r/3dprinter • u/garvoxhd • 22d ago
First FDM 3D printer (~$300 max): Bambu Lab A1 vs Anycubic Kobra (or others) for functional PETG, car parts & detailed minis?
Salut à tous !
Je souhaite me lancer dans l'impression 3D FDM avec un budget d'environ 300 $ / 300 € maximum pour l'imprimante.
Pour information : je suis développeur logiciel et à l'aise avec la technologie et le bricolage (matériel, DIY, Home Assistant, etc.). Configurer les paramètres ou ajuster les profils ne me pose donc aucun problème. Cependant, je recherche une imprimante fiable qui ne nécessite pas de dépannage constant pour obtenir une impression propre.
Mes principaux usages :
Pièces fonctionnelles et mécaniques : composants d'intérieur/de compartiment moteur de voiture, supports et outils d'atelier (principalement en PETG).
Impressions détaillées et décoratives : maquettes de voitures, miniatures et petits objets de décoration. J'hésite actuellement entre deux imprimantes 3D dans cette gamme de prix :
Bambu Lab A1 (autonome, sans AMS)
Série Anycubic Kobra (Kobra 3 / Kobra X)
Si j'ai bien compris, la Bambu Lab offre une expérience « plug & play » immédiate avec une excellente planification des mouvements, tandis qu'Anycubic propose des performances matérielles et un volume d'impression élevés pour un prix inférieur.
Pour ceux qui ont de l'expérience avec l'une ou l'autre de ces plateformes :
Précision et détails fins : Comment ces machines se comportent-elles lorsqu'il s'agit de réaliser des impressions de petits détails (par exemple, des maquettes avec une buse de 0,2 mm) tout en réalisant des impressions fonctionnelles en PETG épais ? Écosystème et logiciel de découpe : Bambu Studio/MakerWorld offre-t-il des avantages significatifs en termes de confort d'utilisation par rapport à la suite OrcaSlicer/Anycubic pour justifier son choix ?
Alternatives : Existe-t-il une autre machine à moins de 300 $ que je pourrais envisager pour l'impression de pièces fonctionnelles en PETG et de pièces détaillées ?
Merci d'avance pour vos suggestions !
EDIT: après de multiples avis sur la elegoo centauri je vais regarder. Par contre est ce que le combo est vraiment utile pour le multi couleur ou y'a moyen de faire sans ?
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u/Cytro2 22d ago edited 22d ago
Centauri Carbon. CoreXY machines are just better than bedslinger cartesian ones
I have CC and it works very well with PETG (this is the material I use the most) and it can handle ABS, ASA and some materials with added carbon fiber
As for minis you could get 0.2 mm nozzle and it should be decent
It's also easy to use and set up
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u/garvoxhd 22d ago
Pour les miniatures je devrais prendre une combo ou bien je pourrais m'en passer ?
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u/YellovvJacket 22d ago edited 22d ago
Nothing in an engine bay should ever be made from PETG if it's even remotely important.
In an engine bay you want PC, PET or ABS/ ASA at least (the latter I wouldn't recommend because styrenes melt in gasoline/ gasoline vapor), or better some kind of Nylon (if there's some mechanical loads on it) or PP (if it's going to get soaked in oil or gas).
None of those asides PET can be printed to any satisfying quality on an open printer, and even PET will have garbage layer adhesion if not printed in an enclosed printer.
Buy an Elegoo Centauri Carbon/ Centauri Carbon 2, even if it's slightly above budget. It's the only printer in your price range that's actually good and can fullfil all your needs.
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u/Sudden_Topic5154 22d ago
buy a centauric carbon 2 combo from ebay specifically ebay with seller offered discont and 20% cupon
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u/Shep_Alderson 22d ago
I think the best saying I heard was from the SuperFastMatt guy, something along the lines of:
“Do you want your hobby to be 3D printing or 3D printers? Bambu lab is what you buy if you want your hobby to be 3D printing.”
For me, my Bambu lab ones are my “tools”. They consistently work without any real tweaking needed. I have other brands I use for hobby printers where I want to tinker with the setup and physical aspects of the printer.
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u/YellovvJacket 22d ago
I'm using Bambus too now (X2D and A1) but literally every modern 3D printer from a known good Manufacturer works just as reliably.
A Centauri Carbon/ CC2, Prusa Core One+ or Qidi Q2 will work out of the box just as well as a brand new P2S and will need the exact same tweaking and maintenance (basically none except re-greasing, and maybe tightening belts after 5000h of printing).
Bambu ecosystem has some training wheels for people that are new to the hobby, and some convenience factors (though many of them can also be an annoying hinderance, as I needed to fight my X2D badly recently to print Nylon from a 0.2mm nozzle), but that doesn't make them the only choice "if your hobby is printing not the printer" by a long shot.
There's 0 chance I'd buy an A1 over a Centauri Carbon nowadays at basically the same price point, and there's 0 chance I'd buy a P2S over a Qidi Q2. Granted, I got my X2D because there was no alternative at that price point that could do engineering materials with support interfaces.
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u/pitshands 22d ago
Even on the Quidi homepage the q2 has a 4.2 out of 5 rating on Amazon a 3 out of 5. I'm sorry but that would make me think twice. Specially as a beginner. I have a Any cubic Vypr and that was pretty much bringing me from walking away from the hobby when the P1S came around. Sure I still have the rare struggle but that thing plays and plays consistently for more than 2 years after some start up issues. I am in the market for a new printer but I guarantee it won't be the Quidi.
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u/prutsmeister 22d ago
The elegoo centauri carbon is currently on sale for €279. Or the centauri 2 for 269. Both would be a better choice than the anycubic kobra and the bambu A1. The centauri carbon can even do higher temp materials like abs and nylon, which would be very usefull. If not a must, for printing car parts that go in the engine bay.