Did Flashforge Miss the Mark?
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- Опубликовано: 28 авг 2024
- The Flashforge Creator Pro 2 promises an upgrade packed in an antiquated design. However, does it perform? In my review, I'll answer that question.
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This whole thing feels like a printer from the early 2010s. The fact you have to use a scraper, I don't think I've touched a scraper in a few years. No removable bed in this decade is a bizarre choice
You could buy 3 ender 3's and have a WAY better time
Non removable bed, no ABL, included glue stick, $650....
It feels like a MakerBot mess all over again from the early days, yikes
@@StormBurnX madness isn't it?
I mean, this essentially is from what I see. From my experience with the Creator Pro, it's basically an improved Makerbot 2X; this looks like a Creator Pro that's had portions of the hardware updated, just they didn't update them nearly enough. Who the hell wouldn't have have a magnetic removeable build surface, even if it's the crappier sticker sheet kind?
I have to wonder if they had a bunch of Creator Pros sitting around unsold, and they decided to update them in an attempt to get rid of the old stock without reducing price or looking like a bit of a joke, while also not needing to spend a ton updating them.
@@thesinofthetin very true
I have a flashforge creator pro 2 and ive been using it for a few months now. I have to say, it is far in a way the worst priinter i have ever had in several aspects
My biggest issue is that modification is essentially impossible. Flashforge used an entirely proprietary heat block system so your standard MK10 heatbreak and nozzle assemblies simply dont fit. second, removing the heat break tube from the cooling blocks damages the heat break and cooling block irreperably meaning you have to buy and fit new ones if you want to change from the PTFE lined hotend.
There is no minor adjustment you can make to the z height of the nozzles meaning that if you dont install the heatbreak tubes perfectly during assembly (which is borderline impossible because of the way the grub screw is installed) there is no hardware adjustments to align the tips of the nozzles vertically.
Ontop of this, because of the proprietary design on the nozzles, only flashforge and microswiss manufacture quality nozzles that fit this printer unlike every other printer on the planet which uses standard nozzles so you can forget buying your favourite nozzle from brozzl or just cheap, standard nozzles from amazon.
if you want to use any filament other than flashforge then you have to print out a new filament holder (ok, minor annoyance but its not exactly hard for flashforge to just use a standard filament holder.)
Also, the flashforge software is (in my opinion) hot garbage. Its far too restrictive, print quality is really not great and its overall just annoying to use. fortunately someone put together a prusaslicer mod that lets you use the printer with all of the features that flashforge allows and released it for free on github.
additional minor complaints include not being able to silence the annoying beeps and tunes it plays when it starts up, the touchscreen is intermittent at best and downright unusable at worst, and the "hat" warps easily and pops off for no apparent reason.
The firmware doesnt feature your standard set of features such as e-step calibration, steps per mm and accelleration controls etc. additionally, flashforge not including even the option of installing a mesh bed levelling probe seems antiquated in this day and age.
That said, the fact you can do idex printing at all at the price point is really good. Id say is a pretty good printer for the price but if given the option, i would return it in a heartbeat and buy almost any other printer.
Thanks for this tip. Do you have a tip on what to actually buy? How does the Creality Ender-series sit with you, if you have tried them?
You used a hammer, not a scraper. So, I guess the anti-scraper bed works as advertised?
Thank you for the great videos Joel!
yeah, he should have used scraper AND hammer 😅
Hi Joel, it's Elyn with Flashforge team. Thank you for reviewing the Creator Pro 2 and sharing your ideas. We're sorry that the Creator Pro 2 let you down. In the meanwhile, I'd like to thank everyone for joining the discussion. All feedback has been collected and forwarded to the product team for further consideration. We do have a removable print bed part for the Creator Pro 2. We just added this option on the product page, and will consider to make a clear note on the page in the following days. In the meanwhile, we'll double check the product description to avoid any misunderstanding. Thanks again for your feedback and suggestions.
Print bed adhesion is not limited to Creator Pro, I see the same on my Dreamer (~6mo old now). I opted for the magnetic flex build plate as an upgrade which helps but the center of the plate is a bit stiff due to the handle, which can also limit print area (my Dreamer wants to print ~2mm towards the front). The kit I received had very bulky binder clips which also cause problems in homing the Dreamer as it wants to home through the clips, which is dependent on where the head starts from in homing. I've replaced those binder clips with spring steel clips designed for glass print beds (which also typically use binder clips) and have been happy with it since.
Thanks for removable flexible bed, I got it with the printer from previous owner. Now I need silicone socks, because I see nozzles unacceptable dirty in burned plastic. I will use the printer, for sure, but I need to turn off annoying sounds.
I bought a creator pro 2 a few months ago, and faced the same issues. I was about to set it out for someone to “steal” and give up on 3D printing. Watched your review, and almost had it out the door when I saw a short video on the removable build plate. I purchased one and replaced the awful factory “sticker” with it. I also found out how to turn the raft off. Doing these two things turned it into a useable printer. Not the best, but at least I didn’t have to trash it. For those of us who purchased one, it would be a great kindness if an expert like you took a quick look at seeing if there is someway we can get by the problems.
Hey there! Fellow Washingtonian here. The Creator Pro2 was my 1st 3d printer and it has been my little work horse. I've only done a couple mods for it but I think it's an amazing. I would totally be willing to come up to you guys and get it dialed in for you. I'd even bring mine if that was ok. I even took mine to a 4th of July event to show live 3d printing.
Seems like a bad printer, tbh. I don't know what your secret is to making it not terrible.
@@theglowcloud2215 I had no preconceptions. I took it for what it was. It took a few tries to get dialed in but otherwise has been a great machine for me
@@uncleryan2243 hi there! I got my son a flashforge pro2 for Christmas (an insane deal at an estate sale this summer made me take it and run). It’s brand new, and setup but no prints yet. If you would be willing to msg me and walk me through the best mods to circumvent the potential issues, or can link me to a site with an active group, I’d be very happy :). Thanks in advance!!
I've had a Flashforge Creator Pro for the past five years and have always found it a really good machine apart from the garbage blue tape bed. They are quite expensive to replace and that is something that happens far too often as they get torn when chiselling the finished print off with a scraper. Fortunately the answer was very simple. I simply had to replace the blue sticker beds with a borosilicate glass one. I use a very light coating of either 3DLac or L'Oreal Elnett hairspray every few prints and everything stays stuck tight when printing but removes easily when finished.
The bed on the original model was a bit undersized for some things I needed to make, so I'm surprised they made it smaller on the latest version. I bought a Sunlu S8 for larger prints, It works great but being an open machine, it's not really suitable for ABS, which is my preferred material for working parts. I'm planning to build a Voron 2.4 in the not too distant future as that's a much bigger enclosed machine.
So although the printer does not come with it you can buy and upgrade the bed to a magnetic steel spring bed that works wonders. I have 2 of theses printers and it was a necessary upgrade. They sell the upgrade on the flash forge website, but it really should come with it by default. Other than that I have had no problems with the printers. I typically don’t print with a raft or a pre extrusion because as you found they are harder to get off the bed (need to scrap) but I have upgraded the nozzle on one with a hardened steel and printed carbon fiber pla and carbon fiber petg. Minus the bed issue I find the printer very useful and nice. Great for printing pla and pva as well
I purchased the magnetic bed too. They made an oversight with the plastic handle interfering with the print nozzle. Luckily it can be removed easily.
Ive had the creator pro 2 for a few weeks now. Its my first 3d printer.
While i have experienced all the issues you explained here, its not as bad as it sounds.
Removing prints from the bed is a ton easier if you pre heat it.
Can also buy a removable magnetic plate for additional cost.
Price point for a dual extruder printer is ultimately what sold it for me and other issues can be worked around
Scrapers, hammers, and angle grinders! Starting to think I am watching episodes of Home Improvement 😂😂
Great vid- felt like going back in time again. Is it antiquated, or were they going more for "retro"? Defaults with a raft?? Maybe Flashforge customers are used to doing that so they wanted to keep it similar? I dunno, seems like an odd choice. For the build plate issues... Magnetic build sheet / 3rd party system as you mentioned should be a pretty easy "fix" but I think there are much better options out there for the $$'s.
I can confidently say that we do not. Pretty much everyone in the Flashforge facebook group disables it immediately or switch slicers entirely. I'm guessing its more for the educational institutions or other bulk buyers that prefers rafts.
@@reignandbongao9497 That makes sense, thanks for the reply.
It is kind of amazing how much life they've gotten out of the Replicator design.
Me: **side eyes the old wooden Makerbot in my studio**
Well this was inspirational 😁
@@rpavlik1 funny to see this comment I made 2 months ago to the video Joel released today huh? 🤣
@@MandicReally for sure!
I use a fulament flexible build plate and have tweaked the slicer settings and I'm pretty happy with my Pro 2. It's not the workhorse that my Ender 3 or CR-10S is, but I'm quite happy with its dual print quality and its TPU print quality.
This is a very late reply, but you say your happy with your TPU quality of your prints. I also have a pro 2 and want to print TPU, but it keeps getting stuck in the extruder and printing rarely. If it does print, the quality is decent. Could you please let me know what your print settings are in the slicer so it might resolve my problem? I already decreased the print speed and retraction and temperature, ao I'm lost at this point to be honest.
Not sure if it helps, but from my experience with an Adventurer 3, Flashprint Rafts are just awful in general. If you calibrate the nozzle properly, you'd still have to remove the rafts with a chizzel. They only come off from the print easily if you offset the nozzle further from the bed by like 0.2 ish mm. Its this weird goldilocks region of "Far enough from the bed where it won't smush the model into the raft" and "Not too far that the first model layer looks awful"
I had an adventure 3 I just sold it a week ago. I upgraded to an Aquila. It worked great but the bed level and bed were annoying too they used the raft to help with the level since you could never really get the bed level right. I never used the raft tho since my prints always fused to the raft instead of the bed
@@Monocle13 Same. I bough the glass bed and while things got better, I’m now printing on a Prusa Mini.
i have this printer and i LOVE IT, i got it a glass bed and shaped it to its size and it worked grate .
In 2022 and for that price I would expect much more. Having to use a scraper is so antique!
And Joel, the choice of movies for those short clips is awesome!
Hidden preferences menu, dude. It delivers.
Your nozzle is too close to the bed and this is why the prints are difficult to remove. Why is the nozzle too close, because the Creator Pro 2 does not allow for the bed and nozzle to be heated when levelling the bed and doing the z-calibration. This is done when it is cold so when you go to print, the heated bed and nozzle both expand, which reduces that z-height.
This causes many issues, one is that the parts are hard to remove but it also then causes filament to back up due to the excess nozzle pressure which then causes clogs in the ptfe tube/nozzle.
I know this because I have 4 of these printers with many thousands of hours on them.
I do agree if you print too close it'll stick badly. But a printer in 2022 really shouldn't have a build surface that is that unforgiving, especially if it's not removable. It's fair to point it out especially since lower cost printers tend to attract beginners. Also they wear down over time. Fresh ones tend to adhere quite heavily even with the z height dialed in. I wonder if the formulation has changed over time too.
Exact same problem with the prints sticking to the bed. Lol. I went from PLA to ABS and this printer is actually one of the only printers I have that prints ABS properly because of it's excellent bed adhesion properties. LOL. I added TMC2209 drivers to mine but even that wasn't as easy as it should be.
Oh, I see the problem... It's flashforge.
I feel the issue is more in the slicer. I say this because I had the same issue with the prints gripping the bed so hard it literally tore the blue ‘anti scraper’ surface.
I bought the magnetic bed for the Creater and installed that. I then set the bed level and clearances with 2 sheets of the Flashforge calibration paper. This made a good deal of difference. It is still very well stuck. Not hammer stuck but still more than I want. I am going to reset the bed to 3 Flashforge sheets. I feel this will be great.
I have the Flashforge Creator 2, and I don't have these issues. I love the excellent bed adhesion: I don't think I've ever had a first layer failure. I do, however, use a razor-blade scraper to remove the prints, and they come off without much issue. The putty knife is definitely insufficient! And my rafts pop off with very little effort, unlike my CR-10 where they sometimes are welded on like Space Shuttle tiles. They do pop off more easily once they've cooled, but I've very rarely had one that couldn't be removed.
My only complaint with the printer is lack of WiFi, and that sometimes it fails to start from the USB cable for no explicable reason.
Added a removable bed and works great just because of the prints sticking real good. Before the bed replacement
I just used a razor blade and prints come off easy.
I have a flashforge creator pro 2 and I just wanted to share some of my experiences as well, I tried printing flexible filament with the recommended settings and it was genuinely impossible to get off, no amount of hammering, scrapping, or otherwise could get it off. The layers *sheared* rather than coming off the print bed. Then also some creator pro 2's ship with such poor tolerances that removing a nozzle to replace it is impossible, and the heartbreak is stuck in the heatsink necessitating the purchase of an entirely new hot end, I then also changed a nozzle to try and print with a .1mm nozzle, discovered that flashpoint didn't have the ability to change nozzle size, requiring a jenk ass prusa pp profile with a post processor. I then discovered that it was jammed and it turns out even though I was using the proper m10 nozzle, it had mangled the ptfe tube, which I then trimmed the broken part off but now it's too short so it insta clogs. Overall I've had a pretty nightmarish experience just trying to get this bloody thing to *work*
You don't need to change the nozzle size in the slicer just change the path width in settings on flash print
My first 3d printer was a FlashForge adventurer 4. I thought i was getting the coolest printer ever but turns out it was just an absolute headache. i used the auto leveling to get my printer up and running and my first handful of prints in the middle of the plate printed without a hitch. I wanted to print a full bed of models so i went and ran it off just to come back to a spaghetti mess in the back right corner of the bed. So i ran it again and watched it this time and noticed it wasnt dropping any material at all. So attempted to level it again and noticed the back right corner was completely off comparatively to the other parts of the bed. So i started researching and someone mentioned to check the gantry and thats when i noticed my gantry was not level to eachother which was causing my leveling to be completely off. So i contacted support and they asked me try a few things to no avail. Which is when i saw that a handful of people were having this same exact issue. Needless to say i returned it got a prusa and never looked back.
It doesn't change the final conclusion, but - I think you're misinterpreting "anti-scrape." That is, I don't think it means "you won't have to pry the print off the bed." I think it means "when you pry the print off the bed, you won't do much damage to it." That is, the *bed* resists being *scraped* - it is 'anti-scrape.' Because despite the level of effort you're putting in there, the bed surface itself looks pretty pristine.
So... still not a desirable trait overall, but ultimately I don't think it's "bunk," I think it's a confusing choice of descriptors.
Re-level the bed after each print? How about potentially bending the structure and/or breaking hardware.
Or just find a sensible solution.
I like my Creator Pro 2, though I don't do multi-color prints. For me personally, the only reason for a dual extruder machine is soluble supports. I got it on sale (don't remember the actual cost, but it was a lot less) don't know that I would have paid full price. I bought a flexible bed which I added before the first use. I turned off rafts after my first print. I also calibrate every filament I use. So I would say your recommendations are dead on.
I bought one of these awhile ago -- it's a much better experience after I upgraded to the magnetic base.
Oh really? Changed it that much for you? That's so good to hear!
@@3DPrintingNerd NGL, it was pretty awful using the scraper with a mallet to get prints off…now I just pull it off and bend the plate and it comes right off. A definite improvement…but it’s a 2021 printer in 2023, so to a certain extent it is what it is.
I teach at a high school and I have three of these machines, I agree with your assessment. But I knew the beds would be a problem, so we replaced them with black glass beds from an Ender 3. They fit in the enclosure and work great at 70C, I made a spacer for the Z switch to correct the offset. But the biggest improvement was a switch to Cura instead of Flashprint, I modified the start and stop G-code to mimic the Flashforge code as best I could, it works pretty well and produces a much better print than Flashprint. We have done hundreds of two color and two material prints (we do a lot of PLA/TPU), and don't use rafts, purge blocks, or ooze shields. Still no mirror or duplicate printing with Cura, but that is not really why I bought them. Prints are almost as good as my Raise E2, but I could buy five Flashforges for the same price. What other enclosed direct drive IDEX machine can you buy for less than $3000. I hope somebody more skilled than I makes a Cura plugin for this machine soon.
Thank you for reviewing this and bringing out the truth. I have tried everything to scrap stuff off reliability. No joy. They have a flexible print surface for it but from what I read on reviews you have to print a piece to make it work properly. Petg was horrible to scrap off the print surface.
I started in 2016 with a Flashforge Dreamer, and yes, the beds were terrible. Stuck great yes... But made removal a pain. Early on, I put a glass plate on it with the 3D printed corner holders and then I have one of the blue sheets on one side of the glass and use both sides depending on my needs. Being able to remove the glass definitely helps with removal for sure.
Now, I have one of these and I love them. But, I did install the included removable bed upgrade the very first thing and it has, I think, completely changed my experience.
Plus, I never, ever, use a raft.
On thing that impresses me about this machine was I neglected it for nearly a year, then fired it up, and I didn't even need to level the bed. It just worked.
So, yeah, get that removable build plate on there, and see if you don't love this machine a lot more.
And don't use the supplied pla, it's junk
Mine did not come with a removable build plate, else I very much would have put that on.
@@3DPrintingNerd Well, and putting the plate on required modding the Z-switch so it was hit earlier, which in my case was done with a piece of popsicle stick and duct tape, which is still in there to this day.
I wonder if I got mine after yours, and they put that build plate in there knowing that it was a necessary upgrade.
@@3DPrintingNerd it was an optional upgrade for a very reasonable price, got mine at the same time as the printer and it worked a treat. Even the rafts don't bother me much once I stopped using flashforge PLA. I use prusa PLA and they peal off so easily. The rafts are useful if you don't have the nozzles level with each other because of how you installed them. The extruder is very easy to maintain except that removing the heat break from the heat sink is hard, there is a trick involving a couple of minutes with a file to help with that. The idex works a treat. Flashprint I hate with a passion though, it is too dumbed down for my taste
@@3dpprofessor weird, mine didn't need any modification, remove print surface, apply the magnetic sticker, apply new print surface to the spring steel build plate and ready to go.
Shame that some of the original companies that manufactured 3d printers have failed to innovate and move with the times, instead are stuck using old designs. Won't be long before companies like Creality get left behind as people move to slightly more expensive but better printers e.g. Bambu Labs.
Flash Forge do sell a magnetic flex plate with the same sticker that comes with it. In my experience those stickers are a pain to remove and require some "unpleasant" solvents just to get all the glue off it.
I recently bought some of their filament on prime day and it messed up 3 different printers. Went though 5 nozzles and couldn’t get a single successful print.
I don`t know why but I get the feeling they wanted to say "scratch resistant" instead of "anti-scrape"....
Appreciate the honest review!
i have found with a sticky part, Wick around the bottom of the part with alcohol helps it pop off, Please make a video showing this and let me know what you think. don't forget the freezer trick too.
I still use the first version weekly and is Solid. The prints stick but I thought it was common knowledge that if it doesn't come off you can heat up the bed to loosen it or use a different build plate
I totally agree with you for that price you should get a printer that works properly out of the box. That is also the reason why I bought my 3rd XYZ printer. I have a da Vinci Jr Pro+ now and I'am super happy with it. leveling is no issue at all as it does that all by itself and you can take out the printbed and get your model off without having to use a hammer ;-).
Wow I thought nobody's like me being a huge fan of XYZprinting. I also bought a da vinci Jr pro and a few other day vincis and am very happy with them. However I'm seriously considering of getting one of these IDEX printer for multicolor printing.
Just spent 3 hrs trying to replace the thermistor and nozzle just to find out that the nozzle uses m7 threads
Have had a Creator Pro since September 3, 2014 and it's been going strong. It still looks new.
Magnetic plate really helped with part removal
After viewing multiple youtube videos on the Creator Pro 2, I set my print head 2 thickness of paper away from the build plate. Prints pop off the build plate with minimal pressure. And there is a good profile for Cura that does not default to a raft on every print.
I was actually considering 1 of these a while back, but decided against it, as on paper it didn't seem quite right for me. A few times since then I wondered if I made the right choice in not getting it. Thank you Joel for letting me know I dodged a bullet on this 1. 👍
I recently picked up a cheap used Creator Pro 2 and I'm replacing the board and the screen, installing klipper, and plan on adding hemera with revo to each head. Also getting a flex bed of course. It's been a fun project!
*Didn't anyone at the company, do any testing before shipping these permanent brick makers off?*
My son bought a PEI build plate and very happy with his.
LOLOLOLOLOL that intro scene was priceless!
2:04 based on the description which i cant fully see that has nothing to with not having to use scraper for part removal
Did he ever go back on this after the magnetic flexible build plate was released for it?
I have the creator 2 pro and had the same problems with removing prints from the print bed I solved it by getting a magnetic bed and now I don't need to use a scrapper to remove the prints
😂 good thing this machine has been discontinued! I had this printer and absolutely hate it!
What are you talking about? They still make them.
Joel, what could it be about the bed that makes it so grippy?
I just got a guider 2 about 3 months ago. Could not get prints off the bed - Same issue. Flashforge's support is horrible. This was not the only issue either. Unable to get a refund. They are ignoring communications now. I wish I had never heard of this printer. Total crap run by dishonest idiots.
Thanks for the review, Joel!
we have a finder at work that had the same issue (easily fixxed by leveling using the onl paper clearance method to prevent it being stuck) but the fact that the printer doesnt level itself correctly is wack
I think this is the first time I've heard Joel say anything negative about a product, and (not coincidentally) it's his best video so far, IMHO. Thanks for the information!
I understand this it shouldn't be an issue in the first place, but I've got a flash forge machine (flash forge finder) with the same style of bed and annoyance(at first), BUT its very easy to get it of the platform, just place the scraper at the lowest line of the print then one little/medium tap with the rubber hammer on the scrapper Handel gets it of easy every time. Don't hit the actual model with the hammer lol tbf this seams like a good machine(currently 5:36) though the video, u just have to know good tactics like with my machine to make it better ( that is todo with removing the print) i do agree with what your saying tho as this is a big learning curve for a printer that advertises as easy to remove of the bed, but as its not a heated bed in the first place the prints where never going to come of easily any way, as its a still temp. But ye 100% they lied either way lol
One of our first printers was like a CTC clone of the flashforge that I think worked once or twice ... Even the look of the printer is giving me flashbacks !!
It was the printer we got after that that really started us in the community when I asked Joel a question looking for help!!
This video is bringing me back down memory lane ☺️
I've had so much trouble with rafts fusing to the model. I've spent hours with the nippers chewing away at it bit by bit but it eventually did all come off. Unfortunately my Ecubmaker seems to require rafts or else the print won't stick.
This entire video has the energy of Zorg from Fifth Element screaming "III. Aaam. Verrry. Dis-app-ointed!"
My ender 3 s1 pro started having problems printing. The nozzle plugs up after an hour of printing the hot end is set at 210. I can’t figure out what is going on if you have any helpful idea
Advance setting> raft > stock distance 0.15mm
I change this raft setting to 0.16mm or higher. Works like charm
Just set up mine today. Test cube stuck and was difficult to remove, even with the raft.
**It appears that Flashforge may be trying to clear their inventories of all their old parts thus the creation of "Flashforge Creator Pro 2"*
does anti scrape mean that it's a hard surface that's hard to scratch?
Yup, the Dreamer was the same. I had to use kapton tape constantly, and couldn't move around inside the machine to put it down. It was my first printer, and OMG everything since has been so much better. Why would they repeat all of it?
My little FlashForge finder is still by far my favorite printer...
I would have been tempted to do the put it in the freezer trick.
Sounds like bed adhesive is mandatory on this printer
That intro immediately got me interested in the rest. Is this the new Robo-anger review? :) Love you Joe
I had a Flashforge Adventure 3 (or 4) and I experienced some of these same problems with it. I did learn that I could turn off the raft by using their cloud print service but I had A LOT of problems either not getting prints to stick or sticking to the print plate or fusing to the raft. Etc.
Also, how is the motion system, your original one was known to be quite noisy, the new one I assume it has 2209's?
I'm still stuck on the original FlashForge creator pro, can hardly use it because of all the problems I have to deal with while using it. Dose anyone know what slicer Joel used in the past on his? Because FlashPrint has not done much good for me not even 5.
Thank you! Almost bought one.
Maybe anti-scratch means like you won’t gouge it while you’re scraping a print of like the good ole ender beds?
I would try a different filament and/or slicer. Maybe the bond strength of the filament Inter-layer and to the bed is too high compared to your regular filament. You could go the next step and test the filament out on a different setup to see if you have the same issues.
You can replace the bed surface with a magnetic pei metallic sheet, offset the height difference under the z level sensor and it should be fine. The major disasters of this brand includes: friction inside those filament guiding tube, filament fragments stuck easily inside the extruded gears…
This is what I did!
The new Bed surface, where did you get it from?
@@4doormk1 any magnetic PEI set with 210mm on X-axis should be okay. I got two of 210 x 150 and two of 220 square from aliexpress. Be careful that the PEI sheet will be curved under high temp if it exceeds the heating surface too much.
Hi Joel, when did you get that printer? I have 2 of them and they came with removable magnetic build plates out of the box, maybe I have a newer version which they changed? also the slicer software did default to rafts which were no problem to remove but it's just a tick box to disable them. Because of the build plate I have had to level the machine once when i first got it and it has kept level ever since.
Sad to not see flashforge not keep up. I too had a flashforge creator pro and it was a work horse. Pros and cons but I put around 1300 print hours on it.
Joel. Did you not use the included removable bed upgrade?
3D Printing Professor says:
"Now, I have one of these and I love them. But, I did install the included removable bed upgrade the very first thing and it has, I think, completely changed my experience."
No removable bed was included in mine.
So, if I'm looking for an IDEX printer, would you suggest the Sovol SV04 instead of this one?
That was an interesting clip, you sure can't be accused of pulling any punches while reviewing this amazing bit of land fill.
I do wonder if you missed the opening on our right hand side that some may have mistaken for a handle, it is actually a storage area for the discs used by the part removal angle grinder.
I have had one of these for a couple of years now and the bed is hard to remove prints yes, I bought a pei plate bed but it has the same sticker on top so still hard to remove prints. I use a box cutter and put the blade all the way out and slide it under the print and that works great just have to be careful. I wont even go into the stupid spool holders which only fit Flashforge spools, I printed custom holders and fit to the front. As in prints yeah they have never been anything great and the left extruder has been faulty since new. It was the multi colour print idea that sucked me in lol but I have just ordered a Palette 2s so the Flashforge may get evicted from the print room as I need space for the Prusa I ordered at the same time. Thanks for sharing your opinions Joel.
I've got the Inventor which has the same bed sticker and I know the pain of the parts sticking to it. Try printing the first layer a little further from the bed than usual.
It's 2022, how do you design and sell a printer without a removeable built plate in 2022?
I recently bought a Sovol SV04 IDEX printer. I've owned and played with other Chinese printers in the past so I was very pleasantly surprised at the build quality and cable management of the Sovol, hard to believe it was Chinese. It worked great right out of the box after calibration and I'm floored at how smooth the prints are.
Of course being a hardware guy I had to tear it apart to check it out inside. The only things I didn't like were the usual Chinese sleeve bearing fans (Creality brand in this case) but I will replace them with ball bearing fans when they fail. The motherboard is a new Creality 32 bit board and the only thing I didn't like about it was that the stepper drivers are soldered on.
The reason I went into all this was that this printer was about $130 less than the FlashForge, has a much larger print volume (300 x 300 x 400), auto bed leveling, auto Z motor synchronization, and so on. If the FlashForge had delivered on it's print bed I could be more understanding. The Sovol has a magnetic removable bed and the prints pop right off.
I can't address commercial use as I am a home hobbyist. The extruders are all metal and the motors and other components appear to be of high quality but only time will tell. It would appear that FlashForge isn't paying attention to the competition for the home market, but maybe they are aiming for the commercial world.
I can only speak for the Creator Pro (1):
After adding a magnetic bed for roughly 50 bucks,
printing more robust PTFE tube holders for the backside,
printing universal spool holders and
using Polysupport (break-away) for supports and rafts
most prints are reliable now. But this tinkering shouldn't be necessary for such a product.
I would have expected that they fixed all these shortcomings for the new version, including the use of smart, silent stepper drivers.
So it seems, they still haven't done their homework, which is indeed disappointing.
My very first 3D printer was an Adventurer 3 and the quality was actually superb, i was sad when it crapped out.
Disappointing when considering the price point and bed size. I'd also have liked a little more head-room on the hot end temperatures. IDEX seems to work well, but the machine just isn't ready yet. Needing to modify a $649 printer simply to be able to use it at all is just crazy. Flashforge control every aspect, from slicing to printing and the result is just not good enough. Bambu Labs have shown what you can do when you control the printer, the firmware and the software, although I am well aware that even that is a work in progress and twice the price of the Flashforge.
I have the German Rebrand (Besser) of this printer, which is Sold here for 650 €.
I have slapped a g10-Sheet on there and since then ist working really well. I do mainly figures for catan and chess on it, for this it does a good job
But you shouldn't need another consumable when build plate is advertised to have that functionality by itself.
It's not soo bad! Just have to tune the settings. The default settings are terrible - Yes... But why would you use default settings anyway. Just tune all the parameters and you'll be good. You can also get a glass bed or a PEI sheet directly from FF.
I really do not see an issue here. I don't have this printer but I have a few of their higher end models - Creator 3, Guider 2 & 3 and I must say the print quality of FF printers is unmatched!
Would have been nice to see you showcase the printer's dual head capability; one head for model material and the other head for soluble support filament, along with twin or mirror printing. Instead was a gripe video of dismounting the print. Just show the problem, and the solution, and move on and showcase what this printer has that others don't...dual print heads, and what it can do.
Classic engineering/marketing breakdown.
Engineer: "Part's can not be removed with scraper"
Marketing: "Oh how about we call it 'anti-scraper' ?"
maybe they didn't calibrate the bed leveling correctly? i agree there shouldn't be a strong force required to remove item.
My first 3d printer, and I hate it; quit using it shortly after unboxing. Wish I could have returned it. This unit ruined my first 3d printer experience, and ill never buy another. Wish it would have been a better product =(
Thank you for bringing more attention to the shortcomings and save folks from a similar experience.
I think what they mean by anti-scrape is scratch resistant.
Absolutely agree with you on this spending that much you should basically plug and play.
Like my Anycubic cobra max I did have to flip the bed because it was sticking too good it’s really good on just a clean glass surface two months in and I just haven’t had any issues at all and the print quality is fantastic and it has already paid for itself.
Love your channel Joel.
Anti-scraper could also mean it is resistant to damage from a scraper... ?
I tossed a duet wifi in my original FF Creator Pro with a bowden setup, bltouch and a E3D Chimera with PT100's. Completely gutted all the rods, pulley, motors, etc and can print PC with speeds up to 150mm/s with input shaping.