3D printing has revolutionized product design, prototyping, and hobbyists’ abilities to bring their creations to life. As the technology has advanced, desktop 3D printers have become more affordable and accessible. One of the leading brands in this space is Anycubic, known for their high-quality yet budget-friendly machines. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore Everything Anycubic – the company history, an overview of their extensive printer lineup, key features and capabilities, how they compare with competitors, and more.
A Brief History of Anycubic
Founded in 2015, Anycubic is a subdivision of Shenzhen Anycubic Technology Co. Ltd, a high-tech company based in Shenzhen, China. Their focus is on developing and manufacturing dependable, user-friendly 3D printers for home and office use.
In just a few short years, Anycubic has become one of the most recognized and reputable brands in consumer 3D printing. They’ve built a reputation for affordable but reliable machines and excellent customer service. Their printers consistently rank among the top-sellers on platforms like Amazon and Matterhackers.
Anycubic takes pride in making 3D printing accessible for beginners, but also offers higher-end machines with extensive features for more advanced users. Across their lineup, common strengths include good print quality, high print speeds, robust construction, and thoughtful design touches that enhance the user experience.
Overview of Anycubic 3D Printer Series
Anycubic categorizes their extensive selection of 3D printers into these main series:
Anycubic Photon Series – This series features Anycubic’s lineup of MSLA (masked stereolithography) resin 3D printers. They use UV light to cure liquid resin into solid objects. The Photon printers are known for incredible detail and precision, making them perfect for tabletop gaming, jewelry, and other applications where ultra-fine features are required.
Anycubic Vyper Series – The Vyper series contains Anycubic’s FDM (fused deposition modeling) workhorse 3D printers. Known for reliability, build volume, and high print speeds, Vypers are great all-purpose machines for large or batch prints. Many include auto bed leveling and filament runout sensors.
Anycubic Mega Series – Anycubic Megas are also FDM printers and are considered starter-level models. They have smaller build volumes than the Vypers, but retain the Anycubic hallmarks of quality and reliability. Megas are great for beginners or light use.
Anycubic Kobra Series – Kobras represent Anycubic’s fastest FDM printers thanks to direct drive extruders. They have sturdy metal frames and come equipped with useful extras like removable build plates and touch screens. The Kobra lineup provides a nice mid-range option.
Anycubic Predator Series – At the high end of Anycubic’s FDM selection sit the Predators. These printers have oversized build volumes, high-torque extruders for fast print speeds, filament sensors, power recovery, and Anycubic’s best warranties. Advanced users will appreciate Predators’ enhanced capabilities.
Anycubic Mono Series – Lastly, the Mono series contains Anycubic’s current lineup of budget-friendly MSLA resin printers. They use monochrome LCD masking to achieve ultra-fine resin prints without the cost of more advanced light sources. Monos are great for miniatures and jewelry.
Key Features of Anycubic Printers
Regardless of which series you choose, Anycubic printers are known for offering great value and robust feature sets. Here are some of the key strengths and capabilities you can expect:
- Sturdy metal frames – Most Anycubic machines have an all-metal construction that makes them highly durable and stable during printing. The solid frames also contribute to smoother, better quality prints.
- Filament detection – Anycubic FDM printers like the Vyper and Predator include filament runout detection that pauses your print if filament runs out, allowing you to load more and resume printing. This prevents failed prints.
- Touch screen interfaces – Many Anycubic models have intuitive touch screens that allow you to easily level, control, and monitor your printer. Touch screens streamline printing without hooking up to a computer.
- Heated print beds – Heated print beds are essential for preventing warping and improving first layer adhesion. Anycubic printers maintain consistent print bed temperatures up to 110°C.
- Auto bed leveling – Higher-end Anycubic FDM printers have auto bed leveling (ABL) that automatically calibrates the print bed before each print. This ensures a perfectly level surface and better print quality.
- High print speeds – Anycubic printers can print fast – up to 200mm/s in burst speeds – thanks to high torque extruders and hot ends. This allows you to print more objects in less time.
- Large build volumes – With build volumes up to 320 x 320 x 305mm, Anycubic machines allow you to create large objects or high-quantity batches.
- Resume print function – Anycubic’s resume print capability saves your print progress if the machine loses power. When power is restored, you can resume printing from where you left off.
Anycubic 3D Printers vs. Other Top Printer Brands
Anycubic printers are competitive with premium brands like Creality, Artillery, Prusa, Elegoo, and more. Here’s how Anycubic stacks up against some of the other 3D printer manufacturers on the market:
Anycubic vs. Creality – Creality is known for affordability and tinkering capabilities. However, Anycubic printers offer more reliable performance out of the box. They also have better customer support. Creality has a larger model lineup, but Anycubic offers more consistency.
Anycubic vs. Artillery – Artillery printers are known for massive build volumes. However, Anycubic machines tend to have more polished designs and come better calibrated. Anycubic also offers auto bed leveling more consistently throughout their FDM lineup. Both brands are cost competitive.
Anycubic vs. Prusa – Prusa printers are considered some of the highest quality machines on the desktop market. However, they also demand premium pricing. Anycubic printers offer excellent value and reliability at a fraction of the cost. The tradeoff is less long-term upgradability.
Anycubic vs. Elegoo – Anycubic and Elegoo printers have a lot of overlap – both specialize in budget resin printing. Elegoo did come to market first with the Mars, but Anycubic’s Photon showed how resin printing could be even more affordable. Overall Anycubic pulls ahead in terms of print quality and customer support.
For budget-conscious makers who want capable but wallet-friendly machines, Anycubic remains an excellent option when weighed against the competition. Their mix of price, performance and reliability is hard to beat.
Our Top Anycubic 3D Printer Picks
With so many models to choose from, which Anycubic 3D printers stand out from the pack? Here are our top recommendations across the various Anycubic series:
- Anycubic Photon Mono X – Our favorite Anycubic resin printer is the Photon Mono X. It produces exquisite details and has a large 5.5” build area for bigger resin prints. Priced under $500, it’s the best value for large format, high detail resin printing.
- Anycubic Vyper – For FDM printing, we recommend the Vyper. It has auto bed leveling, quick change nozzles, a PEI spring steel sheet print bed, filament runout sensor, and massive 12” cubed build volume. It’s the most capable all-purpose FDM machine Anycubic offers.
- Anycubic Mega Zero 2.0 – As an entry-level choice, we like the Mega Zero 2.0. It comes fully assembled, has very competitive print quality, and is supported by Anycubic’s responsive customer service. Excellent value for beginners.
- Anycubic Predator – For advanced users or print farms, the Anycubic Predator hits a sweet spot. Its Direct Drive Titan extruder provides excellent torque and retract performance for clean, reliable prints at high speeds up to 200mm/s. Big build volume too.
Final Thoughts on Anycubic 3D Printers
In just a few short years, Anycubic has become a powerhouse brand in consumer 3D printing. Their commitment to thoughtful design, high-quality construction, excellent print capabilities, and continuous innovation has made them a favorite across beginner, intermediate, and prosumer segments. Whether you’re new to the hobby or a seasoned printing veteran, Anycubic’s broad model lineup offers great options at very competitive pricing.
When you invest in an Anycubic 3D printer, you can expect reliable performance backed by responsive customer service. Their machines will grow with you, handling both basic and advanced printing with quality and ease. For your next desktop 3D printer, Anycubic is hard to beat – they provide exceptional value without sacrificing capability or user experience.
