FDM printers are getting very common but the more popular this machine is, the more options we can choose from such as Biqu B1 Vs Ender 3 that can be confusing since most machines are very similar to each other. Sometimes you can choose any of them without any meaningful difference but there are also options that are better than the rest and if you wonder which to purchase between the two, here is what you may want to know about the printers.
In this comparison, we are going to talk about:
- What are the Potential of 3D Printers
- What are Biqu B1 and Ender 3
- How are the Design of Biqu B1 and Ender 3
- How are the Capacity of Biqu B1 and Ender 3
- How are the Build Plate of Biqu B1 and Ender 3
- What else Biqu B1 and Ender 3 can offer
- Biqu B1 Vs Ender 3
3D Printers
Human knowledge is getting wider each day with people striving to be better and with growing numbers of problems we are facing everyday. 3D printer is one of the new tech that is getting recognition to be actually useful for not just a hobby but also in terms of improving financial, logistical, and even healthcare areas, such as like now in the middle of pandemic where hospitals and medical staff is continuously demanding for tools and equipment to help them do their jobs.
In the wider application, this type of machine is allowing for endless customization specifically when talking about the material and design. The example in the healthcare system is we can use the machine to create precisely individual prosthetic limbs that can be easily done in each establishment as well as much cheaper to produce. Other examples in aerospace, equipment that used to require lots of time to assemble now can be 3D printed at once. This allows for faster production and more items can be made in the allocated time.
Depending on the size of the machine or what you are going to use them for, in most cases they are more compact than let’s say a full manufacturing system that creates and produces parts instead of the product all at once. This way there is less space and less inventory when considering the mass production process. There are even possibilities that humans can 3D print satellites in the future even though we still don’t know when it will happen.
While being very promising, we are also realistically seeing how they are implemented in the world. 3D printing is the most popular in the application of prototyping but still requires many years before it can be implemented in the world of manufacturing. If this ever happens, we can create a more streamline production process all over the world, more than those that have been manufactured using 3D printers today. The main problem is the traditional process is still more time effective which makes it less profitable as business.
Time is money and unless 3D printers can beat the traditional manufacturing method in general, it will be less effective. In addition, while there are machines that can work with multi material, it is still relatively uncommon and the fact that so many products are containing different material, can make the movement even more challenging and this is outside the level of accuracy a 3D machine can offer which often varies based on the system and size itself.
| Biqu B1 | Ender 3 | |
|---|---|---|
  |   |
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| Product Dimensions | 9.25 x 9.25 x 10.63 inches | 8.7 x 8.7 x 9.8 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 1.76 Ounces | 17.64 Pounds |
| Best offer | Check price | Check price |
About Biqu B1 and Ender 3
Nowadays, the 3D printer application is still very limited but for some people, they are already helpful, especially for prototyping and hobby. The machine allows you to make physical objects out of a digital design so everyone can use them at home for various purposes whether it is just a hobby or for a professional goal. While sounding quite exclusive, they are not always expensive because more are offered on the entry-level. This way the machine can reach a wider range of users and make the concept more familiar as well.
What you may want to consider when deciding to get an affordable machine is what they can offer to you. In general they are very simple meaning there are very few features we can expect to see in one but, it also means we can learn from the very basics to handle the machine. Biqu and Creality are common options for entry-level FDM printers, suitable for new enthusiasts and hobbyists who want to keep the budget low but still get a reliable machine.
You can find more than one option from their collection based on which seems to fit you the most, such as the Biqu B1 and Ender 3 on the very basic range. These machines are very affordable but the B1 is actually more similar to the Ender 3 V2 that you can check in our Biqu B1 Vs Ender 3 V2 than its original machine. In comparison, B1 is the more expensive, more than $100 in price gap makes this machine also comes with more to offer so the option will be easy here.
If you are wanting the more capable machine, we will say going with Biqu B1 is an easy choice but if you are on a very tight budget then the original Ender 3 is still a good choice as well. The difference is you may need to spend more time with this machine and in case you will want to upgrade it with other features, the Biqu B1 will be much simpler to work with. Overall it is all about which seems to fit you the most or what you want to achieve.
Biqu B1 and Ender 3 Design
After the success of Ender 3, more companies are offering their version of entry-level FDM printers so you will see very similar products and it seems like everyone is a clone of the Ender 3 to a certain level. At first what sets the two apart is how B1 uses more aesthetic marketing effort by painting some of its parts with a bright pink color which makes it stand out among its peers. It is somehow back to basic with the machines now similarly coming in one fashion.
As far as the design goes, they are the same but the material and sturdiness feels more reliable on Biqu B1. The two also come in a kit which require time to assemble but one thing we love the most from Biqu is actually the more streamlined design that tuck the processing unit in the single housing below the printing bed. Additionally, we are also happy with Biqu’s 3.5-inch color touch screen interface which makes the overall experience more pleasing.
Biqu B1 and Ender 3 Capacity
Now for the most important part, let’s see what Biqu B1 and Ender 3 can offer starting from the capacity. How large a machine can print is one of the most important factors to consider because in most cases we can’t bump it up and each machine’s ability is limited by the physical size itself. In this part both machines are more on the medium build with a capacity of 235 x 235 x 270mm compared to 220 x 220 x 250 mm which should be enough for typical printing at home.
Biqu B1 and Ender 3 Build Plate
Now for the building plate, both of them are claimed to be able to reach up to 100 and 110 Celsius respectively but, the type of bed surface are different because the original Ender has this regular surface that needs to be clipped to makes it stay in place firmly while the B1 is coming with a magnetic bed, the same with Ender 3 Pro. Both are using manual leveling out of the box but, one issue we often heard about Ender 3 is the bed is not as sturdy which makes it require re-levelling more often.
To level these beds it is done by adjusting it through the large knobs located below their bed. We like how they are easy to fine-tune but what made us like Biqu better is its “Babystep”. This feature is an automatic adjustment done by the machine to let you live-adjust the Z-offset as small as 0.01mm which makes it easy to get the nozzle closer to the bed to match with the type of material you are currently printing.
Biqu B1 and Ender 3 Features
Lastly, we want to mention the additional features that you can get from Biqu B1 and Ender 3 or the B1 since Ender 3 is very basic here. The first is a filament sensor which comes out of the box in B1 and this is useful just in case it stops flowing due to breakage or you run out of it. Second is the touch panel to improve user experience and third is the dedicated ports at the back of the machine for BL-touch bed leveling probe and the smart filament sensor if you want to upgrade the machine.
Biqu B1 vs Ender 3
Both machines are good options based on which seems to fit you the most but in comparison, the Biqu B1 is a more capable machine, and also more expensive. What you can find on this machine is slightly larger build volume, additional features for fine nozzle adjustment, run-out sensor, as well as ports for BL-touch bed leveling and smart filament sensor. In addition, this printer is overall easier to upgrade, moreover it has firmware and detailed diagrams of its SKR 1.4 in the GitHub repo for easier access to knowledge related to the machine.
Conclusion
You can go amazing with any of them based on what you want to achieve but if you want the less complicated or just want to be more convenient, we highly recommend choosing Biqu B1 but if budget is strictly limited, the Ender 3 is still a very good machine as well.