The 300*300*320 mm build volume enables large model printing and small parts printing at a time, vastly improving the efficiency and offering more creation possibilities.

In total, you can expect to spend 10 minutes on the assembly. After that, about 15 minutes more for basic setup and calibration. Comparing to the FF, at the same resolution setting, this is far superior, and with the addition of Cura as the Slicer, faster on many prints too. It also allows colorful add-ons including laser engraving module, water cooling system and light strip kit. In particular, too much heat can affect the lifespan and performance of electronic parts such as the power supply, display, and mainboard. Just under the build plate on the front of the Max Neo are the MicroSD card and the Micro USB ports. These ports allow the user to load models for printing via a MicroSD card or by connecting the Max Neo directly to a computer with a Micro USB to USB-A cable.For later Ender 3 models, there’s also more powerful laser upgrades for the Ender 3 S1& S1 Pro, and an updated laser module with 10W power, Creality Updated Laser Module, which is much better suited for laser cutting. Most of this noise has a high frequency and not low-frequency vibrations that travel through your 3D printer table to nearby rooms. So overall, the sound is not that bad. Thanks to excellent installation instructions, setup is relatively straightforward for what is generally a fairly complex upgrade. E3D even provides STL files for a 3D printed adaptor mount and duct fan.

And if you are worried about sudden power loss, the resume print function of the Neo series will guarantee you a successful print without filament and time waste. Consider how easy an enclosure is to assemble and disassemble, especially if you don’t plan on having a permanent setup. Another common issue is that on budget 3D printers, Bowden extruders often use plastic parts. This was the case with the Ender 3 V2, for example. For that reason, upgrading the Ender 3 V2 extruder with metal parts is a popular change to make.

We tested a vase printed in TPU and a hand model printed in PLA, and the results came out very impressive. Adjacent to the feeder assembly is the filament detector. This detector is invaluable in rescuing print failures from oblivion by letting the user know when the filament has either broken or run out. At this point, we’ve covered Creality’s user interface for the V4.2.x-type boards plenty of times. It’s the same one found on all budget Ender 3-series machines and is more than enough for most users. The tents are typically made of flame-retardant plastic sheets (to cater for photography lights placed inside) that do a reasonably good job of containing heat, offering the Ender 3 a cozy environment to print filaments like ABS. It’s not the most insulative, but for those on a budget, it’s more than sufficient for most print projects. With traditional manual bed leveling, the 3D Printer uses the Z endstop—a small switch located by the Z axis motor—to tell the printer when the nozzle is fully lowered to the print bed. Since this does not take into account the height of the print bed itself, you’ll need to use the knobs on the corners of the bed to adjust the bed’s vertical position until it is exactly the right distance from the nozzle. This process requires a fair amount of manual effort and calibration to get just right, and it drifts slowly over time.

Other notable features include loops for a pair of LED light bars on the front panel should you fancy the upgrade along with a useful tool pouch on the enclosure’s side. The Micro SD card reader is fiddly to get to, especially when the printer is homing, and it can only handle FAT32 4096kb clusters. Would be nice to have a full-size exFAT reader on the control panel instead of under the machine The print bed on the Max Neo is a glass plate with a carborundum coating. Glass plates have very good adhesion in general and allow printed objects to be removed easily. They aren’t as flexible as other types of build plates though like PEI sheets or steel flexing plates. Unlike the V2 Neo, the Max Neo does not include a knob on the extruder to manually feed filament. We are a bit disappointed with this, as it makes the manual (un)loading of filament a bit easier The V2 Neo extruder on the left, the Max Neo extruder (with runout sensor) on the right. CR Touch Auto Leveling If you’re looking for a sturdier alternative to Creality’s tent-style enclosure above, 3D UpFitters’ Ender 3 kit is a solid option.We are happy to see that the max Neo uses a carborundum glass build surface, unlike the smaller Ender 3 V2 Neo which uses a PC steel bed. With a carborundum bed, you wont need to use any additional adhesives like hairspray, but it is critical that you clean the bed with a damp cloth after every 5-10 prints to maintain the adhesion of the bed surface. Carborundum is even better than standard glass when it comes to part removal. Typically, parts can be removed with only a light tap once the bed is cooled. After learning how to properly clean these beds, we now prefer them over borosilicate glass. The surface finish is not quite as smooth as borosilicate, but the superior adhesion without any hairspray more than makes up for it. Other Shared Features As old as the DIY RepRap printers that brought 3D printing to the masses, Marlin firmware is an open-source option that pairs particularly well with all Ender 3 models. Upgraded metal extruder - This is a more durable extruder and an important reliability upgrade. Many printers in the Ender series, such as the Ender 3 V2, use a plastic extruder housing, which is a very common point of failure due to the constant tension on the plastic parts.