D
espite various Chinese companies offering
some compelling and very affordable 3D
printers at the moment, there’s still clearly a
market for an easy-to-use, yet feature-packed, 3D
printer. Dremel has capitalised on this situation with its
range of Digilab 3D printers and the current flagship, the
3D45, offers the biggest print area of its current range. However,
tipping the scales at over £1,000 inc VAT, does it justify the price
when many of its cheaper rivals offer bigger print areas?
Its huge footprint of 65cm x 41cm is partly due to the enclosed
print chamber, which helps to seal and filter printing fumes,
while also providing a warmer environment to print objects,
which can improve print quality. The filament is also stored
internally and, to reduce its bulk, Dremel has taken the decision
to require the use of its own proprietary filament spools.
Thankfully, these spools aren’t digitally lo cked, and the
filament diameter of 1.75mm is widely available, meaning
that many users appear to have easily modified their
Dremel printers to be able to use externally mounted third-
party spools. That’s just as well, because at roughly £15 for
500g, Dremel’s filament costs roughly twice the price of
most third-party filament. Dremel’s spools do come with
RFID tags, though, which allows the printer to
identify the filament being used.
You get full control over the removable heated
print bed and nozzle temperatures too, with the
heated bed helping to slow post-print cooling,
which can lead to warping. The 3D45 is able to
operate using a wired or Wi-Fi network connection,
as well as with USB flash drives using its USB port,
with a touch-screen making it easy to set up these
devices, as well as configure and calibrate the
printer. Small screws underneath the bed allow you
to level it with aid from a sensor in the print head,
and the level is checked before each print too.SUPPLIER box.co.ukDREMEL DIGILAB
3D45 /£1,100 inc VAT
3D PRINTER
There’s also a live video feed of the print bed, which is
extremely useful if you plan on housing it in a different room
from your PC, with the option to print over the Internet using
Dremel’s software. Meanwhile, the software is simple to
use and handles most common object files, with the option
to add supports to overhanging sections.
The print volume isn’t massive, at just 255 x 155 x 170mm,
which is smaller than some of the cheaper competition.
However, its 50-micron nozzle printing is competitive, plus
it supports Nylon, PETG, ABS and PLA filament. Prints were
also reliable and detailed, with only one mishap in dozens of
prints coming from loose melted filament. This happened
at the start of the print and required the print to be paused
and resumed once we’d removed the offending object. The
nozzle and bed heating could be faster, though, as they can
take five to ten minutes to warm, especially from cold.Conclusion
The main issues with the Dremel Digilab 3D45 are a smaller
than average print bed, long heating times and the inability
to use cheaper, third-party filament spools out of the box.
However, as an easy introduction to
large-volume 3D printing, it’s superb,
with its informative touch-screen and
manual offering a gentler learning
curve than the competition. The video
feed is extremely useful too, so if you
want to get into the world of 3D printing
with minimal fuss, we thoroughly
recommend the Digilab 3D45.
ANTONY LEATHERREVIEWS / 3D PRINTER
VERDICT
A brilliantly complete and accessible
3D printer, although its print volume
is on the small side.OVERALL SCORE
88 %
DESIGN
32 / 35
FEATURES
32 / 35VALUE
24 / 30SPEC
Dimensions (mm)
645 x 406 x 404 (W x D x H)
Weight
21.5kg
Connections
USB, Wi-Fi, LAN
Materials
ABS, Nylon PLA, PETG
(1.75mm Dremel spool)
Layer thickness
50 microns (0.05mm)3D FILAMENT
+ Live print bed
video feed
+ Wi-Fi, LAN and
USB print support
+ Good quality,
reliable printingDOT MATRIX- Nozzle and bed
heating can
take a while - Small print volume
- Expensive
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D
espitevariousChinesecompaniesoffering
somecompellingandveryaffordable3D
printersatthemoment,there’sstillclearlya
marketforaneasy-to-use,yetfeature-packed,3D
printer.Dremelhascapitalisedonthissituationwithits
rangeofDigilab3Dprintersandthecurrentflagship,the
3D45,offersthebiggestprintareaofitscurrentrange.However,
tippingthescalesatover£1,000incVAT,doesit justifytheprice
whenmanyofitscheaperrivalsofferbiggerprintareas?
Itshugefootprintof65cmx 41cmis partlyduetotheenclosed
printchamber,whichhelpstosealandfilterprintingfumes,
whilealsoprovidinga warmerenvironmenttoprintobjects,
whichcanimproveprintquality.Thefilamentis alsostored
internallyand,toreduceitsbulk,Dremelhastakenthedecision
torequiretheuseofitsownproprietaryfilamentspools.
Thankfully,thesespoolsaren’t digitallylo cked,andthe
filamentdiameterof1.75mmiswidelyavailable,meaning
thatmanyusersappeartohaveeasilymodifiedtheir
Dremelprinterstobeabletouseexternallymountedthird-
partyspools.That’sjustaswell, becauseatroughly£15for
500g,Dremel’sfilamentcostsroughlytwicethepriceof
mostthird-partyfilament.Dremel’sspoolsdocomewith
RFIDtags,though,whichallowstheprinterto
identifythefilamentbeingused.
Yougetfullcontrolovertheremovableheated
printbedandnozzletemperaturestoo,withthe
heatedbedhelpingtoslowpost-printcooling,
whichcanleadtowarping.The3D45is ableto
operateusinga wiredorWi-Finetworkconnection,
aswellaswithUSBflashdrivesusingitsUSBport,
witha touch-screenmakingit easytosetupthese
devices,aswellasconfigureandcalibratethe
printer.Smallscrewsunderneaththebedallowyou
tolevelit withaidfroma sensorintheprinthead,
andthelevelis checkedbeforeeachprinttoo.SUPPLIERbox.co.uk
DREMELDIGILAB
3D45/£1,100incVAT
3DPRINTER
There’salsoa livevideofeedoftheprintbed, which is
extremelyusefulif youplanonhousingit in a different room
fromyourPC,withtheoptiontoprintoverthe Internet using
Dremel’ssoftware.Meanwhile,thesoftware is simple to
useandhandlesmostcommonobjectfiles, with the option
toaddsupportstooverhangingsections.
Theprintvolumeisn’tmassive,atjust255 x 155 x 170mm,
whichissmallerthansomeofthecheapercompetition.
However,its50-micronnozzleprintingiscompetitive, plus
it supportsNylon,PETG,ABSandPLAfilament. Prints were
alsoreliableanddetailed,withonlyonemishap in dozens of
printscomingfromloosemeltedfilament.This happened
atthestartoftheprintandrequiredtheprint to be paused
andresumedoncewe’dremovedtheoffending object. The
nozzleandbedheatingcouldbefaster,though, as they can
takefivetotenminutestowarm,especially from cold.Conclusion
ThemainissueswiththeDremelDigilab3D45 are a smaller
thanaverageprintbed,longheatingtimesand the inability
tousecheaper,third-partyfilamentspoolsout of the box.
However,asaneasyintroductionto
large-volume3Dprinting,it’ssuperb,
withitsinformativetouch-screenand
manualofferinga gentlerlearning
curvethanthecompetition.Thevideo
feedis extremelyusefultoo,soif you
wanttogetintotheworldof3Dprinting
withminimalfuss,wethoroughly
recommendtheDigilab3D45.
ANTONYLEATHERREVIEWS / 3D PRINTER
VERDICT
A brilliantly complete and accessible
3D printer, although its print volume
is on the small side.OVERALLSCORE
88 %
DESIGN
32 / 35
FEATURES
32 / 35VALUE
24 / 30SPEC
Dimensions (mm)
645 x 406 x 404 (W x D x H)
Weight
21.5kg
Connections
USB, Wi-Fi, LAN
Materials
ABS, Nylon PLA, PETG
(1.75mm Dremel spool)
Layer thickness
50 microns (0.05mm)3D FILAMENT
Live print bed
video feed
Wi-Fi, LAN and
USB print support
Good quality,
reliable printing
DOT MATRIX
- Nozzle and bed
heating can
take a while - Small print volume
- Expensive
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