The Creality Ender 3 Pro Review The Y-axis foundation of Pro has been updated with stronger 40×40 aluminum extrusions.
Table of Contents
Creality Ender 3 Pro Review: Design, Software, and Print Test
Ender 3 Pro Review: Design
The Ender 3 Pro and Ender are not flawless printers, there is no getting around it. People often purchase these for relatively little money. The Ender 3 Pro may be purchased for less than $249 in Winter 2018 depending on the supplier you purchase it from.
The Ender 3 Pro’s frame is built of extruded aluminum, the same as the Creality CR-10. The Z axis on the left side of the frame is driven by one lead screw. However, the Creality Ender 3 Pro completes the loop and closes the frame, unlike its predecessor Ender 2, which had a cantilevered design that caused the X-axis rails to protrude into the air.
Similar to the Creality Ender 3, the Ender 3 Pro has a sizable heated print bed that measures 220 x 220 x 250mm, about twice as big as the Ender 2 and equivalent to the Prusa i3 Mk3 (250 x 210 x 200 mm).
The capacity to completely recover and continue printing after a power outage or interruption, a characteristic made famous by the Prusa i3 MK3 3D printer, is another remarkable feature of the Creality Ender 3 series. We’d love to see it used with inexpensive 3D printers. $200.
An integrated LCD screen with a clickable control wheel is located on the right side of the Creality Ender 3, Pro’s frame. The cover could be one of the first adjustments you make for your new machine as the control board is not closed. Similar to other Creality 3D printers, it has the same UI. Although it has a few more complicated options, generally, it is rather simple to use.
Ender 3 is entirely open source, although Ender 3 Pro doesn’t currently have a blueprint. On this, we’ll keep you informed.
The Creality Ender 3 Pro seems extremely attractive with all its capabilities, but deeds speak louder than words. Therefore, we made the decision to develop this 3D printer and release it for testing.
Printing Test
We began with test-dog.stl, a test model given by Creality on their SD card. Unfortunately, the printing was everything but good.
As you can see, we discovered layers of extrusion and rupture. Even worse, the filament rips at the print’s conclusion. Therefore, we changed Cura’s speed settings and leveled the bed, and it worked this time.
Benchy was then printed using white PLA filament from Raise3D as the next phase. Benchy proved to be pleasing, with just a few layer lines and sporadic lump appearances. Overall, this model offers a peek of the capability of the Ender 3 Pro.
The lampshade, which we purchased from Cults 3D, was then to be 3D printed, therefore we changed to use Bamboo filament. Unfortunately, each effort we made to complete this 12-hour print resulted with the filament breaking and the print head creating an empty circle in the air.
It required an extra hour to remove the clog that was the root of the issue. Even a tiny piece of PTFE tubing that had been entirely smeared and blocked by the molten wood filament had to be sacrificed.
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So, is the Ender 3 Pro to blame for this? Yes, we’ll say it. The hole, which has a rather sharp edge, is used to feed the filament close to the lead screw.
Therefore, the likelihood of your 1.75mm filament breaking when pushed by a motor is extremely significant if it is fragile (most 1.75mm filament is made of wood). To prevent issues, we advise printing out these small changes here. We gave up after three attempts and for time’s sake.
One of our preferred filaments, Fillamentum Vertigo Starlight, produced even greater results. Without using a buffer, we print a maze.
So, between Ender 3 and Ender 3 Pro, is there a difference in print quality? Indeed, there are a number. The Pro model’s axes are firmer, thus the Z-wobble doesn’t resemble that of the original Ender 3.
Autodesk Kickstarter Test
An Autodesk Kickstarter test model looks at the precision of an FDM printer – read more here. Ender 3 Pro achieves the following results:
- Dimensional Accuracy: 5 out of 5 points (24.90/19.91/14.96/10.08/5.14)
- Smooth Flow Control: 0 points (no towers scored correctly)
- Fine Negative Features: 5 points (all 5 pins are removable)
- Overhang: 2 points (dropped loop starts at 30-degree overhang)
- Bridging: 4 points (1 bridge touches the surface underneath)
- XY Resonance: 2.5 points (no ringer detected)
- Z-axis alignment: 0 points (layer registration effect visible)
- Overall, the Ender 3 Pro scored 21.5 out of 30 points.
Creality Ender 3 Pro Review: Software
We want to briefly discuss software, in particular the Ender 3 Pro’s 3D slicer setup before we wrap up our thoughts of the Creality Ender 3 Pro.
An SD card with Cura on it is provided by Creality, however, it is exclusively for Windows. Fortunately, the Mac or Linux version is freely downloadable from the Ultimaker website.
Even if there are minor variances in the printer itself, the settings and general dimensions are exactly the same, therefore you should load these settings and begin your slicing journey from here.
The Creality Ender 3 should be added to Cura as a custom 3D FDM printer with certain essential considerations in mind. First and foremost, make sure you adjust the filament diameter from 2.85mm (the default value) to 1.75mm in the main menu. This simple step is simple to avoid, but doing so will provide a print that is less extruded and less impressive overall.
Overall, we discovered that the Cura configuration performed pretty effectively.
We also used the well-known Simplify3D slicing program, which comes with a unique profile for the Ender 3 Pro. The outcomes are excellent, particularly in terms of the support system, which can be taken down considerably more easily.
Tech Specs
All the other technical specifications for the Ender 3 Pro are the same as in the regular Ender 3.
- Print volume: 220 x 220 x 250mm
- Nozzle: Single 0.4mm
- Filament: 1.75mm
- Heated bed temperature: 110℃
- Max. print speed: 180 mm/s
- Layer resolution: 0.1 – 0.4mm (100-400 microns)
- Connectivity: SD card reader
- LCD screen: Yes
- Print precision: +/- 0.1mm
- Packing type: Unassembled kit
Verdict
The good news is that, given the price, the Ender 3 Pro is an outstanding 3D printer. Expectations for the Ender 3 Pro are quite high.
But first, let’s be clear about one thing: This machine’s Pro label is only a provocative marketing claim. Although the Ender 3 Pro is a reasonably priced 3D printer, it cannot be regarded as a professional model.
For manufacturers, hobbyists, boxers, and to some degree even for knowledgeable novices, it is a great and economical instrument. And the Ender 3 Pro is capable of producing remarkable print quality that puts more costly printers to shame if you’re prepared to put in the time and give your printer your full attention. Professional, though? Not.
There are other reasons to spend $250 on this device, however. The relatively low cost is the first and most evident factor. Second, the Ender 3 Pro includes capabilities not seen in more costly 3D printers, such as a magnetic bed, power recovery mode, and narrow filament channels that make it simpler to work with flexible materials. Its build capacity is also respectable at 220 x 220 x 250mm. Thirdly, it only fixes a few Ender 3 problems. This device’s creators loved it since it was hackable.
There are a few drawbacks, though.
The magnetic bed, which was Ender 3 Pro’s most prominent selling point, caused us to have a love-hate relationship with it. On paper, this seems like a nice addition to a machine that is already excellent, however after using more expensive analogs of this feature (like the spring steel sheet on the Prusa i3 Mk3), you won’t want to go back to using a spatula to make molds from. produce plates.
The magnetic foundation of the Ender 3 Pro is quite tiny in comparison to the strong yet flexible metal plate. He didn’t get into his assigned position, instead staying where he fell, apart from his mediocre flip.
We often find ourselves in the position of having to manually alter the sheet. The bed’s location in the little area between the sides of the metal frame is the cause. Your prints will be ruined if the bed is improperly positioned because it will scrape on the Z axis.
The Ender 3 Pro can produce excellent print quality, so the inconvenience is forgotten once the bed has finally cooled down and you can remove the prints.
The bed’s leveling remains a challenge as well. The Ender 3 Pro’s auto-leveling feature will undoubtedly be a beneficial update. Take your time to get it correct since quality depends greatly on it, and your prints will be much better as a result. If you don’t, you can even have nozzle holes in the bed, which can ruin the finish and produce a print that is unattractive and uneven.
Despite these shortcomings, we thought the Creality Ender 3 Pro was, overall, a highly fun 3D printer that we’re confident the majority would like using. The quality of this inexpensive 3D printer is just astounding once the bed settings and calibration are correct.
