3D printers are getting more common today as you can see there are lots of new and fresh machines in the market. The option is growing including for the budget range such as Sunlu S8 Vs Ender 3 that are still the favorite of many even years after their initial release. These printers are ideal choices for beginners or those who want to spend less but still getting a decent and reliable machine. For those who wonder about which to choose, let’s see the comparison below.
In this article, we are going to give you information about:
- How to Improve your FDM Printer
- What are Sunlu S8 and Ender 3
- How are the Machine of Sunlu S8 and Ender 3
- How are the Building Volume of Sunlu S8 and Ender 3
- How are the Building Bed on Sunlu S8 and Ender 3
- What else Sunlu S8 and Ender 3 can offer
- How are the Print Quality of Sunlu S8 and Ender 3
- Sunlu S8 Vs Ender 3
Improving an FDM Machine
With the advance of technology we probably always think “what’s next?” or what type of interesting tech people can bring to the mass. We are in the era of planning to develop a civilization on another planet so it is not surprising to see lots of new technology and convenience being introduced to the market through innovative products and machines. One of them is 3D printers which seems to be a niche product not long ago but now is growing rapidly with more users.
3D printers are also cheap which makes it accessible for a wider audience whether it is in a learning environment or in a professional setting. What’s a bit concerning about cheaper machines is their overall quality and reliability, just like how a $50 earbuds can’t beat an AirPods Pro. But, it doesn’t mean we have to avoid them at all costs because chances are there is some effort we can apply in order to get a better result while keeping the spending low.
For novice users who just get a 3D printer, especially an FDM such as Biqu B1 Vs Ender 3 V2, there is sometimes an issue for initial printing that makes the model fail to stack or just messy and not sticking together. The first tip is to adjust the bed and set the nozzle height since these are crucial for printing quality and consistency. The common method is by using a piece of paper to help determine the distance; it should slide without effort in between the bed and nozzle.
The next step is probably more tedious and requires you to have a temperature measuring tool. The idea of FDM is melting thermoplastic material and extruding it layer by layer in order to finish a design. Depending on what material being used, if the nozzle is too hot then you can find strings in between separate parts and in design with tall height they can even melt and deform your object. If it is not hot enough, it will be harder to push the material, resulting in skipping/grinding of the filament drive.
Another quick tip for improving print quality is by trying different build plates because each one of them have different texture that affects the objects such as PEI or glass that have a smooth surface or polycarbonate that gives a matte finish. If you encounter an issue such as the object can’t stick to the building plate, try using glue or hair spray; just enough to cover the plate. They will help with adhesion but too much of these helpers make the object stick too strong and can end up damaging your printing result.
| Sunlu S8 | Ender 3 | |
|---|---|---|
  |   |
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| Product Dimensions | 26.06 x 21.54 x 10.43 inches | 8.7 x 8.7 x 9.8 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 2.2 Pounds | 17.64 Pounds |
| Best offer | Check price | Check price |
About Sunlu S8 and Ender 3
Those are some quick and convenient tips to improve your machine because chances are we will have to address some of them in so many machines marketed now, especially the affordable ones. They may require some efforts but quite easy to deal with and there are still many other tips or methods to fix printing issues. A wide community or forum can be helpful too when you are in doubt about what to do and which to do first, including when it comes to upgrading a machine.
This way we can still rely on affordable machines but if you plan to do so don’t be surprised to have to set up the machine longer, everything will be worth it after all when you get a good printed object. With the growing enthusiasm, comes the never-ending competition as well and among those that you can find easily, we have Sunlu and Creality. We are sure most enthusiasts will be familiar with Creality but not that many heard the name Sunlu before.
This is because this brand is more well-known on the filament section for they are offering the material only before and now, they also have the FDM machine. They are often compared to Creality especially on the entry level so it is not surprising to see many are curious how their machines are against each other. What’s very interesting is that Sunlu can offer larger volume for the similar price of a Creality smaller machine and yes, the price of Sunlu S8 and Ender 3 are not that far apart.
Today these machines are sold at $200 range depending on where you get the machine and for a larger volume, we do think the S8 is more comparable to CR10 instead of Ender 3. Just like most FDM printers out there, the Sunlu S8 and Ender 3 can work with a wide range of materials, suitable for various different applications that don’t require meticulous details as well as pretty easy to start with, moreover with unlimited learning source you can access for free from the internet.
Sunlu S8 and Ender 3 Design
Before we are going over their features and how the machines compete with each other. Let’s see the unit first and even in a glance you can guess why S8 is more expensive. These machines, unfortunately, similar to most FDM printers out there, come in several parts yet in comparison, the Ender 3 is almost like a kit as it comes in so many pieces while Sunlu, conveniently already attach the main frame so we only left with some light assembly.
When fully assembled, the S8 is definitely taller, wider, or just larger in general because it also supports a larger build volume. The overall build quality is great, they are metal, very sturdy and one thing we do like better here is how clean Sunlu is compared to Ender 3 which still installs the main board outside the main housing. Both are Bowden style and somehow have similar control panels too, combined with a rotating knob to choose the menu.
Sunlu S8 and Ender 3 Building Volume
Moving further, let’s see what Sunlu S8 and Ender 3 can offer and starting with the volume, the two are already completely different from each other. As it has been mentioned above, the S8 is more comparable to CR10 because this printer build volume is at 310mm by 310mm by 400mm while the Ender 3 is considered entry-level at only 220mm by 220mm by 250mm. Capacity is crucial in a 3D printer because we can’t tweak them so it is wise to decide based on what you will want to print.
Sunlu S8 and Ender 3 Building Bed
Next for the building bed, the two are also different because Ender 3 is using a typical heated bed with magnetic attachment in which the surface is coated as well. Sunlu on the other hand is coming with a glass bed which some may like better. We personally like glass beds better because they are smooth and for adhesion we can rely on glue or hair spray instead. Chances are you will need a type of adhesive for both since we also find the Ender 3’s coating is not effective with ABS material.
Bed levelling is done manually for both machines and if you see closely, the Sunlu has a smaller Y rail but it has two of them which are arranged a bit far apart from each other so in theory it should be more stable in holding the bed compared to wider but single rail in Ender 3. What we like better on the latter machine is the large adjustment knobs as it makes the adjustment easier compared to smaller ones on S8.
Sunlu S8 and Ender 3 Features
Next for the features, in between the Sunlu S8 and Ender 3, only Sunlu can add a little bit more value on the price tag. Talking about the price tag we see an increasing price for this machine, probably during this pandemic since it was cheaper last year. This machine already comes with both run-out filament sensor and power resume which are almost essential for larger machines like S8, just to make sure we can be notified when there is filament breakage or in case the power source is cut off while printing so we don’t have to start over.
Sunlu S8 and Ender 3 Print Quality
Lastly for the print quality, this is where it gets more interesting and the answer is both are doing a good job, definitely not the best but you will get enough for a first machine at an affordable price point. In comparison Sunlu seems to be more consistent however, especially when you are working on simpler objects. In detail they are not the best and probably we have to work around some issues first before getting a satisfying result but for a novice who wants to play around with their machine, the Sunlu S8 and Ender 3 are promising options.
Sunlu S8 vs Ender 3
The prominent difference between the two machines beside their manufacturer and price point is mostly based on the volume as this is something we can’t improve and will have to accept as long as we have the machine. Another difference is that Sunlu has a glass bed which we like better but adjusting Ender 3 feels more effortless, thanks to the large knobs. On print result they are decent and chances are we have to work on the slicer too in order to achieve the best result.
Conclusion
The choice should be based on which seems to work best in your application and here we suggest to consider volume. For those who plan to print larger objects, Sunlu S8 is a great choice but if you only use some of the build plate, saving some with Ender 3 is a wise decision.