Creality Ender 3 Pro: When Print Speed Matters!

              Printing speed is always served as a yardstick of a fast 3D printer. However, maintaining a fine line between print quality and the time taken to complete an object, is one that successfully differentiates a good printer from the masses. Falling prices and advancing technology has made cheap 3D printers all the more enticing. The level of the output one can obtain from these machines, makes for a compelling value proposition.

Among these range of popular and affordable 3D printers is the Creality Ender 3 Pro. A printer that does anything and everything you want without your bank in any way. Today, we`ll focus on the speed aspect of a printing setup and gloss over the important things that affect the overall print speed.

Choice of Filaments

Printing speeds heavily relies on the type of material used. The material must undergo the required phase transition within the period duly required for binding uniformity. A detailed classification citing an ideal print setting for the given material used with Ender 3 Pro is given below:

PLA - derived from the plant materials is considered to be the most generic form of printable material. It delivers a print speed of 60 mm/s which remains ideal for everyday use.

TPU – represents a class of soft flexible materials, that is required to be printed at speeds, much slower than PLA or PETG. Considering the Ender 3 Bowden Extruder setup, printing at a speed of 20 mm/s to 40 mm/s should render a fine quality print.

PETG – is a set of filaments that prints at a temperature that is hotter than PLA. It can reach print speeds up to 60 mm/s, but the output may suffer from a stingy structure. Therefore, it's best to observe a print speed of around 40mm/s to alleviate the possibility of a feeble print.

ABS – is a hard and impact-resistant material. It necessitates an enclosed form to obtain a uniform and thorough print. Typically, a print speed close to PLA or PETG, (40-60 mm/s) is considered to be a safe bet.

Printer Characteristics:

The versatility of the Ender 3 Pro makes it potent to handle print speeds ranging from 30mm/s to as high as 200mm/s. However, the level of quality suffers as the print speed increases. Hence, an optimal print guideline specified by the Ender 3 Pro setup states 40-50mm/s for Detailed Prints & 70-80mm/s for rougher models.

Print Bed Settings:

The manufacturer states a max print speed of 200mm/s for Ender 3 Pro. However, speeds this fast is neither viable nor optimal for a fine quality print. This usually states the speed of motor travel rather than an extruder print speed.

One might find it difficult to ascertain a level bed, fit for good printing. This issue may exacerbate the conditions observed while fast printing. The enhanced forces of inertia involved in the translational motion, coupled with a wobbly or tilted bed might pose a serious risk to the machine.

Trial and Error Methodology:

Regardless of the brand of printer or its proprietary sets of features, users must themselves find ideal printer settings which suit their needs. Thus, finding the best specifications and settings remains a key part in an endless trial and error method that follows a continuous 3D printing process. The crucial things remain the iterative tuning and experimentation which renders the best possible experience. So, keep on trying and see what works for you the best!