New 3D Printer Unboxing and Assessment

The brand new Voxelab 3D printer known as Aquila D1 appears to be designed as a substitute for Creality Ender 3 S1. Gambody crew acquired the most recent Voxelab Aquila and has already examined this machine. Learn a complete new 3D printer overview, see the check print, and determine if this may be your subsequent desktop system.

You possibly can learn Gambody’s overview of the earlier Voxelab Aquila 3D printer, additionally a substitute for one in all Ender 3 variations.

Voxelab Aquila

The brand new 3D printer was offered by Voxelab, a subsidiary model of a well known Chinese language firm, FlashForge, which is skilled in producing 3D printing machines. The entire Voxelab Aquila line, together with the D1 model, is a competitor to Ender 3D printers by one other Chinese language agency, Creality.

The official web site positions the Aquila D1 3D printer as a flagship one. It prices $399. If we evaluate its value with the Creality Ender 3 S1, which is $329, you’ll see the distinction in favor of the second.

In keeping with the producer, the $399 Voxelab Aquila D1 comes with X- and Y-axes rail guides that promise to lift the printing speeds to 180 mm/s. The machine comes with a direct extruder and PEI magnetic platform. The filament is fed via a BMG-type extruder. There are belt tensioners, an auto-leveling system, a filament sensor, and many others. The advert sounds spectacular, so unpacking this new 3D printer must be enjoyable.

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New 3D Printer Unboxing

Earlier than we are able to get to the Aquila check print, we should unbox and assemble the Voxelab Aquila D1 machine. It arrives partly assembled in a small package deal. Gambody likes the standard of all of the elements, the superb paint job, the absence of burrs, cute milling, and nice gap drills. The standard may be in comparison with new 3D printers by Creality and Anycubic.

Aquila 3D printer is securely packed in polyethylene foam. It arrives with directions and two packing containers inside a package deal. One field incorporates the assembled Direct Extruder. The opposite one has the required elements to construct and run the machine.

Let’s take a better take a look at the contents of the package deal:

• Three commonplace MK-8 nozzles fabricated from brass which is nice as a result of the market has lots of them obtainable together with modifications;
• Good-quality hexagons in a field;
• Small tongs just like what Anycubic gives;
• Palette knife (watch out to not scratch your new 3D printer platform);
• Glue (an ideal factor to incorporate with a Voxelab Aquilar, particularly when not many producers add it with their new 3D printers);
• Gear grease for screws and linear rails;
• 8 GB flash drive (a pleasant further with the Voxelab Aquila D1 3D printer equipment);
• Micro SD card reader with USB;
• Spool of pink PLA filament.

Voxelab 3D Printer Display screen (Aquila D1)

The D1 4.3-inch LCD touchscreen has a chip by Voxelab, which makes it unattainable to put in the firmware from different producers. Your selections are to attend for customized firmware releases prefer it was for Voxelab Aquila or use the inventory choices.

Anybody who thinks of Voxelab Aquila updates ought to change the LCD touchscreen first. Then again, the corporate’s software program is open supply, so you’ll be able to anticipate new mods to reach quickly.

Learn additionally: Anycubic Vyper 3D Printer with Auto-Levelling: Assessment, Specs, Worth, Assessments

3D Printer Voxelab Extruder

The Voxelab Aquila D1 extruder is similar to Creality’s Sprite extruder:

• Its engine is of comparable measurement;
• The motherboard has connectors on the again.

Not like Creality S1, the brand new 3D printer by Voxelab boasts extra dependable connectors. Its 30-mm fan is positioned on the facet, and the Extruder is fabricated from milled aluminum, nevertheless it nonetheless seems to be home made and might be neater. If you take a look at it, you don’t have any feeling of solidity.

There are higher choices than the one-side nozzle airflow utilized by Voxelab for the D1 machine. You may also see the PL05N2 inductive degree sensor on the print head and the BMG-like feeder fashion for the gears below the cap. However what unpleasantly strikes you is the huge hole between the gear and the extruder throat. It was designed this manner, so you can’t repair it. On high of it, a heavy steel casing considerably will increase the pinnacle’s weight. Thus, it’s higher to 3D print your personal plastic cowl and use it as an alternative.

Such a development ought to work properly for arduous plastics, however you should neglect about utilizing any comfortable supplies whereas 3D printing, no matter Direct Extruders’ major intention to assist them.

Aquila 3D Printer Body

The body comes assembled with a Z-axis motor and screws and X-axis linear information with a belt and belt tensioner. The extruder strikes alongside the X-axis linear bearings reminding us of MGN-9 with a metal nook, the place you clamp the extruder. It seems to be dependable.

The Z-axis mechanics stunned Gambody crew. Voxelab engineers added two Z-screws on every assist to realize higher stability. However the whole lot works from one stepper motor solely, with the belt connecting the railings from above. The issue is that the second screw is mounted in a single place; thus, the slightest beating can negatively have an effect on the print final result.

Take a look at Anycubic Vyper or Creality Ender 3 S1. You will notice that their engineers added two stepper motors per bearing and glued them to a floating clutch. Because of such an answer, the screw can bend barely, which is technically right. We might relatively take away the second screw, pulley, and hard-fastened couplings in favor of the abnormal one-screw construction with an anti-wobbling coupling.

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Voxelab Aquila D1 Construct Platform

The brand new 3D printer construct platform surprises with two linear guides with a skinny 6m Gates Energy Grip GT in between. Hopefully, it isn’t an excessive amount of as a result of the slightest non-parallelism of the rails can result in a wedge.

The printing mattress is magnetic with a double-sided PIE plate (one facet is barely tough to 3D print with out glue, and the opposite is clean). The milled locations for racks are a giant plus, with all electronics housed on the backside.

Sadly, not like in Ender 3 S-1, the brand new Voxelab Aquila D1 machine’s construct platform isn’t mounted rigidly to the rail, the screws usually are not mounted to the mattress and usually are not centered, and the springs are low cost. It’ll result in fixed leveling issues, which is widespread to the least expensive 3D printers.

It’s best to exchange the default springs and reassemble the construct platform, which may sit on 4 screws, just like S-1. By the best way, even the price range Anycubic Kobra 3D printer has a greater mattress.

Contained in the platform are an influence provide and a 32-bit mainboard (Aquila S2 makes use of a unique one) with the potential assist of six drivers( however solely 4 locations are soldered). It’s unclear why the corporate didn’t set up an extra Z-axis stepper motor.

The engine connector is XR64 with six connections for X- and Y-axis (perhaps, the 2 further wires are for finish sensors). Stepper motor drivers MS 35775 are silent and TMC 2208 suitable. Normally, the motherboard is typical. As a result of absence of a toolbox, there’s sufficient area for future Voxelab Aquila updates; thus, modders can set up almost any (even a big) board.

Aquila D1 3D Printer Meeting

The meeting of the brand new 3D printer by Voxelab is simple. You have to screw the body to the construct platform, connect the print head and the touchscreen, and join wires, and you’re finished. Nothing is difficult.

However proper after Voxelab Aquila meeting, Gambody sees how arduous the Z-axis strikes. It’s essential to reassemble the body and alter the guides to make sure they’re as parallel as doable. We have been fortunate to expertise no vibration points with X- and Y-axis, not like many different reviewers.

But, being absolutely assembled and able to print, Aquila D1 3D printer loses to its opponents. Voxelab makes use of many steel and customized rack profiles that look good. Nonetheless, the machine will get a boring but austere look whereas opponents introduce plastic components of intriguing shapes and deep blue colour into their new 3D printer designs.

Learn additionally: Greatest Low-cost 3D Printing Service for Hobbyists 2023

Turning on Aquila D1 3D Printer

If you activate the brand new 3D printer by Voxelab, your ears hear the hum of the followers. Aquila D1 is a really loud machine, even when idle. An identical downside was with Voxelab Aquila 3D printer, which was mounted by ordering a quiet fan and changing the default one.

It’s arduous to get used to the noise even after hours of 3D printing with D1. All followers hum concurrently, so staying in the identical room with this machine generally is a massive downside except you change all three followers with Winsinn or one thing related when it comes to high quality and value.

Aquila D1 Interface

The D1 touchscreen has a well-known interface that hasn’t modified because the launch of Voxelab Aquila. It responds quick and easily and masses immediately, nevertheless it has restricted capabilities.

The few settings don’t allow you to set the step measurement worth. If you happen to want to elevate the print head by 50 mm, you should actually click on 50 occasions. Fortunately, you’ll be able to alter the motor steps and nozzle top whereas 3D printing.

Aquila Check Print

Voxelab gives customers to make use of its Voxelmaker slicer, which we reviewed previously. It isn’t a foul device, however Gambody prefers utilizing the identical slicer for each 3D printer. Nice that the corporate considered its customers and launched its profile for Ultimaker Cura.

Sadly, you gained’t discover setting suggestions for Cura. You’re solely suggested to make use of the usual Customized FFF 3D printer with commonplace settings for Aquila 3D printers, which embrace low print pace and 5 mm Bowden retraction. If you happen to take a look at the G-code, you will notice that the pace of the check print is 60 mm/min, which is way from the marketed pace of 180 mm/min. Apart from, the supplied G-code won’t work as a result of the 3D printer extrudes the filament in the midst of the mattress, which may destroy your first layers. It’s higher to make use of Gambody’s newbie G-code settings for Cura.

One other bizarre factor is that Voxelab Aquila D1 printer doesn’t settle for 0 once you arrange the E (extrusion) parameter. It solely understands .0000 as an alternative of 0 to print appropriately.

The printer construction makes it almost unattainable to feed the filament manually by preheating it. You have to use the menu settings to load and unload the 3D printing materials.

P.S. Due to the poor-quality springs, we advise you put in G29 to auto-level the mattress earlier than 3D printing. This code begins the 25-point mattress calibration, which takes fairly a protracted however is price your time.

Our first check print was the 20 x 20 x 20 mm dice. It helps to see how precisely the machine is calibrated. And the result’s spectacular! All dice sides turned out completely properly. You possibly can discover some banding alongside the Z-axis, however it’s probably the results of the unsuccessful screw connection design we mentioned above.

3DBenchy is the second check we printed. This mannequin prints properly with clean layers even at steep angles, bridges, and spherical holes. Aquila D1 reveals wonderful outcomes. In case you are sad with the skinny ship racks, you’ll be able to calibrate the retraction settings.

Conclusion

After assembling and testing Voxelab Aquila D1 3D printer, we are able to define its benefits and downsides.

Benefits

• PEI magnetic desk (+1);
• Good equipment (+1);
• Materials high quality (+1);
• Simple meeting (+1);
• Huge touchscreen (+1);
• Rail guides (+0.5);
• Risk to improve (+1);
• Open supply (+1);
• Print high quality (+1).

Disadvantages

• Design (0);
• Print pace (0);
• Voxelab touchscreen interface and customized mainboard that doesn’t assist third-party firmware (-1);
• Cooling followers blowing in a single route below nozzle (-1);
• Direct Extruder that wants enchancment (-1);
• Questionable Z-axis design (-1);
• Noise (-1);
• No good Cura settings (-0.5);
• Excessive value (-1).

If we add the numbers, the ultimate rating will probably be 2. The Voxelab new flagship 3D printer seems very controversial. It seems to be like an inexpensive copy of Crealty Ender 3 S1. However Ender 3 can 3D print with FLEX filament proper out of the field, whereas Aquila D1 can’t do the identical.

The brand new 3D printer is dear due to the nice-quality rails that don’t assist to enhance 3D printing in any respect. In fact, this machine will print quicker than different inexpensive 3D printers at $200, however steel rails don’t have an effect on the pace.

Just like the earlier Voxelab Aquila 3D printer, the brand new D1 wants new silent cooling followers and different updates. An ideal 3D printer components is straightforward – add a very good mainboard and a very good direct extruder and low the ultimate value. However Voxelab engineers did precisely the other factor. Nonetheless, if Gambody fans occur to get the Aquila D1 3D printer, they will use it. It gained’t upset you an excessive amount of, however don’t anticipate it to impress you, both. There are higher selections for hobbyists.

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