including Set Screw on Filament Gear inside Hot End Assembly, Check X Level, Check for Y Carriage Warp, Upgrade Y Carriage.
Setup is pretty easy, apart from a few issues first being the bed leveling and this is where I recommend if you purchase this machine to go ahead and also order a good sturdy Y Carriage Plate Upgrade such as the one from Gulfcoast Robotics. (Read on for Info) I will definitely be adding auto bed leveling to this printer as getting your fingers on them screws without mods at all (specifically the rear adjustments) is a big pain.
I started off with just assembling and doing a few prints after trying to manually level the heat bed the best I can (really wish this came with auto-bed leveling - that is my next project for this machine)
Issues:
Y Carriage: In my case my Y Carriage Plate came pre-warped which contributed to (but wasn't the major factor in manual bed leveling issues) After a few initial test prints I decided to go ahead and take off the build plate to see what was up and after placing it on a flat glass surface I found that 2 diagonal opposing corners are slightly bowed approx. 0.5mm. Since the heat bed being much more sturdy isn't going to really bow/bend much if any at all this causes those corners to project from the Y carriage to those corners of the heat bed and when you adjust one opposite corner the other 3 sides are affected which when things are off or even warped causes a headache trying to get the opposing sides level.
Z Screws: While working on my build plate I noticed some corkscrew shaped metal shavings approx. 1"-2" long just off the side where the Z Screws are, apparently, I lost a slight amount metal from threads off the Z Screws on both sides. Turned out after measuring from the heat bed up to the X Rods that the Axis was off by around 1.2" from one side to the other (accurate within 0.5mm given the bow on the Carriage) This was causing the screw to bind as the Z Axis moved up and down along the plane since X is leveled on left and right via the Z Axis Screws and X plane needs to move evenly on both sides at the same level and speed. This was an easy fix, simply placing a flat object (such as a small plastic storage container) on the bed under the X Rod, starting on one side, adjusting then moving to the other side and adjusting that side (repeat until pretty level). You can, with the power off or with stepper motors disabled, free hand turn the screws on the Z Axis to level these out. Z Axis does not slide freely without manually turning the screws, that being said, while I do not expect leveling to be spot on out of the box, I would not expect that much off that it can actually shred metal off the screws due to binding. At most 1-5mm off would be within reason from the factory with 5mm being quite a bit for "preset factory tested". Mine was obviously not used as it still had a butterfly test print stuck to the heat bed when I received it which also indicated that it had to be tested? But, obvious that some inhouse auto level method was used to run the print and not manually calibrated.
Filament Gear: (Small Gear used to feed/pull Filament down into the hot end). Mine was loose, I kept hearing a semi muted thumping noise as it would pull filament, I noticed that the Hot End appeared to vibrate/bounce a little as it made the noise so I decided to investigate it. Found that this gear was semi loose and pushed its way back away from where the filament is causing the filament to ride the edge of the gear instead of a aligned at or near center to give and even run as the gear is pressing against it which applies pressure to it onto a roller on the apposing side allowing the gear to grip and pull the line. Easy fix, re-adjust gear to a better position, apply some blue thread lock to the set screw on the gear and tightened back down. Has not moved at all since then.
Build Sheet: (Sheet of material that sticks to or is placed on Heat Bed that gives print a place to stick during print) I had to remove the Build Sheet that came on the machine and this should have been my first indication that something was wrong, but.. Mine had come with a pretty deep scratch in it from left to right where the Hot End was sitting when I unboxed it. I did not take a picture of it as again, I was not too worried about that given the machine came with a spare (and I had planned on getting both PEI and Borosilicate Glass which would help in the event the sheet was unusable). At any rate, after my findings above, I went ahead and went through the painful process of removing the old sheet and sticking the new spare to the bed.
Feet: The machine came with around 6 little feet which appear to be some sort of rubber, TPU semi-rubber-plastic feet (not sure on material) However, this has to be one of the worst designs I have ever seen. They are meant to slip onto the frame providing what I assume would be quieter operation and make it harder for machine to slide on a slick surface such as glass table. These are not rigid enough and bend so much that they fall right off if you even move the machine 1/2" and most of them will fall off as soon as you pick the machine up. I had forgot about them and after my initial testing of the machine, I moved it from my desk in another room into a dedicated location in my work shop where I had to backtrack to find the feet that had left an old fashioned bread crumb trail back to its first home.
After the above, I decided to go through the machine and check every screw and I am glad I did. Almost every screw on my machine was loose with exception to the screws I put in to attach the Z Frame to the rest of the machine when I unboxed it. (I did not check inside the power supply/control unit yet.
Quality control could be improved by Monoprice, but, despite the above the machine is not bad and I do recommend it. Once you get it sorted and level, it can push out some good quality prints. At the price point and what it is capable of with a little TLC out of the box is not bad at all.
How/Why I rated it the way I did:
Print Quality: Rated 4 of 5: Pretty good once setup right. The pictures I provided are examples stock. I have since improved it more but with a few mods including an all metal hotend and Y Carriage. Though, marginal, it did improve. (Image used with arrows indicating varying degree of adjustment to the corners when leveling is not the image of my machine but one I found online that I just needed a higher res image to edit in photoshop to add indication arrows)
Tech Support: I rated it a 5, but I did not contact them so I cannot downrate for having no communication or experience with them.
For Beginner: 3 of 5, sure there is less to put together as its pre-assembled, however, with the other underlying issues such as loose screws including the Filament Gear I would not say this is beginner friendly. However, if you happen to get one that does not have that issue I would rate it around 4.
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Uno mayores problemas que encontré con la impresora es que la base no tiene suficiente capacidad para llegar a la temperatura ideal en la cual el plástico ABS se adhiera adecuadamente. Otro es que uno de los tornillos de avance para el eje z no tiene instalado un sensor para calibrar su posición por lo que se necesita hacer manualmente, lo cual se hace tedioso ya que es fácil que pierda su posición mientras la máquina esté apagada.
Logré imprimir unos cuantos modelos de prueba con el filamento PLA incluido con resultados muy aceptables, utilizando filamento ABS de hatchbox mejoro considerablemente la calidad de impresión pero la poca adhesión a la base por baja temperatura arruinó algunos impresiones. No me animé a subir más la temperatura a la que se indica en el manual como máximo por miedo a sobrecargar algún componente. Si se utiliza PLA la adhesión es muy buena con la superficie base incluida.
I did regrettably have one major issue. I was completely new to 3D printing when I first purchased this printer. Since then I've been fortunate to try out several other printers. And one thing I always noticed was that it was absolutely necessary to level a print bed, and even the cheapest printers should be able to do this (albeit with a bit of manual work). My printer never was able to level completely flat. And I eventually realized the print bed itself was warped when I received it. It's well outside of its warranty period now, so I always do wonder what Monoprices response to the issue would have been.
With that said, even with leveling issue, I never would have gotten into 3D printing if it weren't thanks to this inexpensive and largely reliable printer.