AnyCubic Mega Pro
A 3D printer and laser engraver in one unit.
AnyCubic makes decent yet well priced 3D printers, and with each release, the functions and features of their machines take a leap forward. This has made AnyCubic and their Mega series one of the most popular printer ranges out there.
Not only are they good, but they’re highly updatable, with many guides online showing how to push these sub $500 printers to compete with the industry’s best.
The AnyCubic Mega Pro features an ultra-sturdy metal frame, upgraded extruder, hotend, ultra-quiet motor drivers and advanced features that pitch this printer well beyond its price point.
Design
The Mega Pro follows the usual three-axis 3D printer design, with the print base moving back and forth along the Y-axis and the print head sliding across the x and rising through the Z-axis.
This gives the printer a relatively slim front profile that makes it easy to position on a desk or work surface.
A growing design theme for 3D printers are the enclosed electronics that keeps wires, motors and control boards all tucked neatly.
The Mega Pro also shows the evolution of 3D printer functionality with a convenient touch screen on the front, making it easy to navigate and understand. he printer’s design has been well thought through with the robust metal frame keeping everything solid.
Filament reel position and mains power seem to have been carefully considered, even if the SD card slot and USB port are a bit fiddly to access.
There are also several design updates that I’ve seen on other printers recently that help with maintenance and adjustment. Foremost of these is the large bed adjustment dials under the print bed that assist with easy bed levelling.
Features
The Mega Pro is packed with features that make it stand out; the big robust metal frame is designed to ensure minimal vibration and wobble as the model prints. The touch screen on the front, a feature that is just starting to appear on machines of this price range is reactive and works well.
One feature that I really like are the new larger adjustment knobs for initial bed levelling - they just make the process really easy. These manual adjustments to the print bed are joined by a plug-in bed levelling module which is ingenious, I’ll come to that in the performance section.
There’s also the inclusion of filament detection, so the printer will stop automatically
if it runs out of material. Another fail-safe is the resume print that enables you to recover from power loss. One feature that’s becoming increasingly common is the ability to start and stop printing so you can swap colour filaments mid Print. It’s a bit of a faff but a great feature.
Finally worth a note is the print platform, this is one of a few printers now arriving with textured glass platforms. These give incredible grip while printing but release the Print easily once cooled.
Finally, if the 3D print features don’t grip you, you have the added feature of that laser engraver. Installing this takes around five minutes and due to the piggyback design is quick and easy to set up.
Once installed onto the machine, the laser engraver can be controlled through dedicated engraving software such as LightBurn. Setup takes a bit of working out, and the process could be better documented, but the end result is a 3D printer and laser engraver in one.
Performance
AnyCubic, like almost all manufacturers, recommend using Cura as the slicer software for the machine. Although there isn’t yet a profile for the Mega Pro built-in, AnyCubic is well represented in Cura’s list of machine options. In the AnyCubic manual, there are full details on the options and settings.
Initial setup is again straight forward, and there are two approaches. The first sees the print head move around the print bed and the height can be adjusted manually using the large height dials under the bed.
The second way is to plug in the levelling module that is fitted over the hotend. The same levelling process is carried out, but this time an alarm sounds each time the bed level is correct. This makes bed levelling extremely easy.
One levelled and you’re ready to print the first print. AnyCubic has supplied a few on the SD card that arrives in the box.
As the first layer is extruded you start to get a taste of how accurate this printer is.
Over the test, the print quality was consistent, and after the first few prints a tweak to the retraction settings helped to stop any signs of stringing. The only weakness in the print quality was in the overhangs. However, the quality of the bridging was excellent and in real world prints the overhangs seem to print well.
Aside from the print quality, it’s worth mentioning the noise, or lack of from the machine, you can hear the fans, but it’s far quieter than many printers in this price range.
Impressive from the outset, the AnyCubic Mega Pro is a dual function machine that offers both 3D printing and laser engraving. The laser engraving tool’s attachment head onto the 3D print head is ingenious, and it takes less than a minute to swap functions. Once in place, the laser engraving features work well, adding this already excellent 3D printer’s depth and function.
Ali Jennings