There’s rather a lot to absorb with the Ultimaker S5. For starters, its huge footprint is the very first thing that jumps out at you. Second, is its spectacular construct high quality and simply how a lot thought has been put into each a part of this machine. It requires barely any meeting as soon as unpacked, aside from threading by means of your filament of alternative and working by means of some easy setup steps with the embedded software program.
Its ease of use is simply the beginning – the Ultimaker S5 packs a whole lot of printing choices and options that can momentarily make you neglect about its barely eye-watering price ticket. Anybody all for a dependable, straightforward to know 3D printer that may churn out designs with minimal fuss goes to like the Ultimaker S5. There are some nuances with printing that can boil all the way down to the type of supplies getting used, however in the case of software program and execution alone, the Ultimaker S5 completely received us over.Options equivalent to dual-extrusion and swappable print cores make the Ultimaker S5 an absolute must-have for anybody who has altering 3D-printing necessities and needs a faster method to reconfigure a printer for a selected print job. And for those who can afford it, the Professional Bundle makes this reconfiguration even simpler to handle - deftly swapping filaments and retaining issues working easily with minimal supervision.
Worth and availability
Spec sheet
Print know-how: Fused filament fabrication (FFF) Print quantity: 330 x 240 x 300 mm (13 x 9.4 x 11.8 in) Print head: Twin extrusion print head with a novel auto-nozzle lifting system and swappable print cores Extruder (feeder): Geared feeder with an abrasion-resistant knurled wheel, Bowden extruder setup Print platform: Heated glass construct plate (20 - 140 °C) Management interface (show): 4.7-inch (11.9 cm) coloration touchscreen Connectivity: USB port, LAN or WiFi with native or distant entry through Ultimaker Cura and Ultimaker Digital Manufacturing facility Dimensions and weight (incl Bowden tubes and spool holder): 495 x 585 x 780 mm (19.5 x 23 x 30.7 in), 20.6 kg (45.4 lbs) Energy: Enter 100-240 V AC, Output 24 V DC, 500 W Supported file varieties: Ultimaker Cura: STL, OBJ, X3D, 3MF, BMP, GIF, JPG, PNG Printable codecs: G, GCODE, GCODE.gz, UFP Equipped software program: Ultimaker Cura – print preparation software program Ultimaker Digital Manufacturing facility – printer administration software program
The Ultimaker S5 is obtainable now, and is priced at $5,995 (round £4,360; AU$8,080). The value additionally consists of their enterprise software program Ultimaker Necessities, which permits for printer administration, plugin help, firmware firewalls, and more. There’s a number of different software program on provide as effectively, tailor-made (and priced) in line with your small business wants.
Along with the bottom 3D-printer, Ultimaker additionally presents the Professional Bundle, which provides on an computerized materials dealing with module in addition to an air filtration element. This bumps the overall worth as much as $9,550 (round £6,950; AU$12,875) – the value you’ll must pay for full peace of thoughts in the case of your 3D prints.
Both is a steep funding to make, however the Ultimaker S5 isn’t geared for the on a regular basis hobbyist – there are many different 3D printers available on the market for that. This printer is only for professionals to toy round with, and designers and engineers are going to understand the number of prints that may accomplish with this printer.
Design
TheUltimaker S5 is definitely a hefty piece of package, weighing in at 20.6 kg (45.4 lbs). It’s definitely not moveable, and we extremely, extremely suggest shifting it round as little as attainable – and with the assistance of one other particular person.
It measures a stout 495 x 585 x 780 mm (19.5 x 23 x 30.7 inches), so it’s not fairly one thing you’d wish to perch close by in your desk. You’ll need to arrange the Ultimaker S5 in a devoted space, in order that it could print undisturbed, and also you’re not interrupted by its light whirring. Glass doorways within the entrance assist to maintain prints protected, and the general construction and construct high quality of the Ultimaker S5 is robust and really spectacular.
(Picture credit score: Future)
The construct quantity is sort of spectacular, sitting in at 330 x 240 x 300 mm (13 x 9.4 x 11.8 inches). That’s sufficient room for some pretty sizeable fashions to print comfortably, and with PVA helps from the second extruder, your prints will stay safe on the print mattress.
The mattress itself is heated, and you've got a sheet of glass that you simply slide on high of it. Two clips on the entrance of the mattress maintain the glass in place, which you'll be able to simply slide out once more if you wish to fastidiously take away a print from it. We want that Ultimaker included a second glass panel as effectively, so {that a} clean one may be swapped in whereas the opposite cools down earlier than a print is eliminated. Sure customers might want an aluminum construct plate as a substitute, however there’s sadly no official method to request one, so that you’re caught with a single glass one for now.
Close to the underside of the Ultimaker S5 is a big, coloration touchscreen, which is what you’ll use to work together with and arrange the printer. It’s clear and straightforward to navigate round, although it may be a bit tough to learn from increased angles. There’s additionally a USB Kind-A port on the entrance to learn information off a thumb drive, and a LAN port on the again for those who want utilizing a wired connection than Wi-Fi.
(Picture credit score: Future)
Options
The Ultimaker S5 has a powerful listing of options that may cater to quite a lot of 3D printing wants. Its largest promoting level is the multitude of filaments it could deal with, together with dual-extrusion. Behind the unit, you’ll discover a spool holder that may maintain two spools of filament, and feed them into separate Bowden tubes that result in the precise print head.
(Picture credit score: Future)
Whereas third-party filaments can work within the Ultimaker S5, filament that’s made by Ultimaker has an added benefit of getting a small NFC tag hooked up to it. Merely place the spool on the holder, and the machine will mechanically learn the tag and apply the right materials settings, making it even simpler to swap out supplies at any time.
One other benefit to the Ultimaker S5 is its print cores – whereas most 3D printers include one fastened print head, you possibly can swap out the print cores on the Ultimaker S5 at any time. This lets you change the thickness of fabric being extruded, or for those who’re dealing with supplies that solely particular print cores are in a position to print. The cores behave like printer cartridges – merely pop open the printing compartment, press down on a print core to launch it, after which snap within the new one. The Ultimaker S5 ships with one core already put in, and two more within the equipment field.
(Picture credit score: Future)
Relying on what mannequin you’re printing, the Ultimaker S5 will make the most of the right print head. Should you’re printing a mannequin with two completely different colours of filament, it can rapidly swap between every print head on the fly, navigating to a particular nook that bodily flips a lever to decrease or elevate the second print head for printing.
The print heads transfer alongside an X and Y axis, whereas the print mattress itself strikes on a Z axis because the print is produced. The actions themselves are very clean, and an correct series of gears and belts strikes the whole lot with absolute precision. Ultimaker additionally features a little bit of upkeep package to make sure that the whole lot stays effectively lubricated and working easily as time goes on.
The Ultimaker S5 is well-illuminated by a hid strip of LEDs, making it straightforward to regulate the progress of your print jobs. There’s additionally a small digital camera positioned in a single nook that allows you to remotely examine how a lot of your print has accomplished or if there are any issues.
Setup and Software program
TheUltimaker S5 comes packaged up extraordinarily securely, with loads of foam and padding retaining the whole lot in place. As soon as unpacked, you merely snap away zip ties holding the print head in place, and set up the glass panel onto the print mattress.
As soon as it’s switched on, you’ll undergo the setup through the Ultimaker S5’s LCD display. You’ll be capable of connect with a wi-fi or wired community, load filament utilizing detailed directions, after which put together to your first print job.
(Picture credit score: Future)
3D printers are solely pretty much as good because the software program they arrive with, and fortunately Ultimaker S5 has loads to indicate off. Firstly, Ultimaker Cura is what you’ll use to load fashions and put together them on the construct plate. The software program wants a little bit of time to get used to, nevertheless it’s price taking your time to make sure that all your print settings are right, simply to reduce the prospect of failed prints. Deciding on print high quality could be very easy – there’s a dropdown of presets that vary anyplace between 0.6mm to 0.06mm in filament thickness, which determines the ultimate high quality of your print. Ultimaker Cura may also present you the place and if help buildings are required, which once more you possibly can configure to be printed with materials from both print head.
(Picture credit score: Future)
Ultimaker Cura additionally link into Ultimaker Market, which lists varied plugins that work with the software program to make your workflow simpler. From integrating new printers to broadening file compatibility, the whole lot is synced to your Ultimaker account, and activating any of those plugins is extraordinarily straightforward.
Lastly, Ultimaker Digital Manufacturing facility is really the place the Ultimaker S5 shines. With this web-based administration console, you possibly can see what’s presently printing, look again at earlier print fashions, and in addition handle initiatives and staff entry. It’s the core of what makes Ultimaker S5 so distinctive in the case of engaged on vital initiatives collectively. On this manner, a number of members can rapidly add prototypes and make modifications on the fly, in addition to taking a look at print historical past.
(Picture credit score: Future)
You’ll additionally be capable of delegate who has entry to printing, in addition to share printers with different customers and management safety settings equivalent to disabling entry to the native web interface or requiring a PIN to vary any settings on the printer itself.
After all, this glorious integration comes at a worth – the fundamental model of Ultimaker Cura is free to obtain and use, however any additional integration or entry to Digital Manufacturing facility would require a particular subscription. Ultimaker are very versatile on this, and may any of their upfront pricing not be fairly what you’re on the lookout for, they’re in a position to work with firms to give you one thing that’s a greater match.
(Picture credit score: Future)
What’s barely odd is that the Ultimaker S5 doesn’t have a companion app to go together with it. Whereas an Ultimaker app does exist within the Google Play retailer after we checked, it hasn’t been up to date since 2018, and Ultimaker commented that they’re actively making an attempt to encourage customers to entry their printers by means of Digital Manufacturing facility reasonably than counting on an app. Whereas Digital Manufacturing facility will work in any browser on cell or desktop, we nonetheless discover it odd that these options couldn’t have been constructed into an app as a substitute, which would supply for a lot quicker entry and management to the printer.
Efficiency
The largest problem with 3D printing is making certain that you simply don’t find yourself with a failed print. This could possibly be attributable to any variety of causes – working low on filament throughout a print, uneven mattress ranges, poor filament heating – the listing goes on. Fortunately, the Ultimaker S5 tries its finest to reduce failed prints by taking just a few further steps that different 3D printers may not.
(Picture credit score: Future)
For one, mattress leveling is completed mechanically, and earlier than each print the Ultimaker S5 goes by means of a checking course of throughout the print mattress to make sure that it's fully stage. This does imply that you simply’ll have to attend an additional 2-3 minutes earlier than each print job, nevertheless it’s a small worth to pay to keep away from your print peeling off the print mattress or warping.
(Picture credit score: Future)
Secondly, the Ultimaker S5 will inform you for those who’ve run out of filament, so you possibly can rapidly add more and resume your print job. That is one thing that can't be appreciated sufficient, and particularly if you’re printing advanced components, you’ll need to be sure that your 20-hour print goes to complete efficiently.
Ultimaker advises that you simply use its ‘Tough’ filament with the Ultimaker S5, which is stronger than common PLA and isn’t vulnerable to warping throughout giant print jobs. Our evaluation mannequin shipped with Ultimaker’s commonplace PLA attributable to inventory shortages, nevertheless it was simply as sturdy and printed excellently. We did do another prints with different filament producers as effectively, and we may clearly see the distinction in print high quality with the cheaper PLA. So, for those who’re investing in one thing as costly because the Ultimaker S5, be sure to’re additionally investing in high-quality filament.
(Picture credit score: Future)
As with every 3D printer, the standard and printing time of your prints will range enormously relying in your mannequin and print settings. We printed a small-scale figurine from the sport Future on a draft print first, earlier than scaling the mannequin up and reprinting it at increased high quality setting. The ensuing print high quality is apparent to see – the draft print loses all element of the mannequin, and retains the fundamental {shape}. That is nice for if you need to see if a mannequin will really print correctly earlier than committing to a better high quality print. The draft 0.2mm print took round 5 hours to finish, whereas the full-scale mannequin took a staggering 32 hours to print at a layer element of 0.1mm.
(Picture credit score: Future)
Collectible figurines are cool, however the place the Ultimaker S5 actually shines is with advanced engineering fashions. Whether or not it’s components for a mock-up automotive engine, intricate fashions to put in an architectural diorama, or new fan blades for a redesigned cooling system, the Ultimaker S5 is greater than able to dealing with something that you simply throw at it. A turbine fan that we printed got here out very effectively, and fitted effortlessly on the shaft of an electrical motor.
Eradicating your accomplished prints from the Ultimaker S5 would possibly sometimes pose a slight problem for those who haven’t ready your print mattress appropriately. Ultimaker features a easy glue stick within the field, and advises {that a} skinny layer of glue is utilized to the glass panel earlier than printing begins. We did a number of prints with and with out making use of the glue layer, and undoubtedly discovered that for bigger, more delicate prints, the bottom glue stage was a needed precaution. One print that we did with out the glue layer ended up warping horribly as we tried to pry it off the still-warm mattress, so for those who aren’t using the glue, ensure that your print and the print mattress are cooled utterly earlier than trying to take away something.
(Picture credit score: Future)
One other time we bumped into some awkward printing points, the place the automated mattress leveling was refusing to work correctly, leading to haphazard prints and wasted filament. Fortunately, Ultimaker offers a mattress leveling troubleshooter that walks you thru a guide leveling course of step-by-step. As soon as this was finished, prints turned out once more with none challenge. The help staff can also be very conscious of buyer points, so if there’s something that isn’t working correctly, they’ll reply rapidly with recommendation or ask for detailed system logs that will help you troubleshoot.
PLA + PVA
PLA filament is one thing you’ll see in any 3D printer, however the Ultimaker S5 takes issues one step additional by together with PVA filament through its second print core. PVA is a semi-transparent filament that's printed alongside a PLA mannequin, offering structural help because the mannequin is accomplished. This prevents the mannequin from warping, sagging, and even falling over attributable to an odd heart of gravity. Whereas print helps can nonetheless be finished utilizing common PLA filament, they must be eliminated manually by being snapped off, which frequently leaves a tough edge. With PVA filament, all you must do is drop the finished mannequin into water, and inside hours it can dissolve away, leaving your completed mannequin.
For bigger fashions with a whole lot of PVA helps, it could take greater than 10 hours for all the PVA to dissolve away, and we suggest utilizing barely heat water to assist the method transfer alongside quicker. The wait is price it – the completed mannequin appears to be like nice and will merely solely require a bit of little bit of cleansing up of the jelly-like PVA after it’s finished soaking.
(Picture credit score: Future)
It's nevertheless, removed from good. There have been undoubtedly components of our fashions the place the PVA had bled barely into the PLA, in order that when it dissolved away, small imperfections and holes have been seen within the mannequin floor. This occurred typically sufficient that just about any mannequin we printed utilizing PVA helps had a small imperfection someplace, so that is one thing you’ll want to remember for those who’re on the lookout for completely flawless prints.
The opposite factor to notice about PVA filament is that it is vitally delicate to humidity, and received’t be protected to be left on the printer spool for those who’re not utilizing it commonly. Our check PVA spool finally stopped printing correctly after a month of being on the printer for on a regular basis printing, with the filament scorching on the print mattress and curling up in varied locations. Ultimaker does embrace directions to ‘dry’ out the spool utilizing the print mattress, however even after following these directions we have been unable to revive the PVA filament to its authentic use.
Time to go professional
(Picture credit score: Ultimaker)
For the last word 3D printing resolution, Ultimaker encourages you to go for their Professional bundle, which provides on two separate parts to the S5. First, there’s an computerized materials handing station which has room for six separate spools of filament. The chamber can also be humidity-controlled, so for those who’ve obtained spools of PVA filament or different delicate supplies, they’ll be stored protected with minimal intervention. The fabric station is ready to mechanically load filament relying on what your print job requires, which once more minimizes exposing the supplies to humidity and different parts.
Secondly is an Air Supervisor that sits atop the Ultimaker S5, serving to to flow into air correctly by means of the machine and filter out 95% of ultra-fine particles. Once more, that is most sensible for if you’re printing with supplies which are extremely prone to interference, or for if you simply need to have a closed system for undisturbed printing. Should you make the funding for these add-ons, you’ll undoubtedly reap the rewards, however you’re nonetheless in a position to make completely good prints even with out them.
Closing Verdict
The Ultimaker S5 calls for little supervision as soon as it begins going, which suggests you possibly can simply queue up a print job, stroll away, and are available again in just a few hours to a fully-completed print that’s prepared to be used. The mixture of software program and supplies at your disposal is equally spectacular, and the flexibility to work collectively as a staff on a single print mission can also be an enormous bonus. Clear, easy-to-follow directions makes organising the Ultimaker S5 very straightforward, and there’s a wealth of studying data on the positioning to speak you thru each single characteristic at size.
In relation to effectivity and velocity of printing, there’s rather a lot to look into with the Ultimaker S5. Do you simply need tough draft prints that don’t must have a lot element however are more about testing the chances of a selected mannequin or concept? Then you definately’ll don't have any issues ready for a mannequin to print in just a few hours.
However for those who’re seeking to print extremely detailed fashions, you then’ll have to be affected person and let the Ultimaker S5 do its factor, particularly for those who’re printing with PVA helps. Your endurance will repay with a fantastically printed mannequin, but when time is of the essence, you then’ll need to change to different print modes for quicker outcomes.
Total nevertheless, the Ultimaker S5 is a implausible piece of engineering, and commonly impressed us with what we may churn out of it. It’s one thing that can take satisfaction of place in any house – be it a college lab or an engineer’s workplace. It’s a sizeable funding to make, however that is one thing that professionals are definitely going to go for, particularly for advanced builds that require a couple of particular person to work on.
The breath of software program and help for the Ultimaker S5 makes it some of the competent 3D printers we’ve examined, and a very good alternative for anybody who needs an expert printer with a sizeable print quantity and glorious materials dealing with.
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