Hi every one, I'm Topsie, I hope you are all fine
I use 3D printing and CNC in general from a while now
And since this time I looking at different machine which are out of ordinary
including 3 in 1 machines, and it's this type of machine we will see at today
So for this video i have contacted Snapmaker which is one of the biggest actor in the 3in1 machine market
And they have accepted to send me one of their machines
So This machine is the Snapmaker Originial
A little machine which combine 3D Printing, routing/carving and laser engraving
But beyond the machine, it's their concept which is very interesting
We will still take a little tour of what's in the box
When we open the box, the first things we find are the 3 axis
Then we have a "command module", on which we will connect the axis
We also find the 3 modules, 3D print module, Carving module and Laser module
And then we have obviously all what needed to build the machine like screw etc...
some security accesories like protective glasses for routing or laser engraving
You also have a small filament spool, and some router bits
Special mention for the USB key, wich is good quality and capacity, and with a good style
To assembly, nothing difficult, there is not even a belt to tighten
it's super simple, all axis are screwed together
axis are directly threaded so you dont have any nut to maintain or to position
All connection are made with small connector like phone connector
Nothing more to say about assembly, it's simple as lego
Before continuing I have some details to say
First is the axis system, all axis are drived with trapezoidal leadscrew, even on X Y or Z axis
All axis are in 1 block, without motors, leadscrew, anti backslash nut,
and the cart roll IN the axis, so all is very conpact and rigid without any play
it's a big advantage to use routing
because routing need more torque, its more easy to got high torque with leadscrew
routing also need more rigidity, and here it's all compact and rigid
And the leadscrew are more precise in cart positionning than a belt system
On my version the buildplate is 125mm by 125mm, with a height of 125mm
I am used to large format printers or CNCs, i fell cramped on it,
But in reality for a lot of small project it's very sufficient
I precise it's a Touch Screen to use the machine
The screen is magnetic on a holder,
which is very practical, it can be taken in hand instead of being bent over the printer screen
On a small table, taking it in hand is very more practical
there is something that bothers me, it's the noise of the machine...
I find that the motors and fans make a lot of noise
In 3D printing and Laser Engraving
In routing we dont care because the routing make also a lot of noise
But in 3D printing and laser engraving, we like to have a machine which is quiet, it's a lot more comfortable
And here we have a noisy machine, so for me it's a bad point
BUT I'm used to the Prusa type printer which are very quiet, so i'm probably not objective
the they made a 3in1 software to Slice 3D files, or to generate routing / engraving file
So this software is based on CNC JS and Cura I think
So it's a common use, it's simple to understand
It can generate machining file (Gcode) and it can also drive directly the machine
So once you generate your gcode file, you have choice,
to use the machine with you computer directly with a usb cable
Or you put your file on the USB Key and you put it in the machine,
then it can run alone without computer which is practical
For the embedded  software, the Firmware, I think it's based on Marlin Firmware but i dont really know, so I dont say more about
So now lets get a look at each module, begining with 3D printing module
So it's a direct drive, so the extruder motor is directly mounted ON the print head, just above the heatsink
Which will reduce all problem which came with Bowden systems
You can go on internet to see the deffirences
So For me it's better to have a directdrive on this kind of rigid machine
The print head seem to be proprietary, but it look like standard printhead, so we have a smal heatblock with a 0.4mm standard nozzle,
To unlock extruder you have a button to press in front of module,
By pressing on you will can insert / remove filament by hand, without using the motors
So there is the first problem, there is no endfilament sensor !
So if you let the machine run out of filament,
You will have a small filament part which will be blocked between the print head and the extruder motor
So this small filament part cant be removed or pushed by the motor
So you will me blocked and you risk to have to deassembly all the print head to remove this filament
Some of you will say "you can push old filament with a new one" but wez all know this work 1 on 2 times
So care, there is no endfilament sensor on the machine
there is a small cooling fan to cool the print,
But he blow directly vertically to the bottom
So the problem is it cool the print just some time, and never on small print
So it's not a really effective cooling
Think we maybe can upgrade it with some 3D printed parts to make it blow on print, but at the cooling level, it's not terrible
To finish with the 3D printing mode, lets talk about the heated bed
So first, i have to say... I am very disappointed by the heated bed
It's a heated aluminum plate, with a buildtack directly paste on it
the problem is
we cant remove the surface to bend it at end of a print
We have to go with the given spatule
while it's not very complicated to put a flexible plate to remove the print
So i think the heat bed is a bit oldschool
And the Other negative point
And it took more than 5min to reach 60°C it's very slow
So for thoose who have time you let the machine heating
I think for a small bed like this it can be better in heating speed
and for the surfaceplate it's better a flexible plate
Since I use flexible plate on Ender3 or Prusa I think it's essential on a printer, I found all other build plate oldschool
I forgot to talk about be leveling
It's a manual leveling, but a manual leveling upgraded, because we dont do the leveling with roll as usual
The buildplate is firmly fixed to the axis without any play
And with calibrate with the touchscreen software telling to the machine move a bit down a bit up to got the leveling
Advantage of a buildplate firmly fixed on the axis, it will not be decalibrate by vibration like the screw with roll
So the leveling will be way more durable
To say something about the quality, honestly it's as good as other like creality, maybe a bit more
Honestly, it's very correct
Maybe due to the leadscrew which make the machine really precise
So let's talk about laser engraving module
So nothing to say special, as always we have the screw lense which we can turn to adjust the laser focus
First time it's a bit long because we have to find the perfect height and lense adjustement to got the perfect focus
The advantee here is
in contrary with many other laser engraver
Here you can adjust the focus by adjusting the Z height
Once you found the perfect focus a plate surface
I believe that you have a given card to adjust focus
Once you found the perfect height
you have juste to lower/upper the Z axis to got the perfect focus on our piece
even you want to engrave on a 1cm or 4cm piece of wood
You can got the exact same focus on it
So it's a really good point
You have also a small fan on it to cool the engraved surface to prevent fire
Nothing more on laser engraving, it's pretty good
I have just a last thing to say
we havent preview to see where we will engraved on our piece
You can try a "air engraving" or with a low power to see a bit where it will be
Or I believe that you have a boundary mode
But you havent a preview of the engraving
And finally the routing module
it's a simple module with a motor, on which you can mount router bits
Care here : You can only mount bits with 3.175mm diameter on a small coupler
You have to find some bit which have a reduced endmill
But it's really common bits, we can find it by 10 unit on amazon
I already use most of it on my TopsCNC
So no problem for this
it's just a bit of a shame to be a bit limited for you drill bit of 1 ou 2mm for exemple
we would have liked to have a a adjustable mandrill
Last thing, a little negative point on the routing mode
You will have to clean the machine very often
Because routing generate lot of dust, even in wood plastic or metal (i have not tested to mill metal with it)
Rail by their conception are open on the top,
Te dust tend to fall in the Rail, so you need to clean up often with vacuum in the rail
to prevent blocking the axis with dust
It's probably all what i had to say about the different modes
For thoose who follow me from a while, you know that I love this concept of modularity
To have the possibility to module axis and machining operation (3D printing, laser engraving etc..)
I realized during writing the video
They will release their 2.0 version
I told myself that I would put a word on version 2.0
I inquired a little on their website
And, honestly, I was very surprised it seems to be very heavy
from what i saw, they upgrade a bit the processor with a quadcore a bit more powerful
An AndroidOS on touchscreen, will maybe be practical to can have some addon or app to drive the machine
and above all they have improved all the negative points that I found in this machine
For 3D printing they put a bed auto leveling
A magnetic flexplate
a WAYYYY more efficient cooling system
A end filament sensor
they put a double Z axis to reenforce even more the rigidity
speaking about axis, they found a way to make it milion time for resistante to dust
They put a ER11 mandrill on routing module to mount bits to 0.5 to 6mm
Ah yes i forgot ! They add a camera system on laser module
which is very more powerfull
they add a module camera which take a photo of you object to engrave
And in the software you will have the preview of the engraving directly on your object
So they gone very deep in upgrade
All this are just update to correct problems from the 1st version
But they ad many many accessories
To improve even more the usability of the machine
They made a 4th rotative axis if we want to make automated turning
they add an IP camera to surveil our print when we are away of the printer
A emergency button etc... and all of this are connected on a "Can bus" and can be used directly on the machine
It's really really interesting, go see if you want I put a link in description (not affiliate I have no interest in it)
But go see their presentation video it's impressive
I see not only printer, you can make CNC or anything else with their concept
To finish with the snapmaker original
It's not the last technology printer
But it's a really good compromise, with a higher precision on the axis
It's noisy, in 3D printing or Laser engraving
In laser mode it's very good, with fan, Z axis height to adjust focus
You can make many engraving without touching the lense adjustement
For the routing, we regret a bit to cant mount different routing bits size than 3.175mm diameter
But there is a large choice of bit in this diameters
The motor power in sufficient, and the structural rigidity is sufficient to make some cut in wood or plexyglass for example
precise enough to do PCB etching for example for someone who want make prototype at home
SOOOO : If you look at a mutifunctionnal desktop machine for small project
small PCB, visit card,  small custom box or something else
Honestly, i recommand this machine
BUUUT
I have a little advice
I dont know when it will be released, but wait to see the 2.0, it's a bit more expensive for the same size
But it's very very very better in my opinion, really better, even less oldschool
So thank for watching until here, see you next time, BYE !
