The world of 3D printing has come a long way since it was first invented back in the 1980s. Then, they were very few and far between, and those that were in existence were very large and certainly not something you would use at home. Nowadays, it’s estimated that as many as many as 1 in every few hundred people in the USA own some kind of 3D printer.
One company to jump on the 3D printing bandwagon was Dremel, the American tool manufacturer. And here we explore in more depth, two of their best selling 3D printers.
Dremel Digilab 3D45
If you’re looking for a 3D printer, that’s accurate, reliable, and won’t break the bank, the Dremel Digilab is a good choice. Originally released for professionals such as engineers and product developers back in 2014, it’s now risen to one of the company’s top selling models. But why, you wonder?
Well, there are a few reasons for this. Firstly, the print quality is pretty decent for a printer of this caliber. There are no major flaws it the finished product, and, it’s consistent, unlike some other models out there that can only produce one acceptable item in every 3. There are 11 different choices of PLA filament colors to choose from and it’s very easy to change. However, the good thing about this printer is that in addition to polylactic acid (PLA), you can also print with various other filament types including PETG, ECO-ABS, and Nylon.
If you’re concerned about size, then don’t be. Measuring in at 15.9” x 20.2” x 16”, the printer is still small enough to sit nicely on a table or worktop. However, it does weigh 47 pounds, so make sure you’re happy where you put it as moving it around won’t be fun. The build volume of the 3D45 is of a good size too. At 6.7” x 10” x 6”, this is actually bigger than many of its component can offer.
There’s an easy-to-use 5” touchscreen display in which to control the 3D printer, a USB port for easy connection to a computer, and an Ethernet port. To help with all your design requirements, the 3D45 includes the DigiLab 3D Slicer software with your purchase. This software is easy enough for beginners to use, yet with enough design capabilities to please the more advanced user.
And, it’s made from Dremel, so you can be confident knowing that’s it’s been made with high-quality components that are not likely to falter any time soon.
Dremel Digilab 3D40
Released a few months after the 3D45, the Digilab 3D40 is another great 3D printer on offer from Dremel. But how does it fare up against its predecessor? Let’s take a look.
The first thing to note is the size difference between the two. At 18.5” x 23” x 19.5”, the 3D40 is slightly bigger than the 3D45. But it weighs around 3 pounds less, so that’s an improvement all around. The build volume is still the same as it is on the 3D45. And both use the same Cura design software in which to generate their print files.
You have three different quality settings to choose from: High (100-micron), Medium (200-micron), and Low (300-micron), and in terms of overall print quality, the 3D40 is not bad. However, even at the top setting, it’s still not a patch on the quality of printing produced by the 3D45.
The 3D40 doesn’t have a camera, while the 3D45 has a camera that shows the machine working.
Another key difference to not is the 3D40 is a PLA filament only machine. And while you still have the same 11 colors of filament to choose from, it is a PLA filament only I’m afraid. The touchscreen display is also a little smaller on the 3D40. And while this makes no real difference as to what’s going on inside, a bigger screen is clearer to read and work with.
Recommendation
So, while the Dremel Digilab 3D40 is not a bad 3D printer for those new to this world and just looking to having some fun, it doesn’t quite offer the same level of print quality seen in that of the 3D45.It may be easy to use, and easy to set up, but it still doesn’t come close in terms of performance. And, only being able to print with PLA is also a downside. The print quality of the 3D45 is second-to-none in comparison and you can print with multiple filament types. So, if you want a 3D printer that’s versatile and going to be accurate and reliable 100% of the time, the Dremel DigiLab 3D45 is a very good choice for you.