Ultimaker 1 vs 2 Print quility?

[zastin17 0]

So I was looking into getting a ultimaker 1 kit but is it worth saving up for a ultimaker 2. Is the print quality any different. I mean everything about the physical way the um2 works is identical to the um1. Both use the same way to move except for brittle plastic instead of wood. The um1 potentially can get prints like this after tweaking obviosley. Does the ultimaker have better prints or is the extra price just for the looks. Can someone who has had both anser my question. I really wish that the um2 was in kit form. I built and sell reprap 3d printers. but I wanted my own really sturdy and good 3d printer like the ultimaker. https://davedurant.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/6191494335_02174b374f_b.jpg. I know that the hotend is better on the ultimaker 2 but I was just going to change the original hotend on the um1 into the e3d v6.

[gr5 2,295]

I think quality is about the same. It's not called the "1" because it has been updated and the UMO could be said to be a newer design than the UM2.

When the UMO got the heated bed kit it became a much better printer. If you aren't afraid of assembling it then go for it.

[zastin17 0]

Thanks I have built many reprap printers to sell and I have made lots of money doing it. I have Seen many videos showing the ultimaker and to be honest is probably the best extruder based printer out there. Beats maker bot easily.

[valcrow 145]

I have worked with every model so far. I would say in general (in my experience) the UM2 prints a bit better than the UMO if you're talking about a stock machine.

There are a few reasons for this:

the UMO only comes with 1 fan on the side. This makes one side print better and the other side is often left hanging. (overhangs, get it? heh) The UM2's have 2 smaller fans on either side which is pretty good cooling all around.

Other notable differences:

The start/stop code is handled on the UM2's firmware and it is much cleaner and smarter. Meaning you can start prints back to back without having to manually do stuff like prime the nozzle and such.

Retraction for whatever reason I can't determine is more reliable and better on the UM2s. Virtually no stringing where stringing occurs on my UMO. Many people complain about bowden printers having bad retraction but this is certainly not the case for the UM2s.

In terms of raw quality of prints. I would rate the following assuming UM2 quality is our baseline @ 100%.

UMO: 92%

UMO+: 93%

UM2: 100%

UM2 EX: 98%

UM2GO: 115%

The UM2GO hands down prints the best out of the box. But with obvious disadvantages of being smaller, and no heated bed. The surface quality can be quite superb and I'm not sure I can get my UM2 to duplicate the surface quality. -probably all due to the smaller frame.

The UMO, while lower in the list I think is capable of reaching the UM2 levels of quality. Printed fan shrouds and other mods along with being well built and tuned should be quite capable of producing pieces of equal or better quality than a stock UM2. Mine doesn't print as well as my UM2 but I've seen one UMO that does.

Even though print quality is very similar, I wouldn't discount the usability aspects of the UM2s. I trust them way more starting prints back to back and leaving them for 10-20 hours compared to a UMO.

[neotko 1,417]

I personally love my UMO+. It prints nicely. I bough it specially for 3 reasons:

- Price (I bough it assembled and still was cheaper)

- I changed my head so it could work with 1.75mm filament

- I bough a different power supply and changed it so I could power 2 hot ends.

And finally

- I upgraded it to two extruders and designed a magnetic head changer based on foehnsturm idea (Link to the post)

This protect has also a version for UM2 by @ultiarjan (Link to his post)

So yeah, even on UM2 you can custom stuff. Both print great (I only can speak about my UMO+) and they have their ins and outs. For example on UMO+ you can use almost any e3dz nozzle from the box but on um2 you need to buy the olsson block (designed by @anders-olsson and sold at 3dsolex.com)

So if you wan't to print great and save some bucks go UMO/UMO+. If you wan't an extra touch of finesse and you can afford it then go UM2.

[zastin17 0]

Thanks everyone. I am a very good 3d printer calibrator/tweaker. Again I have built many reprap machines from parts from the hardware store. The ultimaker should already be pretty good after assembly. Since I'm so good at tweaking its the perfect machine for me. I'm also handy with cad so I can design my own parts or fixes for the machine. I honestly think that the ultimaker hands down is the best ext-ruder based printer ever made. Beats all printers I have seen so far. I'm sure most of you have seen this, but this was printed on a ultimaker original NON + version and this is the quality if tuned correctly. Just amazing.