The Ultimaker 2 gets its roots from on open source hardware and software, but is very much a finished product, and is only available in its assembled form. There are three versions: Ultimaker 2 Go, Ultimaker 2 and Ultimaker 2 Extended. Gone are the laser-cut wooden sides and control panel that gave the Ultimaker its distinctive built-in-a-shed look, and instead the new materials used for the casing are more refined and heavyweight. The Ultimaker 2 is an evolution of the original design and although it reflects a similar look to its predecessor, every aspect is a level up in terms of quality.
Print area is an important factor, and the Ultimaker 2 offers an impressive 23x22.5x20.5cm from its heated build plate. The top and front of the printer are open which does mean that you need to be a little careful with fingers during the print process, so if used in an educational environment this does need to be taken into consideration.
3D models can be loaded by a supplied SD card via a slot in the front, and the model to print is selected using the LCD and dial on the front. The models themselves are loaded onto the card along with quality settings via the Ultimaker Cura software. On the back is the filament holder, power switch and a USB port capable for updating firmware rather than tethered printing.
Lifting the Ultimaker out of the box reveals that aside from attaching the filament holder on the back and removing the packaging, the printer is pretty much set to go. The holder simply clicks into place, and then using the control panel on the front the material is selected and filament is fed into the feeder at the back – as this happens instructions on the LCD tell you exactly what to do and after a couple of minutes the filament is loaded and ready to go. Then it’s just a case of preparing the build plate with stick glue, slotting in the SD card, clicking print, selecting one of the pre-loaded models, and the print process starts. Our test sample didn’t require any adjustment and initial prints turned out well and at an exceptionally high quality.
Appealing printer
When you’re ready to print models on the Ultimaker 2, you first need to load your model into the Cura software. Ultimaker is at present the official maintainer of the application but other manufacturers such as Lulzbot is using it, and is exceptionally well designed and intuitive. It enables the adjustment of size, rotation, and scale, which displays on the virtual build plate, plus quality and print settings are accessible through this software.
The Ultimaker 2 is surprisingly quiet and although it’s by no means silent, you can leave it running without disturbing the rest of the office, house, or neighbors. The volume of operation is a major consideration especially if you have to work in close proximity to the printer, as the noise does become a distraction. Again, here the SD card loading of files means that you can happily leave the printer in another room, which is a huge advantage over printers that need tethering to a computer in order to print.
Our test prints ranged from one hour at the Fast Print setting up to 10 hours at the Ultimaker setting to print out a gearbox – these print times are good and compare well against other printers such as the Lulzbot Mini. Print quality at the highest setting of 20 microns is excellent and although you can see the layering, a bit of a cleanup and the models quickly transform. The Normal setting also produce good quality prints, but the Low setting produces only for very simple objects or roughly checking complex models.
The Ultimaker 2 takes 3D printing to the next level. Design, features, and software give you a complete package. If you’re looking for a printer at home then the small footprint and large build plate are appealing, and for work and education, the quiet operation is very welcome.
Verdict
We give a total rating of 85/100 for Ultimaker 2. It is easy to set up, and offers quality prints, ABS and PLA support as well as standalone and quite operation. For a discounted price of this product, head over to Ultimaker 2 3D Printer Best Deal.
