Simple Elegoo Mars UV 3D Printer Review – Worth Buying or Not?
ByMichael DwamenaReading Time: 6 minutes
The resin 3D printing field has been definitely growing in traction, one of the popular candidates being the Elegoo Mars UV 3D printer. It was first released in 2017 and since then, has been a top choice for users who are moving from FDM printing to resin printing.
I think the first thing we can admire is the pricing of this machine, being well under the $1,000 mark and not requiring you to dig deep into your pockets to add it to your collection.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a beginner or a specialist, the Elegoo Mars is going to do you justice in terms of easy operation, high-end print quality and serious performance, even though it’s a relatively small machine.
If you are looking for a budget resin 3D printer, this is an amazing choice.
The Elegoo Mars UV Photocuring LCD 3D printer is an incredible printer at the cost. It looks pleasant, performs well, and does not occupy a lot of room on a workbench.
Simplicity is what was in mind with this user interface. Not only is operation easy, but the whole printing process is pretty streamlined and has a very short learning curve.
Compared to an FDM 3D printer, this resin printer is going to easily out-do them quality-wise.
It comes with the unique industrial design, with the unique steel ball in its design, you only need the Z-axis to return to zero, and in the last lock the leveling screw to start printing.
Large Screen
Large screen is always favorable for everyone, as it helps to work in a more convenient way and to see every detail of your work. Elegoo Mars UV printer has Large colorful 3.5 inch touch screen.
You can preview the model in SD card like you saw pictures in Windows OS. It also provides real-time display printing process.
Quick Slicing Software
When talking about 3D printers, speed always matters. Elegoo Mars UV comes with the latest version of ChiTuBox Slicing Software which gives you extraordinary user experience.
ChiTuBox takes only 1 minute to slice 30MB .STL model files while the open-sourced slicing software would take up to 10minutes.
ChiTuBox allows you to hollow out your model before slicing which could save your resin dramatically during photo-curing process.
Off-line Printing
Instead of directly connecting prints from an outer source, which can lead to much failure, the Elegoo Mars UV comes with a useful feature. It has an integrated computer board for printing directly from USB.
You do not need to connect it to the computer while printing, you can easily get your prints while inserting the USB.
2560 x 1440 2K HD Masking LCD
It uses a 2560×1440 2K HD masking LCD to provide accurate printing with an XY axis resolution of 0.00185 inches /0.047mm
Easy Assembly & Sturdy Structure
Its semi-assembled structure allows you to start printing within 5 minutes. It has sturdy structure of the all-aluminum fuselage plus acrylic cover, which is elegant and durable.
Benefits of Elegoo Mars UV
Easy and suitable to use for beginners
Assembly is simple and doesn’t take long at all
Provides amazing print quality for the price you’re paying
Even though it’s budget, it still has advanced features
The sturdiness is proven which adds to the print quality
It does not occupy much space, you can easily set it up even on a bench
Fast customer service responses and real professional care
Small, but responsive touchscreen with simple, clear icons
Relatively large build volume compared to the price
Downsides of Elegoo Mars UV
One of the common complaints with the Elegoo Mars is the location of the USB connection. It’s in an area which isn’t too easily accessible depending on where you set the 3D printer up.
Noise is something that comes into play, with the fan of this 3D printer being pretty loud even though it is an enclosed machine.
The removable cover which blocks UV light is quite poorly designed, maybe due to the low price point. In order to get proper access to the machine and resin tank, you may need to remove the cover.
Every so often, after extended lengths of printing, it is discovered that the firmware of the printer sometimes stumbles over when stacking up another print.
You need to pay close attention to the orientation of each model, because a bad orientation can result in an unsuccessful print. It can take a little bit of practice, but once you understand this, it’s pretty smooth sailing.
It’s advised to orientate your models so that large flat areas are printed on a diagonal, meaning it doesn’t print in a single layer. This decreases chances of these large layers sticking to the vat. It avoids pieces of your model sticking to the film on the bottom of the resin vat.
There were reports of other failures with this 3D printer, but with a solid firmware update most of these issues have been corrected, so if you see bad reviews it is most likely down to those previous issues.
Unfortunately you don’t get a nice sample of resin for you to try out so you’ll need to purchase your own from the beginning.
Specifications of the Elegoo Mars UV
Technology: LCD
Assembly: Fully-assembled
Build Volume: 120 x 68 x 155 mm (4.7 x 2.6 x 6.1 inches)
Layer Height: 10+ microns?
Resolution: 2560 x 1440 pixels
Bed-Leveling: Manual (assisted)
Display: 3.5″ full-color touchscreen
Connectivity: USB
Materials: 405NM UV resin
Recommended Slicer: ChiTuBox
Weight: 6.8 kg (15 lbs)
UV: 40 Watt
Customer Reviews
Straight after looking at the reviews for the Elegoo Mars, you can see why it’s so popular among the 3D printing community. At the time of writing, it has a 4.5/5.0 rating on Amazon, with more than 88% of people rating it 4* or above.
From delivery, it looks professional and well packaged. Although it is a budget 3D printer, it still looks sturdy and gives off a clean design and look which can easily find a nice space around your house or office.
It is very easy to set up and to get along with it, along with the specialized software.
Everyone loves a good technical support team, and Elegoo know this which is why they provide an amazing service to their customers. Many people have received quick responses after-sale, so they don’t just act nice to get the sale, but take care of you after.
It’s basically completely assembled, so you don’t have to go through that initial hassle like with many FDM printers on the market.
A user who has experience with other 3D printers purchased it for his professional work, and it assisted him graciously in his work and 3D printing journey.
One of the user who stepped in the world of 3D printing with the help of Elegoo Mars UV, has learned basic modeling and printing just in a week or so.
Due to the high quality of this 3D printer, it gives people that extra push to be committed to 3D printing and really learning the field.
Experts and beginners alike can appreciate the amazing features of this machine.
Verdict
From reading through this review, I’m sure you can tell where I’m leaning towards when concluding whether the Elegoo Mars UV 3D printer is worth buying. The list of advanced features, high print quality and specialized ChiTuBox software really seals the deal.
I would recommend you purchasing the Elegoo Mars today from Amazon, for a really affordable price.
Resin 3D printers being expensive is definitely a thing of the past, and we can only expect things to get bigger and better. 3D printing is going to be huge in the future, so definitely get on the ladder as early as possible, so you can have an advantage.
If you are second guessing joining the resin 3D printing team, you should know you aren’t the only one who felt the same way. Once you get involved, you’ll enjoy the new-found abilities that you possess, the same as other users who were once in the same shoes.
There are several forums, groups, and YouTube channels that dive into resin 3D printing so definitely join in with the Elegoo Mars today.
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