New printer from Conrad Electronics

[SandervG 1,521]

There were many more problems which i don't want to write down here...

Do you feel more comfortable sharing them through a PM or email?

I think it is important to know as many experiences as possible, good or bad.

And they also deserve to get the feedback just like we (and everyone else) does.

Looking forward hearing from you!

 

[SandervG 1,521]

I wont keeping going on this topic...

Last word from me is.. i live in germany... i go shopping in germany.. i talk to germans about 3d printing all the time.. igo3d is posh little shop in the north selling units... but its the wrong strategy for germany.. just live here for a few years and you can see that.. german business is... a MONOPOLY SYSTEM.. when the big guys have all there markets cut up in the next year or two.. and ultimaker decided they want to grown and develope into Europe... guess what... they will be banging on a big metal KRUPP STAHL door... and it wont open....

Ian

We are not deciding to do something in a couple of years. Decisions have already been made.

But we can not do everything over night. Some things take time, and need proper preparation.

But if you have any specific tips on who we should approach they are always welcome

(or redirect them to us..)

 

[cez_etc 0]

I don't have a suggestion who you should approach but I'd like to add that you shouldn't approach Conrad Electronics. I've never had any good customer experiences at their stores. Their staff just doesn't seem to be very well trained or interested in answering questions and selling things. The stores are very unwelcoming by design and while they sell a lot of cool things they also sell a lot of junk, too. I only shop there if I need something immediately or the parts are so cheap that shipping charges would more than double the price.

A friend of mine who is interested in 3D printing went to the store in Hannover to check out their printers and described the presentation as lackadaisical- there was no one even remotely passionate about 3D printing or able to answer basic questions about the printers.

 

[ian 32]

I think who ever works as a reseller in germany has to be big enough to help the ultimaker brand penetrate germany.

Also from existing exerpeince, resellers will try to varied degrees in assisting their direct customers with help BUT most in the end will refer people back to ultimaker directly or here.

On another interesting note... When I visited the 3D Conference in Erfurt Germany last year. I met with the ultimaker people there and chatted a bit. At lunch time I went outside into the main open area and got myself a burger. Standing beside me was a short bald business man. Like I do.. I started chatting with him.. he was the main buyer of new products for Reichelt Germany... LOLL... very nice guy actually ! :-)

Ian :-)

 

[albert 2]

Recently some videos have turned up on the new Conrad printer. The brand name is "Renkforce" which I think is connected to xlr plugs and the like.

The thing looks extremely well, if not overbuilt. German over engineering at its best...so that got me curious and I had a look at the Conrad website. The thing has been on sale for only a couple days and it has gotten some devastating consumer comments already....just what I expected from Conrad. They have an inimitable way of goofing up on seemingly sure fire things.

A couple of things are included in this printer that I think might be interesting on the UM wishlist. Automated bed leveling capable of compensating for a warped build plate, and a software trick to tweak the distance between extruder and printbed during the first few layers.

[ian 32]

Recently some videos have turned up on the new Conrad printer. The brand name is "Renkforce" which I think is connected to xlr plugs and the like.

The thing looks extremely well, if not overbuilt. German over engineering at its best...so that got me curious and I had a look at the Conrad website. The thing has been on sale for only a couple days and it has gotten some devastating consumer comments already....just what I expected from Conrad. They have an inimitable way of goofing up on seemingly sure fire things.

A couple of things are included in this printer that I think might be interesting on the UM wishlist. Automated bed leveling capable of compensating for a warped build plate, and a software trick to tweak the distance between extruder and printbed during the first few layers.

 

very interesting !!

Ian :-)

 

[r2d2 1]

Recently some videos have turned up on the new Conrad printer. The brand name is "Renkforce" which I think is connected to xlr plugs and the like.

The thing looks extremely well, if not overbuilt. German over engineering at its best...so that got me curious and I had a look at the Conrad website. The thing has been on sale for only a couple days and it has gotten some devastating consumer comments already....just what I expected from Conrad. They have an inimitable way of goofing up on seemingly sure fire things.

A couple of things are included in this printer that I think might be interesting on the UM wishlist. Automated bed leveling capable of compensating for a warped build plate, and a software trick to tweak the distance between extruder and printbed during the first few layers.

 

Now this Conrad printer is deliverable! Also for me this thing was interesting... but today i found the first user commend on conrads website:

-------------------

(sorry its in german):

Nachteile: unbrauchbar

Ich habe mit diesem unausgereiften 3D Drucker nur Probleme gehabt.

Erst hatte ich unglaubliche Probleme bei der Beschaffung des Teils. Nach viel Zeit und einer Fahrt zu einer anderen Filiale hatte ich den Drucker dann zuhause.

Dieser ist dann permanent abgestürzt und hat einfach nicht funktioniert.

Zurück zur Filiale gebracht und ein Ersatzgerät gefordert. Das wurde aus einer anderen Filiale zugesandt und hat wieder 5 Tage auf sich warten lassen.

Als ich den Anruf zur Abholung bekam habe ich mich gleich auf den Weg gemacht. Daheim mit dem Gerät angekommen musste ich feststellen, dass das Druckbett gerissen ist. Kein Wunder, bei der mageren Transportsicherung: 2 Streifen billigstes 50mm Klebeband.

Das Gerät habe ich natürlich auch gleich wieder zurück gebracht und nochmals auf Ersatz gewartet.

Den 3. Drucke habe ich dann gleich im Geschäft ausgepackt und überprüft. Ähnliches Bild wie beim 2. Drucker: Die Druckplatte vollkommen verkratzt, da sie beim Transport wohl durch den ganzen Drucker geflogen ist. Vor Ort haben wir dann die Platte gegen die des ersten Druckers getauscht.

Daheim hat der Drucker dann nach ca. 25 Betriebsstunden seinen Geist aufgegeben: Der Motor zur Filamentzufuhr hat sich nicht mehr bewegt. Der Druck war deshalb ebenfalls hinüber.

Fazit: Vollkommen ungereiftes Produkt. Wie kann es sein, dass ein solch unausgereiftes Produkt zu diesem Preis angeboten wird. Hier hat sich Conrad mal ordentlich selbst in den Fuß geschossen und bei mir einiges an Vertrauen und Seriösität verloren.

Ich würde diesen Drucker NIE wieder kaufen. Ob ich Conrad noch weiter unterstütze steht auch noch in den Sternen.

-----------

Google translation:

-------------------

Cons: unusable

I 've only had problems with this half-baked 3D printer.

First I had incredible problems with the procurement of the part. After a lot of time and a trip to another store I had the printer at home then .

This is then crashed constantly and just did not work .

Returned to the store and demanded a replacement. This was sent from a different location and has had to wait again 5 days at himself .

When I got the call to pick I have made myself hit the trail . Arrived home with the device , I realized that the pressure bed is broken. No wonder, with the lean transport safety : Low to 2 strips 50mm tape.

The unit I have , of course, again returned and again waiting for a replacement.

The third Prints I then unpacked and checked the same in business. The same image as in the second Printer: The pressure plate completely scratched because it is probably flown through the whole printer during transport. We then swapped the plate against the first printer on site .

At home , the printer has then given up the ghost after about 25 hours of operation : The engine for Filamentzufuhr has not moved . The pressure was therefore also over .

Conclusion : Totally ungereiftes product. How can it be that such an immature product is offered at this price. Here, Conrad has once neat shot themselves in the foot and lost me a lot of confidence and seriousness .

I would buy this printer never again . Do I still continue to support Conrad also written in the stars .

---------

 

In the end i guess that UM as still time to conquer germany ;-)

 

 

[ian 32]

HEHEHEH ouch.... after reading that im thinking of giving back my 1.99 light bulb to Conrads.. LOLL ;-)

so... GOOOOOOOO ultimaker.... :-)

Ian :-)

 

[SandervG 1,521]

A couple of things are included in this printer that I think might be interesting on the UM wishlist. Automated bed leveling capable of compensating for a warped build plate, and a software trick to tweak the distance between extruder and printbed during the first few layers.

 

From my experience I am not convinced until i actually see it work.

I see a lot of claims by a lot of manufacturers, and 9 out of 10 times it is just marketing or it doesn't work..

 

[duesentrieb 0]

No big surprise, the Conrad 3D printer sucks. Conrad is a retailer. Means even if they put their name on it, I doubt that the engineering is done by themselves. I think they buy this printer from China, maybe it has been manufactured and engineered exclusively for them and to their specs. So the real producer will be a small or medium size Chinese Company in the Shenzhen or Guangzhou area. To save costs, this printer has been produced in a larger batch and shipped to Germany by sea. Shipping takes about 3 months. Means they are slow when it comes to improvements or updated version. For "customer service" you simply produce 10% more than your expected sales and replace defect units. No repair. No people who really know about 3D printing.

These Chinese Companies are fast. The speed is amazing. Problem with this kind of China deals is quality assurance. And how to control the quality of a product if you don't really know it? Most likely they will only have a China head office in Hong Kong like all the others and maybe some regional offices. But that's it. I doubt, that there is any real expert for 3 D printing in the company. They rely on their Chinese partners. Problem with the Chinese is, they learn fast and are many.

They are big and slow and don't know what they are doing. Ultimaker is small, fast, loves and understands their product. That's their chance.

Just my 5 cents...

[ian 32]

very well said !

Ian :-)