Top 3 Innovative 3D Printers for Beginners
The first modern 3D printer was invented and patented in 1984 by Chuck Hull at 3D Systems Corporation. That original SLA printer invention would have cost you around $300,000 to buy. Today, 3D printers are significantly cheaper and easier to use. They're also getting smaller, faster, and producing higher quality parts.
As daily users of a variety of 3D printing technologies in our NYC offices, we wanted to share our list of the three most innovative 3D printers for beginners in business. These might not be the best printers for children and/or hobbyists, but if you’re looking to use your 3D printer as a way to generate income for your 3D printing service, look no further than these three machines.
1. FFF/FDM - Original Prusa MINI+
Whether you’re brand new to 3D printing or have been doing it for years, this printer will be a trusty companion. This innovative FFF/FDM 3D printer provides the rare experience of being able to press print and walk away with confidence that you will return to a successfully completed build. The quality of the prints is remarkable given the low price.
The Prusa Mini+ is easy to assemble and maintain. The prusa website provides answers to nearly every question you may have and guidance on how to fix nearly every issue you may encounter. The only downside to the printer is its small build volume (7"×7"×7"). If you’re looking for a larger build volume, the Original Prusa i3 MK3S+ is a solid choice as well.
Price: $429 unassembled / $459 semi-assembled
2. SLA - Formlabs Form 3+
If you’re in the business of 3D printing resin parts for rapid prototyping, the standout desktop SLA 3D printer is the Formlabs Form 3+. Formlabs is a highly innovative company that focuses on creating top quality materials and technologies at a very reasonable price. The Form 3+ gives you crisp detail on complex parts with very little fuss.
The resin material choices offered by Formlabs are also top notch. They have everything from general purpose resins to industrial resins to medical and dental resins. The combo of a great printer and great materials means you can feel assured that you will produce quality parts that have a variety of valuable use cases.
Price: Starting at $3,750
3. SLS - Formlabs Fuse 1
If you’re looking to level-up from FFF/FDM or SLA 3D printing and want to produce end-use parts, a great place to start is with Formlabs’ Fuse 1 SLS 3D printer. SLS is a new and innovative way to 3D print parts. The process utilizes nylon powder material rather than filament or resins. The powder is sintered together to create durable parts that can undergo real-world use. Some SLS printers can cost as much as $70,000 and require immense amounts of space. The Fuse 1 is relatively small and compact making it easy to use in a small workspace.
The Fuse 1 is able to recover and reuse nearly all of the nylon powder that goes unused in each build making it a sustainable option for parts manufacturing. Advancements in the recyclability of nylon PA11 and PA12 continue to grow at a rapid pace meaning that we’re on pace to being able to easily recycle nylon parts. SLS printing is fast-growing and more and more companies are finding use cases for it.
Price: Starting at $18,999
