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Review of the LulzBot Taz Pro 3D Printer
LulzBot Taz Pro
Summary
The MP10 Mini packs a lot of features into a small package. Building on the popular V-slot aluminum extrusion style frames of the Ender 3 and CR-10, Monoprice has thrown every feature they can at the MP10 Mini which makes it stand out from the crowd and offer good value for money.
Introduction
Lulzbot, a name synonymous with assisting all kinds of people across the globe, from 3D printing prosthetics to 3D printed clips for snowshoes for the US Marines, proving that no job is too small.
The latest model from Lulzbot, the Taz Pro is a desktop industrial 3D printer for creating printed-on-demand parts and large prototypes.
The printer is one of a family and was released in 2019. You won’t see much change from $5,000, but this machine should more than earn its keep and provide a good return on investment.
The Lulzbot Taz Pro is an upgrade from the ever-popular Taz 6 and comes with every feature but the kitchen sink, and filament.
Along with the usual guides, you can expect to find a pretty handy toolkit bag containing pliers, tweezers, and pliers amongst a handful of useful items for simple printer maintenance. There is also a 4GB flashcard in the package to get you started.
If all the above isn’t enough to tempt you, there is a 30-day money-back guarantee.
So, let’s take a closer look at what appears to be a fabulous piece of engineering and see what else makes it so special.
Features
Lulzbot is manufactured in Colorado USA, and their machines are widely used by the military, and as a company received over 80 awards in 2018.
The new machine boasts some user-friendly features such as a large color touch screen, greater processing power, and memory, and dual filament run-out sensors also tell you when your filament needs refilling, and the machine comes complete with slicer software.
The Lulzbot TAZ Pro features a generous build volume of 280mm x 280mm x 285mm, making it suitable for a wide range of 3D printing tasks, from architectural models to Cosplay props.
The heated Borosilicate Glass/PEI build plate makes life easier by ensuring your print sticks the first time, every time while also being easy to remove.
If you’re relatively new to 3D printing, that means the printer base is made from the same kind of glass as your cookware with an additional coating as it is durable, promotes even heat, and will last for many years.
A good base means better stability for your layers to adhere to, one of the most common problems of 3D printing is first layer adhesion.
The Lulzbot Taz Pro has automated x/y/z calibration and a nozzle made from hardened steel, which incorporates auto nozzle wiping.
Belt driven Z-axis, exclusive new technology eliminates Z-wobble print artifacts. Z-wobble is when the layers of the printed object are not perfectly aligned laterally with the layers above and below as the threaded rods are bent even a tiny bit.
The Taz Pro also has an ‘open filament system,’ which is a huge plus as the market is expanding rapidly. This means you can use any brand of filament you choose; you are never forced to stick to the manufacturer’s own brand.
Every project is different, and as a designer, you need to be able to source the best material for your build. With this machine, the possibilities are endless.
LulzBot includes a length of PLA filament just to get you started, and an initial test print is done, and if you follow their instructions, at the link below, you can even print an adorable little character called Rock2pus!
https://www.lulzbot.com/rock2pus
Slicer software converts your digital design or CAD into a format that the 3D printer can understand.
Another great feature of this machine is the ability not only to run two filaments, or two different colors at the same time, but also two different materials at the same time. Two active lifting hot ends enable printing with multiple materials providing they have similar melting points within the same part.
You can see this machine in action by following the link below.
https://www.lulzbot.com/store/printers/lulzbot-taz-pro
The TAZ Pro integrates hardened steel E3D components, which enable the printer to use a variety of materials that are getting users so excited. Materials that are unsuitable for most out-of-the-box 3D printers can be used as nothing is too abrasive for hardened steel, this means that you can print with many high heat composites such as carbon-filled materials.
This machine uses 2.85mm filament, which is less common than its 1.75mm alternative. However, it does offer some benefits in terms of print speed.
Verdict
So how does the Lulzbot Taz Pro stack up against the rest of the Lulzbot family of printers? It has been on the market less than a year, so it’s still too early to see if it exhibits the same levels of reliability as previous models, but there’s no apparent reason to think it wouldn’t.
The Lulzbot Taz Pro is said to have superior print quality due to its new x/y/x backlash compensation. This technology allows for more accurate results. Backlash compensation adds extra steps to segments whenever a motor reverses direction.
One significant factor which puts the Lulzbot Pro ahead of others is how much faster it is. Time is a considerable amount in engineering dollars, which makes this machine worthwhile for many companies. More rapid cycle times and a quicker throughput are achieved with the z-axis belt drive included with the Taz Pro.
So, compared with the Lulzbot Taz 6 or the Lulzbot Mini 2, the Lulzbot Taz Pro has enhanced electronics, dual extrusion, and a larger build volume. Its touch screen makes it more user friendly for an industrial-grade 3D printer, and its desktop footprint makes it a winner for the home user.
Is this going to be the best pro printer for 2020? LulzBot consistently hit it out of the park, so there’s no reason to think the TAZ Pro won’t become the 3D printer to which all others are judged!
Happy printing!
Last update on 2024-04-19 at 12:52
