Ultimaker s5 vs 3

[davidrdguez 0]

Hi,

 

We want to buy a new 3D printer at work. I heard very good stuff about Ultimaker and we want a system easy to use and reliable (i.e. we don't want to be touching and tweaking the machine every day).

 

The question now is S5 vs 3. 

 

In the comparison page in ultimaker.com I honestly can't see many differences between them, apart from the size and touch screen. The resolution is the same.

 

What is different is the price, S5 is almost twice more expensive than the version 3.

 

How is this justified?

 

Is it faster? lasts longer?

 

thanks

regards

[gr5 2,178]

If you don't need to print large things, definitely get the UM3.

 

The S5 has a nicer touch screen but there are no new capabilities on the screen that make it essential.

 

The S5 has multipoint auto leveling which will compensate for glass which is saddle shaped or other shapes.  The UM3 only compensates for tilt in 2 axes and height (but hopefully there will be a firmware upgrade some day as the UM3 has all the necessary hardware - it's a firmware feature).  This autoleveling compensates for the first several layers by moving Z while printing a layer and gradually un-adjusts such that by 1 or 2 cm up it's no longer adjusting the Z.  You don't need this as much for the UM3 because a smaller printer means smaller glass which means the bumps/curves of the glass are smaller (we are typically talking errors in the glass around 0.1mm).

 

The S5 comes with front doors but you can get cheap 3rd party doors for the UM3.  You want to cover the front and top of the printers if you print higher temp materials like Nylon and ABS.  They can do it without a top but you will get much better results if you cover the top.

 

The S5 comes with a filament run-out sensor.  It's quite handy if you forget to look behind the printer to make sure you have enough filament.  And the firmware works very very well at letting you switch out filament mid-print.  This is more useful on a printer with such a large volume that by default only holds .75kg of filament (it's trivial to put a 5kg spool on the floor behind the printer though).

 

I find the quality of the UM3 slightly better but it's really hard to tell.  I could be wrong - they are almost identical but the head has more momentum on the S5 due to the heavier rods that pass through it.

 

That's all I can think of right now.

 

 

[Smithy 1,144]

Hi,

they are only similar on the first sight, but the S5 has much more:

• The S5 has hardened feeder weels so you have the ability to print abrasive material with the new CC print core.
• Improved auto-leveling, which measures the whole build plate and not just 3 points as the UM3
• Bigger build volume, you can never have enough room for your prints 🙂
• Modern touch display
• Filament sensor
• Better feeder, which is a charm compared to the UM3
• and some other improvements 

If you have the budget, go with the S5, it is more future proof (there is an extension port, which is reserved for ??? extensions) and you have much more possibilities like build volume and the ability to print abrasive materials.

 

On the other hand, if you have a smaller budget, you make nothing wrong with the UM3, it is still a great printer, except for the differences mentioned above.

[SandervG 1,521]

Regardless of your budget between the two; if you are looking for maximum ease of use and reliability, due to features mentioned above the Ultimaker S5 passes the Ultimaker 3. Both are great machines, but the touchscreen, flow sensor, enhanced active leveling and future proof positioning would make the Ultimaker S5 my recommendation for you. 

[gr5 2,178]

> we don't want to be touching and tweaking the machine every day).

 

I was going to say something about this but forgot.  Compared to most other 3d printers out there this is the best reason to go with Ultimaker but this is not like a 2D paper printer.  It's more like owning a milling machine than owning a paper printer.  There is still a learning curve.  But I think Ultimaker did a good job of making it as easy as possible.

[davidrdguez 0]

Thanks for the quick answer; I see the community works very well.

 

So the differences are not that big, event the 3 will get the firmware update which will make it like the S5 regarding the autolever.

 

I'm very curious about the price, the difference.

 

thanks

regards,