The Elegoo Neptune 3 Max has all the newest options that we’ve began to anticipate in a contemporary 3D printer: direct drive, a flex plate, auto leveling, and a contact display. It’s additionally a beast of a machine with a 420 x 420 x 500mm construct quantity that’s good for printing giant props and costume items. At a worth level of $470, the Neptune 3 Max is a wonderful alternative for cosplayers searching for a extra expansive second printer with out breaking the financial institution.
What it would break, nonetheless, is your desk. The Neptune 3 Max is a huge 39 pound mattress slinger requiring almost a sq. meter of labor floor. As a result of the construct plate strikes backwards and forwards alongside the Y axis, you’ll want 8 extra inches behind the machine and 5 inches in entrance, for a complete of 39 inches (990mm).
The Neptune 3 Max is the newest in a sequence of upgraded Elegoo FDM printers, each incomes high marks for ease of use and reliability. That is by far one in every of our favourite printers and one we are able to simply advocate as one of many greatest 3D printers for prop makers and cosplayers.
Specs: Elegoo Neptune 3 Max
| Construct Quantity | 420 x 420 x 500 mm (16.5 x16.5 x 19.7 inches) |
| Materials | PLA/PETG/TPU/ABS (as much as 260 levels) |
| Extruder Sort Bowden | Direct Drive |
| Nozzle .4mm MK8 | .4mm MK8 |
| Construct Platform | PEI textured spring metal sheet, heated |
| Mattress Leveling | Computerized, Inductive |
| Filament Runout Sensor | Sure |
| Connectivity | microSD card, USB Sort A |
| Interface | Coloration contact display, detachable |
| Machine Footprint | 658 x 632 x 740 mm (25.9 x 24.8 x 29.1 in) |
| Machine Weight | 17.7 KG (39 lbs) |
Elegoo Neptune 3 Max: Included within the Field
The Neptune 3 Max comes with every part it’s essential to get your printer arrange. You get instruments to construct and keep the printer, aspect cutters, a plastic scraper, 2 spare nozzles, and a microSD card with a USB adapter. There’s additionally a small pattern of white PLA to print your first mannequin.
The microSD card has a really useful brief video on assembling the printer. You additionally get a PDF copy of the handbook, a duplicate of Elegoo Cura and a pattern mannequin in each pre-sliced .gcode and .stl format.
Design of the Elegoo Neptune 3 Max
The Neptune 3 Max appears precisely like its two little siblings, simply approach, approach greater. Neptune’s customary black body has been swapped for grey aluminum with painted stripes and their new motto “Create the Future” stamped on the entrance.
The Max additionally shares the very same device head of the Professional and Plus, which is a disgrace as a result of this monster machine would actually profit from a high-flow hotend and Volcano fashion nozzle. There’s nothing flawed with the twin gear direct drive that comes with this machine – it’s truly excellent on TPU – it is just a bit underpowered for the person who purchased a Max with photographs of Iron Man helmets dancing of their head.
The ability provide is beneath the mattress, giving it a low heart of gravity a lot wanted for this towering beast. Twin Z rods hold the gantry regular and I didn’t have any drawback maxing out the 500mm construct top.
Let’s speak in regards to the elephant within the room, we could? The Neptune 3 Max is big. And it’s a mattress slinger. Meaning if you’re searching for a spot to park it, it’s essential to account for the backwards and forwards movement of the mattress – all 39 inches of it. This printer is not going to match on a shelf constructed for an Ender and neither will it match on a normal sized kitchen counter. Our check unit is at present sitting on an air hockey desk in my rec room, subsequent to the Anycubic Kobra Max.
The Neptune 3 Max brings its personal gentle to the get together, so at the very least you don’t have to fret about seeing your prints. The LED is tucked up inside the highest gantry extrusion and is turned on and off by the management pad. It’s a pleasant premium contact that I actually recognize.
The management pad is a hefty detachable unit on a magnetic base, much like the opposite Neptune 3s. I nonetheless haven’t found out why you want a detachable management display, nevertheless it’s there in the event you want it. What’s extra essential is the graphic menu is giant and straightforward to know.
The Neptune 3 Max has an auto mattress leveling system that makes use of an inductive probe to sense the metallic floor of the versatile construct plate. That is mixed with a six, sure six level, handbook leveling system to realize good tramming.
The spool holder is mounted on high, identical to the smaller machines, which makes the footprint a bit much less vast than the Anycubic Kobra Max. It has a normal run out sensor on the high that doesn’t intrude with loading TPU or some other filament.
Assembling the Elegoo Neptune 3 Max
The Neptune 3 Max comes principally assembled, solely needing a number of bolts to place the machine collectively. The higher body is connected to the bottom with 4 bolts that come up by the underside. A diagonal rod braces the gantry and is screwed into the body at each ends. The contact display base screws into the aspect.
All {the electrical} connections are labeled – or extraordinarily apparent the place they should go.
The video included on the microSD card is useful – and Elegoo was considerate sufficient to say the video twice within the printer’s documentation, in order that customers comprehend it.
Leveling the Elegoo Neptune 3 Max
The Neptune 3 Max has an fascinating six level handbook leveling system, augmented with an inductive probe for an ideal stage. To stage – or tram – the floor you’ll must first manually stage the plate. The additional two knobs makes the duty extra concerned, however fortunately the screws are stiff sufficient to carry the plate in place for weeks.
Upon getting it manually leveled as greatest you possibly can, choose Stage on the principle menu and the printer will warmth as much as 140 levels on the nozzle and 60 C on the mattress. After it properties, it’ll faucet 63 factors throughout the mattress.
It’ll then cease on the heart of the mattress and wait so that you can double-check the Z top. Do that by inserting a chunk of atypical paper beneath the nozzle and decreasing or elevating it with the buttons on the contact display till the nozzle simply scrapes the paper.
You can too high quality tune the Z top from the print menu whereas operating a print, nonetheless I didn’t discover this obligatory.
Loading Filament on the Elegoo Neptune 3 Max
The Neptune 3 Max is a direct drive printer with its extruder and hotend multi function spot. To load filament, faucet Put together on the principle menu, then Temperature and choose the one in every of 4 presets that match your filament. As soon as the hotend is warmed previous 190 levels, you possibly can insert the filament into the highest of the extruder and let the wheels pull the filament by.
To unload or change colours, merely reverse the method.
Getting ready Information / Software program for Elegoo Neptune 3 Max
The Neptune 3 Max comes with a duplicate of Elegoo Cura, which has profiles for all of Elegoo’s machines. It additionally has the built-in capacity to create a thumbnail of your mannequin to show on the printer’s display. The profiles aren’t but been included in customary Cura or Prusa Slicer, nonetheless, all of Elegoo’s profiles have been posted on Github. YouTuber Bryan Vines has instructions on the right way to set up the information on Cura right here. If you wish to benefit from Cura’s newer enhancements, it is nicely well worth the obtain.
Printing on the Elegoo Neptune 3 Max
The Neptune 3 Max printed splendidly proper out of the field, nonetheless, I used to be disillusioned that it got here with a normal .4 mm nozzle. This machine is purpose-built for big fashions and you may shave hours off your print time by merely switching to a bigger nozzle. All of the prints proven – settle for the very first equipped check print – use a .6mm nozzle.
My first print was the pre-sliced Buddha Elegoo offered on the microSD card (and the inventory nozzle). I used the equipped pattern PLA and it turned out very clean. The pattern PLA was solely sufficient to print one check file, so that you’ll undoubtedly wish to order a number of rolls of filament immediately. Try our information to the greatest filaments for 3D printing for examples of our favourite supplies so as to add to your provide.
This printer is an apparent alternative for cosplayers eager to print costume items and props. However can it print a sword? Not in a single piece – however I did print a very nice Skyrim dagger by splitting it down the center size sensible. The mannequin is 450mm (17.7 inches) lengthy and wanted to be rotated diagonally on the construct plate to suit. The 2 items had been reunited with the assistance of 3D Gloop, (opens in new tab) an adhesive made for PLA that melts the plastics collectively for a long-lasting bond. Please observe that the print is tough from the seam and would wish a little bit sanding and paint to correctly end it off.
This was printed in Inland Silver PLA+ (opens in new tab), utilizing a .16mm layer top for smoother particulars. I additionally turned on Cura’s experimental “make overhangs printable” which flared out a number of particulars on the hilt in order that helps wouldn’t be wanted. This took 7 hours and 14 minutes to print at a 65mm/s velocity.
Right here’s an excellent instance of a giant print achieved in PLA: Fotis Mint’s Miles Morales Spiderman. As a result of the print is blown as much as 200% there’s no noticeable loss intimately whereas utilizing the .6mm nozzle. There’s a little beneath extrusion alongside the chest which can enhance with a hotter nozzle temperature or slower velocity.
The bust and stand printed individually, each utilizing a .2mm layer top, 15% lightning infill and 150mm/s velocity and took 24 hours, 16 min altogether to print, a financial savings of 6 hours in comparison with related settings with a .4mm nozzle. I printed it in Galaxy Black PLA (opens in new tab) from Prusament.
To check the total construct top, I maxed out this traditional Aria the Dragon to 500mm and ran it in PETG. The Neptune 3 Max has a textured PEI sheet, so that you don’t want glue keep on with keep away from damaging the plate, and the PETG launched by itself as soon as it was cool.
I experimented with lightning infill, which solely places infill the place it’s wanted– on this case, on the high of the pillar and the horizontal vanes on the wings. This left the dragon largely hole, which appears actually nice with clear filament. I used a brim and .2mm Z hop for additional stability, as my first try with out brim failed on the high most inch of the print when it received too wobbly. This print took 18 hours and 14 minutes with a .28 layer top, 6mm nozzle and 60mm/s velocity. The filament is GreenGate3D recycled PETG in Translucent Purple.
For TPU testing, I printed a vase mode trash can, as a result of why not? The Neptune 3 Max can actually create giant sensible prints with its beneficiant construct quantity. This printed fantastically in Matterhackers Construct Collection Translucent Inexperienced TPU (opens in new tab), utilizing a .6mm nozzle, .28 layer top and vase mode. It took 14 hours and 22 minutes to print. The white marks are reflections from the lights.
Backside Line
The Neptune 3 Max is a beast of a machine that ought to be on each cosplayer’s and prop maker’s want listing. It’s as straightforward to make use of because the smaller Neptune 3 Professional, however wants a substantial quantity of desk house to arrange.
The additional set of leveling knobs mixed with auto mattress leveling ensures that even the largest first layer can go down easily. It might probably deal with extraordinarily tall prints in the event you take a little bit warning – a brim and slower velocity saved prints from wobbling into catastrophe. Better of all, we actually appreciated the PEI flex plate which makes eradicating prints easy and doesn’t want a protecting layer of glue stick earlier than operating PETG.
The Neptune 3 Max has the deluxe options we’re coming to anticipate in a contemporary 3D printer: a direct drive, flex plate, auto leveling and contact display at an inexpensive worth level for the scale. Retailing at $470, the Neptune 3 Max would make a superb second machine for somebody who feels restricted by the typical construct plate.
Should you don’t have the house for an enormous 3D printer, however nonetheless want a little bit extra elbow room, try the Elegoo Neptune 3 Plus, which has a 320mm x 320mm x 400mm construct quantity for $350. Should you favor a glass plate, then Anycubic Kobra Max, priced at $529, is a worthwhile super-sized machine.
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