The 3D printer is now available for the masses. Voxelab Aries and FlashForge Adventurer 3 are perfect options for users who desire ease of use and reliable performance. These printers focus on user experience and print qualities with plenty of convenient features. They also share a lot of similarities and some noticeable differences. If you wonder which printer to go for, let’s see what to expect from the two.
In this comparison, we are going to talk about:
- What is a 3D Printing Machine
- What are Voxelab Aries and FlashForge Adventurer 3
- How are the Machines of Voxelab Aries and FlashForge Adventurer 3
- How is the Build Capacity of Voxelab Aries and FlashForge Adventurer 3
- How are the Building Bed in Voxelab Aries and FlashForge Adventurer 3
- How is the Extruder in Voxelab Aries and FlashForge Adventurer 3
- What else Voxelab Aries and FlashForge Adventurer 3 can offer
- How is the Performance of Voxelab Aries and FlashForge Adventurer 3
- Voxelab Aries Vs FlashForge Adventurer 3
3D Printer
Many people will agree that 3D printing is fun. Most people probably think that we can make anything using the machine. While we can make anything in practice, the material is limited to plastic and similar elements, so as long as the item is replicable using plastic, a 3D printer can make the copy for you. Unlike regular printers, the 3D printing machine is quite complicated and not something we can master in a matter of hours if there is no basic knowledge about the machine and its software.
The 3D printing process typically relies on a solid filament of thermoplastic. This material will melt at a specific temperature, so the machine can deposit it into whatever item you want to make. Depending on the machine, a few different setups dictate how the filament is deposited on the building surface. The most common mechanism mounts a building plate on the Y-axis while the extruder moves on both the X and Z axes. Popular budget machines like Anycubic Kobra Vs Kobra Max are using this design.
The printer will deposit its molten filament layer by layer in which the speed is adjustable from your software. A faster setting will help you finish the project earlier, but it may not have the smoothest result. Slower settings finish later, but usually, they will produce a more precise print. 3D printers, especially FDM, are usually tweakable. Owners can custom make some parts of the printer to replace or improve performance and experience. Some machines are more suitable for experienced owners, while some are best for beginners.
| Voxelab Aries | FlashForge Adventurer 3 | |
|---|---|---|
  |   |
|
| Product Dimensions | 16.69 x 15.98 x 18.46 inches | 15.28 x 14.96 x 15.94 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 34.77 Pounds | 22.05 Pounds |
| Shop now at Amazon | Check price | Check price |
About Voxelab Aries and FlashForge Adventurer 3
Relatively expensive machines are usually more suitable for beginners and buyers who want to use the machine as a tool. Thus, they want the best ease of use and reliable performance. Experienced users invest in finding the issue with their machine and fixing it to work better. Suppose your main purpose of the 3D printer is to produce 3D printed items. In that case, we highly recommend spending on a reliable and convenient machine so you can spend less time tinkering and more on actually printing.
Like most products, different types of users have different preferences, and if you just want to print items, the Voxelab Aries and FlashForge Adventurer 3 are excellent choices. These brands market their printers to hobbyists and professionals who don’t have time to tinker with their machines. Straightforward and reliable will perfectly sum up these machines. These printers share many similarities, such as they come in almost ready-to-use, touch-screen, and neat designs that allow you to showcase the machine while they perform- for example, in a school’s lab.
However, there are also some crucial differences between Voxelab Aries and FlashForge Adventurer 3. One of the most important specs is an enclosure that comes with FlashForge 3 but not for Aries. You can build your enclosure, but it means we have to spare time and money to make one. The FlashForge also has more features; the most noticeable is automatic bed-leveling, which can be intimidating for beginners. Another critical difference is that Aries is slightly bigger in print volume than Adventurer 3.
The performance side of Voxelab Aries and FlashForge Adventurer 3 is very similar. Both machines can print good quality items, but we think the FlashForge tends to perform better when using its own filament. On the other hand, we are using third-party, suitable filament with Aries.
Voxelab Aries and FlashForge Adventurer 3 Printers
If you browse 3D printers for beginners, there is Ender 3 on the list. Machines like Ender 3 are affordable for more people to start their 3D printing hobby. One of the best things about Voxelab Aries and FlashForge Adventurer 3 is they come almost ready to use, especially the Adventurer 3. This printer has a plastic injection body and a whole enclosure mechanism and requires minimum assembly. They come with sample filament, but we recommend changing to a bigger roll.
Besides the lack of enclosure in Aries, this machine also has a slightly different mechanism. You may notice that Adventurer and many other machines like Ender 3 keep the bed at the same level. The Aries move the bed on the Z-axis while its print head moves on the X and Y-axis. These machines have a USB port to plug in your flash drive, but they also have wireless connectivity. The spool holder is on the rear panel, and Aries is slightly bigger than Adventurer 3 in form factor.
Voxelab Aries and FlashForge Adventurer 3 Capacity
Not only is the machine’s size, but the print volume is also different. The print volume is the maximum item size we can print using the machine, and it is fixed, meaning we have to stick with the capacity until we move to a higher model. The Aries print volume is 200 by 200 by 200 mm, while Adventurer 3 is 150 by 150 by 150 mm. Measure the items you want to make with these machines before spending on one because some people may need a bigger capacity.
Voxelab Aries and FlashForge Adventurer 3 Building Bed
We also found that Voxelab Aries and FlashForge Adventurer 3 have different types of building bed. But, we are glad that they are equally removable. The Aries has a tempered glass bed, while Adventurer 3 has a flexible, removable bed. They are easy to use and replace if needed, but the performance is equally outstanding. They make filament stick well for smooth and stable first layers regardless of the filament. However, sometimes you may need to use glue or other alternatives for improved adhesion.
Both printers have a heating bed and work well with most filament types. The maximum temperature is 100 Celsius for both machines’ beds. The other difference is that the Aries bed moves on Z-axis and requires manual leveling, while the Adventurer 3 has a factory bed leveling. We are a bit worried that Adventurer 3 only uses a single rail to mobilize this building platform, but considering its relatively small build volume, it seems to work just fine.
Voxelab Aries and FlashForge Adventurer 3 Extruder
Next, we want to talk about the extruder mechanism of Voxelab Aries and FlashForge Adventurer 3, which are also different. Aside from moving on the X and Y axis, the Aries has a pretty modular design and has its PCB inside for tinkering. For example, you can easily swap the fan into a silent option reasonably easily. You can also change the nozzle, but we don’t recommend it. Aries seems to limit the custom function by keeping some settings stuck to the stock setup.
Both Voxelab Aries and FlashForge Adventurer 3 use a Bowden-style setup, separating the extruder and hot end. One feature that makes Adventurer an ideal choice for some people is the ease of use, especially when swapping nozzles. 3D printers tend to have various issues while printing, and sometimes it can be due to the nozzle. Adventurer 3 has a snap feature that allows you to remove the nozzle easily.
This feature doesn’t require you to remove or open its hot end housing, just pop the nozzle and fit the new one. To melt PLA or ABS filament, the maximum hot-end temperature is 250 and 240 degrees Celsius. The stock nozzle is the same 0.4 mm.
Voxelab Aries and FlashForge Adventurer 3 Features
These printers are focused on ease of use and are beginner-friendly. They have some convenient features starting from the assembly where you don’t need much time to make the printer run. But, the Adventurer 3 is slightly more convenient because of the factory bed leveling. The building bed is very small, so it is not difficult for the machine to achieve the correct level. The rest of the features are similar such as filament run-out sensor and Wi-Fi, but Adventurer 3 has a built-in camera which can be helpful for monitoring.
Voxelab Aries and FlashForge Adventurer 3 Performance
Lastly, let’s talk about Voxelab Aries and FlashForge Adventurer 3 performance. Both machines are suitable for most users who don’t chase perfection. We prefer working with Aries because its software is more flexible than FlashForge. The stock software is fine, but most people prefer Cura. Printing in Aries using Cura seems to produce better results, and in general, less stringing happens than Adventurer 3 regardless of the filament type.
Voxelab Aries Vs FlashForge Adventurer 3
Overall the Voxelab Aries and FlashForge Adventurer 3 are not for users who prefer to custom and tinker with their machines. These printers are straightforward and perfect for users who look for convenience. The Adventurer 3 has more features than Aries, such as a full enclosure, easily swappable nozzle, factory set bed leveling, and a camera. But, it has a smaller build volume than Aries and works less reliably, especially with many test prints showing more noticeable stringing. Adventurer 3 also uses its own software, making it less versatile for people who prefer other slicers.
Conclusion
Both machines are exciting options for beginners as they are more user-friendly than typical budget printers. But, we recommend the Aries because it has a larger build volume and is more versatile with various slicer software. When using third-party filaments, this printer also shows a more consistent and slightly better print quality than Adventurer 3.