Large Scale Central

3D "Core XY" Enclosed Printers

Modeling Technical Modeling
#1

I guess I’ve been asleep for a couple years, because a new breed of printer has emerged that I didn’t know beans about. With thanks to Todd Brody and Bill Hines on Neil Wiggin’s thread on 3d printed ties, I was made aware, and started to check further.

With the enclosed / heated build volume and higher-temp bed and extruder, these printers handle the higher-temp FLD materials such as ABS and ASA that are better suited for outdoor environments. And they’re faster. A lot of other improvements makes them easier to use with more reliable results.

And after a bit of probing, I’ve come across these contenders. This isn’t an exhaustive list, and there are numerous vids on each, and on comparing one against the other.

Bambu Lab X1C - the guys that started this wave of printers, and the unit everyone’s trying to beat

Prusa Core One - great for DIY upgrades and maintainability

Creality K2 - huge build volume

Elegoo Centauri Carbon - super inexpensive

Anycubic Kobra S1 - affordable and decent features

Feel free to chime in.

1 Like
#2

I didn’t watch any of the videos yet. What is a ballpark price range from the cheapest to the top of the line?

I’m not sure I’ll ever master 3D CAD, but there is so much available pre-designed that a printer has been on my someday list for a while.

#3

Not to discount Bambu printers but core xy introduced in 2012. All the rage in 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ramiM3KHYE

#4

My first printer was a core XY but my last three have been bed slingers. A Bambu X1C with AMS will probably be my next one.

#5

Should be known that Bambu went with the “No Third Party” last January and though I keep getting this upgrade notice every time I run the program, I’ve left mine “as is” so can still run third party software if the desire/software strikes.

#6

The REAL STEAL is to buy the Bambu P1S. It is essentually the X1C without the bells and whistles and it can still use the AMS.

Current factory list $849 vs $1,449, both with AMS.

#7

A couple reviewers said that as well, similar specs & quality. Some people don’t like the little monochrome screen, but one guy pointed out that he uses his phone for the interface anyway, so it’s not an issue.

#8

Without the multi-color system, maybe 300-1100?

#9

You don’t need to “Master” 3D CAD to make stuff. DesignSpark Mechanical (free download) will let you make stuff very simply using lines, rectangles, circles, and arcs. Buildings and such as used on the railroad, are really a piece of cake.

https://www.rs-online.com/designspark/mechanical-download-and-installation

#10

I’m glad Design Spark jumped into the 3d CAD. Their 2D CAD and circuit board products are excellent.

Todd, do you use the multi-filament thing? Thoughts?

I’d like to have a multi-spool feeder, mainly to have a backup spool in case of runout.

But for the life of me, as cool it sounds, I can’t picture ever printing in more than one color… And I’m getting the idea that those systems add a number of potential hangup points that increase risk of print failures. Also, that they waste a lot of material in changing colors when a given layer has more than one color.

#11

This guy has a good post on the differences between the P1S and X1C

https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/186syao/the_actual_difference_between_the_x1c_and_the_p1p/

#12

That IS a nice comparison, thanks Bob. I thought the P1S had all the bed leveling features; and since that’s one of my big heartburn items, along with all the other upgrades listed, that moves the needle over to the X1C for me.

Even so, other makes have other nicer features, so I’ll probably be investigating for awhile.

#13

Changing colors does use a whole lot of filament because each time it changes, the other filament must be purged and pooped. The only reasonable printer that has gotten around that is the Prusa that uses 5 separate print heads, so they don’t need to purge. But it is a huge machine, vertically, costly, not something I would really use, and (most important) the print quality doesn’t stack up to the Bambu.

You can “economically” print color if you do it in “layers” rather than in “spots” because it won’t have to purge at every layer, only when the layers change color. If you print with color spotted in, you can end up with a whole lot more poop than product. Even a 5:1, or more poop to product ratio would not be unreasonable.

Still, it is nice to have a place to store the extra spools and the software default assumes you have the AMS. When I got mine last Black Friday weekend, it was a $250 addition (included in the $1,100 total price). If you use Bambu filament, there is a chip in the spool and the AMS/computer system will know the various printing parameters and will even display the proper color in the computer display, all automatically.

I think that the AMS MAY help avoid hang-ups. When I set mine up, I had a twist in the tube, and was getting a feed error. After I fixed the twist, I’ve never gotten the error again. The AMS works with the filament retraction and pulls the filament out of the extruder, winding it back onto the roll at the end of the job. It actually does winding at various points during the set-up and calibration routine also. You would not want to leave the filament to cool in the extruder.

It is nice that it will change spools during a job if the filament runs out. But you need to be really careful here…,

Many/most manufacturers will put a piece of electrical tape on the hub to hold the end of the filament. If so, and this tape comes off with the filament (or even its adhesive), it can and will clog the lines and keep the filament from feeding.

#14

I have held off reporting this not wishing to upset our Benevolent Dictator, but it is time to pas this on. I purchased a Banbu Lab X1 Carbon in October 2024. Was excited to purchase what I thought was a quality item. Began the set up to be met with I MUST install their software on my phone. I DON"T TO APPS on my phone. Started conversation with the Artificial Idiot help system. Went rounds providing the information they asked for. No help.

Long story short, If Bambu Lab does not have access to your files and equipment it will not work. Having had several conversations with an 300.00engineer friend, he went digging to see what he could find. Here is the clip he sent me.

NFCK8675
NFCK86751105×567 53.5 KB

I have done some more digging in Bambu Lab forums and located the full thread here Explaining the "Auth System" in laymans terms - #24 by drakko - General discussions - Bambu Lab Community Forum .

With this kind of code embedded in the software, I wonder what else it there. I now have a $1,300.00 paperweight they will not take back and is useless to me.

Caveat Emptor

#15

What I Look for in a 3D Printer

I’m hesitant to chime in amongst such an experienced crowd, but I too, am looking for a new printer even though my printer continues to meet my current needs. I am seeing a real advantage to purchasing an enclosed core XY printer. There is a lot of jostling for pole position right now, so I’ve decided to set certain requirements to meet my current wants and future needs.

While cost is a factor, I’m focusing on long-term value rather than just the upfront cost. A machine that’s reliable, upgradeable, and well-supported will always serve me better than a cheap one that quickly becomes outdated or requires constant fixing. Here’s what I look for:

1. Kit vs. Pre-Assembled: Why I Prefer Kits

I personally prefer kit-based printers over pre-assembled ones because:

  • I learn how it works. Assembling the printer gives me a deeper understanding of its mechanics, making future troubleshooting much easier.
  • I can customize it. Kits usually allow for more modifications, letting me fine-tune the machine to my needs.
  • They’re often cheaper. Since I’m handling the assembly, the cost is usually lower than a pre-built alternative.
  • I can easily service my machine. Because I assembled it, I don’t have to guess how to disassemble it.

That said, if I were recommending a printer to someone who just wants to print without the learning curve, I’d probably suggest a pre-assembled option. My kit took me 16 hours to build

2. Upgradability: A Printer Should Grow with Me

I don’t want a machine that becomes obsolete after a couple of years. A good printer will let me upgrade instead of forcing me to replace the whole thing. I’m looking for:

  • Swappable hotends and extruders so I can adapt to new materials and better print performance.
  • Multi-material expansion options in case I want to experiment with dual extrusion or color mixing.
  • Firmware updates that improve performance and add new features to the hardware I already own.

This saves money in the long run and reduces waste, which I consider a big plus.

3. Open Source vs. Closed Source: My Take

I strongly prefer open-source printers because they offer more freedom. If I want to modify the firmware, upgrade hardware, or print custom parts, I can. Plus, a strong community means I’m never short on ideas, printable upgrades, or troubleshooting help.

That said, I understand why some people choose closed-source printers. They’re often easier to use, more polished, and come with single manufacturer support. But I don’t like the idea of being locked into a proprietary ecosystem where parts, upgrades, and even software are controlled by the company. If they discontinue support, I’m out of luck. If they go out of business I’m really out of luck.

4. Reliability & Print Quality: It Has to Work

No matter how upgradeable or customizable a printer is, it needs to be reliable. I want a machine that:

  • Works consistently without endless tweaking.
  • Produces high-quality prints with minimal layer shifts or artifacts.
  • Has features like automatic bed levelling and a solid frame to ensure accuracy.
  • I appreciate a manufacturer who has tested multiple brands of filaments on their machine and have already tweaked the Slic3r settings for their machine.

I don’t mind dialing in settings now and then, but I don’t want to constantly fight with my printer just to get it working.

5. Software & Community: The Hidden Essentials

Good slicing software and a strong community are just as important as the hardware itself. I look for:

  • A well-optimized slicer that gives me control over settings while staying user-friendly. I like a Slic3r that has beginner, advanced & expert settings. This gives me the confidence to tweak settings at my level of expertise.
  • Regular firmware updates that improve performance and fix issues.
  • An active user community where I can find help, share modifications, and learn from others.
  • Good free after sales tech support (even with kits). I use my machine on the other side of the world which means I’m out of luck if a company only offers tech during their country’s business hours.

My Final Thoughts

For me, a 3D printer is a tool, not just a gadget. I want one that I can upgrade, repair (but rarely need to repair), and improve over time. I’d rather invest in a machine that grows with me than one that is only disposable or replaceable.

However, whether you choose open-source or closed-source, kit or pre-assembled, the most important thing is finding a printer that fits your needs and won’t hold you back. But… Invest in your machine.

In any case it’s exciting times in FDM printing for all of us again!

1 Like
#16

Mine is NOT connected to my phone so that is just plain WRONG! If you don’t want to print from your phone, it doesn’t need to be. You can still print right out of your computer via WiFi (what I do) or using an SD card.

When there is a message (e.g., lubricate Z-axis screws. Accept/Dismiss, See (phone code here)) the printer display shows a phone bar code to find the problem, but I can always find it browsing the net.

#17

The Elegoo Centauri Carbon is also poised to be a decent CoreXY printer.

#18

Oh man …Here I thought this was gonna be a train porn thread by the title!!

Boring ,

#19

I seriously curtailed my story out of courtesy. I provided back up links to the Bambu Lab site. I have no idea whether your software is different than what is on my machine. I only related my experience and information. I wish you well with your printer and hope that you remain satisfied. I suppose we will see in a year.

#20

Since we’re talking about printers, I just got into the 3D printing community. I’ve been planning to at least work with 3d modeling for a while now and after a poor experience with Shapeways and finding that I could buy a smaller printer for far less than I expected, I am now two day into printing on my new Bambu A1 Mini. Yes, it’s small, sure, maybe the software has semi-sketchy code built in (I didn’t know that, of curse, before now), but it fits in my closet-workshop & it didn’t cost me a months’ pay.
So far, I’ve tested out how it works with a few things I’d had drawn up: Bachmann grab rails (a potential solution for my thread on replacements), tie plates (both single-rail and guard rail versions), and a scale gallon jug of maple syrup! This was a pain to design, so I’m super proud of how it came out.

Grab Rail Test #1 fit perfectly!

20250305_182553 (1)
20250305_182553 (1)1920×1440 126 KB

Guard Rail Tie Plate (6mm between rail heads)

20250306_174722
20250306_1747221920×1440 219 KB

assortment of bits

20250306_192731
20250306_1927311920×1440 224 KB

I apologize if this is outside the scope of the conversation…

1 Like