Affordable FDM printers are very popular in the last few years with many companies starting to offer the options for their customers. Options like Biqu B1 Vs Ender 3 Pro are among the most highly rated compared to so many similar machines at the same price range yet, they gain it for how well they work and what convenience comes with the machine. If you wonder which of the two will be the better choice, here are what you may want to know about them.
In this comparison, we are going to talk about:
- How to Improve 3D Printers
- What are Biqu B1 and Ender 3 Pro
- How are the Machine of Biqu B1 and Ender 3 Pro
- How are the Capacity of Biqu B1 and Ender 3 Pro
- How are the Building Bed in Biqu B1 and Ender 3 Pro
- What else Biqu B1 and Ender 3 Pro can offer
- Biqu B1 Vs Ender 3 Pro
Improving FDM Printers
3D printers are getting more common and the tech is also getting more affordable which is great to spread this fairly new manufacturing and prototyping machine to the wider range of applications and level of users. At the very basic we are using the typical compact FDM machine which should be the more user-friendly as well compared to the similarly familiar SLA machines. While the machine and material play a huge role in the process, there are actually many we can do to improve the overall quality.
After getting your machine, the first thing you want to do is making sure that the bed is leveled properly and the nozzle distance is set accordingly too. Usually we can rely on a piece of paper to determine the distance between nozzle and bed; you can pull and slide it back easily without meaningful resistance if the nozzle is in appropriate distance. Most machines are levelled manually but there are some automatic features that you can find on higher-end products.
The way an FDM printer works is by melting the plastic through the hot end and then deposited by the nozzle. This way, the nozzle needs to be hot enough to melt the filament but not too hot that it can damage the material quality. In addition, if you are building a tall model, make sure to include a 1 cm cube built on the opposite of the build plate to help dissipate the temperature of the nozzle and reduce the chance of filament string.
Not only is the nozzle, your build plate also heated to make sure the filament can stick together or to help with adhesion. Do find the perfect temperature by test print several times because if it is too cool then the model may not stick to the base while if it is too hot then it will melt the base, creating what is often called as elephant foot. It probably requires a few test prints but usually only done at the beginning or when you are printing different types of materials.
In addition we can try various printing bases in order to achieve different results as well. For example glass beds will produce a shiny bottom but they are not the best in terms of adhesion compared to other textured surfaces. To help your printed objects to stick better, we can use additional adhesion like glue or spray in a controlled amount. It is overall trial and error but this is where the fun is for some people.
Biqu B1 | Ender 3 Pro | |
---|---|---|
Product Dimensions | 9.25 x 9.25 x 10.63 inches | 20.94 x 15.04 x 7.91 inches |
Shipping Weight | 1.76 Ounces | 18.96 Pounds |
Best offer | Check price | Check price |
About Biqu B1 and Ender 3 Pro
Now when you are already firm in getting an FDM printer, it is time to see what the market has to offer because there are so many of them out there. 3D printers may not be a widely used idea yet even today but the number of enthusiasts is increasing rapidly along with users who plan to utilize this machine in the professional sector. If this is your first machine we do recommend starting from the entry-level and saving the budget for a better machine when we have more experience.
After the hype of 3D printers and how more people are familiar with the concept, the market is getting crowded as well involving new brands and more options in various ranges from the entry-level to those high-end and more capable machines. Biqu and Creality are two of the famous names that you can rely on too, especially for the basic and affordable machines. In comparison Creality was well-known quite earlier but Biqu is able to compete well with their reliable machines based on Creality’s favorite.
Talking about entry-level machines means talking about the popular options from these brands such as Biqu B1 and Ender 3 Pro. These machines are suitable for beginners who are not fond of figuring out what to do to improve their machine because the two are already what most people want in the price range. Of course they are not the highest offering from the two but you are getting more than just a basic machine for a fairly low price point.
These machines are more or less very similar to each other but in comparison the Ender 3 Pro is almost the same with the original Ender 3 which we have talked about in Biqu B1 Vs Ender 3 with a slight difference. As far as the machine’s ability, they are capable of performing the same task but B1 is making improvement easier as well as coming with more capabilities out of the box. Overall it saves confusion in case you decide to tweak the machine in the future.
Biqu B1 and Ender 3 Pro Design
Biqu B1 was gaining so many new fans when it first appeared with the pink accent but now they are looking like most affordable printers out there, just like how Ender 3 and its iteration. There is nothing special about their build quality and you can say that they are well-made to not cause extreme concern with normal use. The machines come in kit but attaching the parts and cables are not very time consuming especially if this is not your first experience.
What made us like Biqu B1 better is for its streamlined unit as you can see it tucks all parts inside the main housing which makes the machine looks cleaner and neat too, if you pay attention to such quality. In addition there is a color, touch screen as your navigation port and this is huge enough for operation while also easier to understand as the menu is simpler with different icons and information related to the function.
Biqu B1 and Ender 3 Pro Capacity
Now for the most important part, let’s see what Biqu B1 and Ender 3 Pro can offer starting from the capacity. The maximum size your machine can work on is necessary because in most cases they can’t be bumped up due to being restricted by the printer’s build itself. If this is your first printer, do consider what you will print with the machine or the maximum size to work with because these machines can only accommodate 235 x 235 x 270 mm compared to 220 x 220 x 250 mm objects.
Biqu B1 and Ender 3 Pro Print Bed
As for the bed, as you can guess the two are still manually levelled which may take some time but since it is a crucial part, we have to do it thoroughly in order to achieve the flattest bed possible. Thankfully the adjustment knobs are huge enough to allow for fine adjustment easier. What we like better in B1 is the feature called babystep. This is an automatic function that lowers nozzles as fine as 0.01 mm to help users get an appropriate distance between bed and nozzle much easier and convenient.
In addition both Biqu B1 and Ender 3 Pro are using a magnetic bed instead of glass bed so it means we can peel it easier from the surface. It is not the preferred surface for everyone however because one thing we always struggle with magnetic beds is how they often don’t just fall flat and right on the surface which means we still have to arrange it or carefully put it back on the bed. For adhesion issues these surfaces are working really well already.
Biqu B1 and Ender 3 Pro Features
Lastly on the additional features, both of these machines are easy to tweak which in comparison is better compared to the previous Ender 3. This helps users who want to get their hands dirty and upgrade the machine later. Out of the box the Ender Pro comes with a power recovery mode while on the other hand B1 comes with a filament run out sensor. These are typical features in many other similar machines but if you want to add a level sensor, B1 puts the port in a strategic position which makes upgrading a breeze.
Biqu B1 vs Ender 3 Pro
You can go well with any of the two based on which seems to work best for your application. Out of the box the machines are not perfect and you may have to deal with some light issues later which is common and there are plenty of guides we can follow to fix the problem. For printing quality you can get a bigger print volume with B1 but Ender 3 Pro is cheaper and almost similarly easy to upgrade. One has a filament run out and the other has a power recovery feature.
Conclusion
There is no bad option between the two but if you are going to print at larger size then we do recommend getting the Biqu B1 but also because it has a better user interface and a more streamlined machine design.