At the beginning I was thrilled with the printer. The operation is extremely simple, the printer looks good and fits perfectly in the home user area. Should therefore be ideally suited for beginners or hobby engineers who are not familiar with the subject or simply do not want to think about what is in the background so expires.
Hardware far OK, the details I will go into greater detail below.
But first to the software:
Included is a CD on which the marketed XYZ Printing XYZWare is a tremendously limited 3D display software, which also includes a slicer. Its task is the preparation of the 3D model in a comprehensible for the printer layers model.
This makes for simple forms no problems. If one tries but, more complex shapes or even several STL files to print simultaneously, comes at the end just a huge mess out here, since the railways, which should leave the printer, be calculated completely wrong.
Ganauso it is for models that do not have a width (that consist of only one area) and for models that have been turned "inside out".
In order for this software has no or only very poor control / testing mechanisms.
The use of other software is not possible without modifications to the printer or the printer firmware. However, doing so will void the warranty.
You have to know that you can use only the filament also sold by XYZ Printing on this printer yet. This is in comparison to other providers schweineteuer, but added, also of good quality. Prints succeed very well with the standard filament.
One can the same filament but also much cheaper purchases. In the cartridges, which are sold by XYZ, are approx 400g filament, however, there is the same filament in the same quality at the same price on a 1kg role.
If you want to use the more favorable filament, the amount of remaining material must be on the chip, which is located in the printer cartridge from XYZ, will be overwritten, because the printer saves time and again how much filament is still available.
This was no problem up to the latest version of the firmware and XYZWare, however, as others have mentioned, included a Trojan in the new version of XYZWare which makes printing impossible. This then goes off course the guarantee, as I experienced (improper modifications).
Among other problems the software I let the at this point because the review is too long otherwise. Others have already mentioned my views.
Now briefly to problems with the hardware, which I had from time to time:
The connectors and cabling in this product are so badly processed that they dissolve again and lead to incomprehensible error codes that occur seemingly at random.
For example, current supply to the extruder. This was simply not heated after a certain time. Reason was (after hours of debugging), an unsuitable for this purpose plug having the cable connected from the extruder module to the motherboard. This had simply dissolved. After me that's happened several times, I've decided the cable easy to solder. Since then, no longer happens.
Another problem: For several days, I get the error message that the temperature in the printer is too high (the middle of the pressure). Well, off the printer, allow to cool, measured temperature, 20 ° C, turned himself errors. After a very exciting journey back through the wiring of the printer, I have found the error: The cable of the temperature sensor at the extruder head have become loose and cause a short circuit. Good cable (or rather wires) replaced and off we went.
Until next Fröhlichen hidden object game. A great harness had burned through and the plastic, which should hold together the individual cable was melted. Reason: The harness has scoured to a metal surface and the insulation has been completely solved. Short circuit and one happening after another.
In addition still lined up a few other minor problems that I did not think it worth mentioning.
Conclusion:
Processing (Optical): OK, in some places not very great, but good overall.
Processing (technical): Not enough, horrible process, which could date back to the kindergarten.
Software: In order, however, too restrictive and too little functionality
Filament: Poor, because officially only XYZ-filament can be bought and this is very expensive and the manufacturers could simply increase the price when it suits him so. I also find it an insult that the printer refuses to work when you try to use other filament. I have to point out that the software for Windows appears to be the worst, since it often happens that models are miscalculated / transferred. However, this may also be because I'm using an old version of XYZWare because I do not want any Trojan on my PC. Under Mac OS, the software is better.
Print quality: Well, something to be inaccurate (approx 0.8mm inaccuracy), but otherwise OK.
UPDATE 04/01/2015
Today a thoroughly bad April Fool's joke was played me from my printer. Now that I've already repaired the printer for the umpteenth time, he ran a few months well, although from time to time appeared minor problems. Today went to nothing more because the engine that pushes the filament through the Durckkopf has refused to serve. This my printer is now a total loss. I advise all those who are reading this: Invest a little more for a good product and does not try to save the wrong place. Who buys cheap, buys twice often.
