Resolution and quality
The defining quality of all 3D printers.
Print resolution is really what gets 3D printer enthusiasts excited. For many, it’s all about microns which represent the minimum layer height, but consistency of flow and reliability is far more important. All the printers proved exceptionally accurate showing both holes in flat material, model heights and widths that were exactly what they should be.
More revealing is the difference in overall print quality and resolutions, the FormLabs Form 2 at the lowest resolution of 100 microns produces a print that’s visually the same quality as the best print from any of the other printers. Increasing the quality to its minimum layer height of 25 microns, and it’s so close to a injection-moulded print that it’s difficult to tell that it has been 3D printed. The LulzBot Taz 6 supplies consistent, low-quality prints that are well produced and there’s a marked improvement at each quality settings to the minimum layer height of 50 microns. The larger 0.5mm nozzle also copes well with bridges and overhangs but limits sharp detail.
The Ooznest Prusa i3’s 0.4mm nozzle and 1.75mm filament are capable of producing some fine quality prints too with plenty of detail, but it did struggle with bridging and overhangs. The Ultimaker 2 Extended performed well at all settings and with overhangs and bridges but showed little difference between the middle- and high-quality settings of 20 microns—aside from time each took. The XYZPrinting da Vinci Jr 1.0 was noticeably cruder in quality than the other printers. There’s visible stepping between layers and a lack of fine detail although it’s always accurate and consistent—its highest quality setting is 100 microns.