Here are the 3 best cartesian 3D printers ranging from hobbyist use to professional applications.
Cartesian printers has a very simple axis system. It’s an affordable system for students to start on simple DIY projects before moving to something better.
Let’s chem them out:
Original Prusa i3 MK3S+ - Best Overall
Why start with this one? – The Prusa i3 MK3S is simple to use, and it's by far the best desktop cartesian FDM 3D printers for students to start learning and progress to the more complex system. Includes foolproof user interface, large print volume and many modest improvements from the previous model.
Pros
High Printing Speed - Up to 300 mm/s with high printing accuracy
Ease Of Use - Easier to use than the popular Crea;oty 3D CR 10S, Ender 3 Pro and Dremel Digilab 3D20
Spot On 1st Layer - Auto mesh bed leveling saves the user tedious initial setup time to level the unevenness between the probe and & bed without manually adjusting, so the user can get right to the printing process
Stable Z Axis Build Performance - Minimal Z axis wobble for building tall parts & creates a clean supported face
Auto Filament Swap - Use of direct extruder without feeding it through a bowden tube. Just wait for it to heat up and the machine will do the rest
Resume From Power Loss - No wasteful large print when the power stops, and gives the user a great sigh of relief. It detects power interruption and saves the last known print location
Smoother Feeding - Trinamic 2130 drivers support the stealth printing mode, which makes the printer extremely quiet, and much more quieter than most 3d printers on the market
Easy Part Removal - Spring steel sheets are easy to maintain and remove printed part off the surface a breeze. It's very user friendly to print a wide range of different materials without much complicated surface preparation
Cons
- No camera to monitor the print
- Much higher cost for budget shoppers
Specs
- Build Volume (mm) – 250 X 210 X 210
- Feeder - Direct drive
- Print Speed – 200 mm/s
- Thickness – 0.05 mm (50 microns)
- Material – PLA, ABS, PETG, ASA, CPE, Nylon, PC, HIPS, PP, Flex, nGen, Woodfill
- Filament Diameter – 1.75 mm
- Bed Leveling – Auto
- Bed Temperature - 120°C
- Extruder temp – 300°C
- Weight – 15.4 lbs
- Connectivity – USB, SD Card
- Slicing Software – PrusaSlicer, Cura, Simplify3D
- File Format – STL, OBJ, AMF, 3MF
Creality Ender 5 Pro - Best Mid Range
Why buy this one? - Creality Ender 5 pro is the best 2019 ranked FDM 3d printers under $500. Printing is easy once settings are tweaked. The Pro model has improved adhesion for materials like ABS, PLA, and others – even when the build plate is a bit dirty. Any Ender 5 users can jump straight in to the already a big community to learn and share experiences.
Pros
Smoother Axis Movement - Double Y-Axis Control System allows the Y-axis motor to run along both sides of the gantry, thus vibration-free performance for long hours print
Auto Bed Leveling - BL Touch auto-leveling sensor works just like other auto leveling mechanisms. It including self-testing techniques, alarm, alarm release, and test mode.
Resume From Power Loss - Just like the Prusa i3 MK3S+. It detects power interruption and saves the last known print location so your print doesn't go to waste
Flexible Filament Support - Can print flexible filaments and it may be worth the upgrade when compared to Creality Ender 5 (none pro version)
Convenient Filament Tubing - Capricorn Bowden-style PTFE tubing comprises an internal diameter of 1.9 mm ± 0.05 mm that reduces any excess space, preventing filaments to bend and warp. It allows flexible filaments like TPU, TPE and other exotic thermoplastic materials
Heated Bed - Removable polypropylene build plate can still work even if it's slightly dirty and the removal process can be done by hand easily
Cons
- Printer is quite large, and need a large working table (Not a bad thing)
- Bed leveling takes a couple attempts to get it just right
- Bed vibration requires addon supports to solve the problem
Specs
- Build Volume (mm) – 220 X 220 X 300
- Feeder - Direct drive
- Print Speed – 160 mm/s
- Thickness – 0.1 - 0.4 mm (100 - 400 microns)
- Material – ABS, PLA, PETG, FLEX, TPE, NYLON
- Heated Bed – 135°C
- Filament Diameter – 1.75 mm
- Bed Leveling – Manual
- Extruder temp – 260°C
- Weight – 17.6 lbs
- Connectivity – SD card, USB
- Slicing Software – Cura, Simplify3D, Repetier Host, Slic3r
- File Format – STL, OBJ, G Code
Dremel Digilab 3D45 - For Pro Use
Why buy this one? The 3D45 is a top of the line 3D printer with fused filament fabrication technology, and it has been rated #1 by many publishers and users in this space. It's recommended for advanced, intermediate, and new users
Pros
High Level Of Details - Up to 50 microns printing capability as long as the part is well designed to print.
All-Metal Hot-End Direct Drive Extruder - Performs as good as ones recommended above and it's ideal for flexible and exotic materials. On top of that, the enclosed system maintain build chamber temperature to print the best part possible
Built-in HD Camera - 720P camera monitors the printing process while away from the work station
Semi Auto Bed Leveling - Detects any variation in the print bed and automatically accounts for it for more successful printing
Odor & Fume Safe - Enclosed printer design protect you from potentially harmful VOCs and carbon residues
Filament Sensor - Filament Run-out detection resumes printing where you left off when filament runs out. In addition, the RFID reader auto detects filament type and prepare the setting for the upcoming print
Great Learning Ecosystem - Comprehensive 3D printing ecosystem tailored for education
Cons
- Okay quality when printing Nylon
- Semi auto bed leveling for a printer at this price range
- Minimum file format support
- Much smaller print volume unless buying the next model
Specs
- Build Volume (mm) – 254 X 152 X 170
- Feeder - Direct
- Print Speed – 150 mm/s
- Thickness – 0.05 – 0.3 mm (50- 300 microns)
- Material – Nylon, PETG, Eco-ABS, & PLA
- Heated Bed – 100°C
- Filament Diameter – 1.75 mm
- Bed Leveling – Auto leveling with 9-Point Leveling
- Extruder temp – 280°C
- Weight – 47.5 lbs
- Connectivity – USB, Wifi, Ethernet
- Slicing Software – Cura, 3DPrinterOS, Dremel Print Cloud
- File Format – STL, OBJ
How Does A Cartesian 3D Printer Work?
The cartesian 3D printer uses the traditional printing method involving the most common X, Y and Z position axis. The cartesian system uses the X, Y & Z coordinates to map out the object in the print area.
Cartesian printers are affordable, easy to learn and it's very appealing to many hobbyists and causal users. it's very straightforward to setup and use.
How does it compare to Delta pinters and CoreXY printers? To learn more please check out our 3D printer position axis comparison guide