If you are looking for a 3D printer for home use, the Anycubic Mega-S printer is one of the best. In this Anycubic Mega-S review, we will do justice to its features and overall performance. Summarily, it is a 3D printer that uses Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) or Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) technology. The fact that it costs less than $300 and can make large objects make it perfect for hobbyists.
The Mega-S is nothing more than the updated version of the Anycubic i3 Mega, one of the most popular 3D printers in this price range. Compared to the i3 Mega, the Mega-S features a new, more precise extruder and a metal arm as a support for the filament spool. For the rest, it is practically identical to the Mega i3.
In terms of operation, the Anycubic Mega-S does not differ from its sibling, the Anycubic Mega i3. First, we’ll see how it works by taking a look at what its printing technology printing quality, printing speed, compatible filaments, and applications are.
The Anycubic MEGA-S 3D printer works with the FDM printing process and has a modular structure. According to the manufacturer, this ensures quick assembly and a quick start of printing.
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is widely used in home 3D printers. It is a protected proper name of the Stratasys company, which is why many manufacturers use the name FFF for Fused Filament Fabrication as an alternative.
In the technique, molten plastic is discharged from the extruder. The 3D object is built up from layers that melt together and harden by cooling.
A filament sensor pauses printing when the filament is empty or broken. In the event of a power failure, the 3D printer pauses automatically and provides the option of resuming work with one click.
The device works with a printing speed of 20 to 100 millimeters per second and has a layer resolution of 0.05 to 0.3 millimeters.
The adoption of a titanium extruder offers you the opportunity to use particularly flexible filaments, such as TPU. TPU is a material with which you can manufacture malleable objects without memory, that is, they resume their original shape after undergoing a temporary deformation (a quality also typical of rubber).
Anycubic Mega-S mounts a practical winder that has the task of supplying the filament to the extruder in a uniform manner and according to the program request.
This component is suspended outside the main body of the machine, a practical solution that allows you to work in a simple and orderly way.
The 3D printer supports 4 different formats, something that allows you to take advantage of many files without having to convert them. It is easy to clean once it has cooled down. It can operate in a good range of temperatures, between 8 and 40 degrees centigrade: therefore avoid using it in places that are too cold during the winter.
Also, there is a sensor that allows you to check the filament. It’s a small device that highlights the presence of ribs or breaking points, alerting you with an acoustic signal in case of need. The spare parts of this 3D printer are always available on the market, both on the Anycubic website and through normal distribution.
The best thing about this printer is its ease of use and the print quality that it offers.
We liked the Mega-S most importantly for its print quality and speed. And from the first impression. You won’t need to fiddle around too much.
With PLA, production goes smoothly. The extruder and the base can rise to optimal temperatures for ABS. You will only have to worry about the warping and delamination, typical in all open printers. But you can also try Nylon, or ASA, or other technical materials without as much problem as ABS.
If you want to print with flexible materials then you should consider the Anycubic Mega-S, because of its geared extruder. This increases the grip by grasping it on both sides, facilitating the use of flexible materials (and allowing you to print faster with the others). The printer has an ultrabase print bed for strong adhesion and easy removal of the object after cooling.
Overall, the Anycubic Mega-S is a 3D printer with good general performance. Its dimensions are small and allow the manufacture of objects that are not excessively large. But the sturdy and precise construction allows the achievement of excellent results. It allows you to print details measuring 50 microns, i.e. 0.05 mm, just like the Elegoo Saturn.
Once you have performed the calibration of the surface, the machine becomes very stable even during processing, to the benefit of the printing, which gains in precision and aesthetics.
The printing speed is very variable and ranges from 20 to 100 mm / s. Recall that a higher speed is often associated with a greater approximation in printing, especially of the smallest details, and is therefore not recommended for precision work.
The Anycubic Mega-S works on three axes, X, Y, and Z. The extruder works along the X-axis, from right to left, and moves along its support for a length of 210 mm.
The machine plane moves along the Y-axis and performs the machining in-depth for a length of 210 mm. The support that mounts the extruder moves on the Z-axis with an excursion of 205 mm, along the rails inserted in the pillars of the machine body.
Once the printing is finished, you can clean the machine by removing the base. From this point of view, it has an interesting feature. You can remove the base only when the printer has cooled down, a solution that allows you to operate in total safety.
The Anycubic model conveys the material through a solid filament guide and the entire mechanical concept. It is suitable for 1.75-millimeter filaments. These include TPU, ABS, PLA, among others. Its ultra-base print bed makes the piece adhere well and is easily removed later.
If you’re looking for a fine print, by making small adjustments, you will achieve extraordinary results, worthy of high-priced printers.
This printer stands out for its versatile applications. The cost of just under $300 makes it a useful product also in the home environment, as well as for professional purposes.
This is an easy-to-assemble printer. In 15 minutes after opening the box, you can be printing.
It is an intuitive printer designed for starters. It has a solid construction for durability and requires low maintenance.
Being quite fast, it achieves a quite remarkable print quality. The printer is ideal for those who need a budget-friendly machine. You can consider having five Mega-S printers, at the price of a professional one. With its production capacity, you’ll be able to set up a 3D printer farm by getting a couple of the machines.
Whether you are a maker going for production, or a 3D printing novice who wants a tool, for another hobby, this is a very attractive printer.
On the performance of the printer, we have to mention one of its nagging downsides. The fans are very noisy – they are indeed from the devil! So, it’s not optimal if you want to use it at home at night, or in a shared office. The noisiness can however be solved by scratching your pocket on some new fans and opening the guts to change them.
For the most part, the Anycubic Mega-S is an improved version of the Mega i3 with many of its design features. However, it includes some important changes.
The 3D printer has a build volume of 210 mm by 210 mm by 205 mm. That is equivalent to around 8.3 x 8.3 x 8 inches. It consists of a rigid frame made of full metal, which is intended to improve the stability of the machine and improve precision.
The layer resolution of the Anycubic 3D printer is 0.05 to 0.3 millimeters for greater accuracy. In addition, it produces at a printing speed of 20 to 100 millimeters per second.
As for the positioning accuracy of the extruder, the Anycubic Mega-S ensures an excellent result. The dual Z-axis cutting motors provide synchronization to optimize printing accuracy and reduce the likelihood of printing errors. A strong extruder should help to achieve a better print result.
The margin of error is only 0.0125 mm on the x and y axes and does not exceed 0.002 mm on the z-axis.
The printing precision, and therefore the thickness of the individual layers that make up the final model, can vary from 0.05 to 0.3 mm. These values are influenced to a certain extent by the diameter of the extruder.
This offers the user some flexibility, allowing the use of interchangeable solutions in addition to the one supplied (0.4 mm), which reach 1.75 mm, depending on the project you are working on. These data can guarantee an extremely faithful result to the digital model in three dimensions, even for model lovers.
The Anycubic Mega-S is a semi-assembled 3D printer. It takes about 15 minutes to connect all the pieces and be ready for the first print. The assembly instructions are clear and simple: everything you need to proceed is provided inside the package. Also supplied is a 1 kg spool of PLA filament, the memory card, and a second print extruder. It is also easy to use, thanks to its ease of connectivity, its display screen, and compatible software.
The Anycubic Mega-S is equipped with a touchscreen that is user-friendly and can be controlled in several languages. It has a 3.5 inches TFT touch screen which is user-friendly, simple, and smooth to operate and has rich functions. On the display screen, you can make a one-touch switch from Chinese to English and vice versa.
The ANYCUBIC MEGA-S 3D printer can be connected via a USB port and offers space for an SD card. However, there is no option of WiFi or app connectivity, which is a shame. Nonetheless, for the price, you have to understand that these features can only be found in more premium models such as the Anycubic Photon Mono X.
With the USB port and SD card slot, you can transfer your data to the printer via a memory stick, memory card, or data cable.
Also concerning the flexibility in the use of different operating systems, files, and materials, the Anycubic Mega-S leaves us very satisfied. It can be used by Windows, Mac OS, and Linux users, as it works with completely free and easy-to-use software.
Connection to a computer is via USB cable, while those wishing to print directly could simply use the SD card slot. Finally, this model is not equipped with wireless connectivity and therefore does not allow remote control.
The supported file formats are various: STL, OBJ, DAE, AMF. The first two are extremely common and well known to CAD software users, the others are less popular, but can be opened with a multitude of programs.
The Anycubic Mega-S works with multiple slicer software. These include Cura, Smplify3D, and Repetier-HOST. As earlier mentioned, the software input formats are .STL, .OBJ, .DAE, and .AMF. The previous version, the i3 Mega notably works with Cura.
Generally speaking, Cura is the most stable and fantastic software for this printing machine, regardless of whether you’re a beginner or advanced user. It has expert and beginner options that will give you great printing profiles for your applications.
The 3D printer comes with everything you need. These include:
The Anycubic Mega-S is a cheap printer compared to other models, which offer the same results and have higher prices.
It also comes pre-assembled, so in less than an hour, you will be printing your favorite designs. Its calibration is very simple and it has a very intuitive manual for the user.
The device incorporates a touch screen, color, and is very sensitive. It has a filament sensor and when there is a cut in the light, it stops automatically and resumes where it left off when everything returns to normal with just one click. This feature is usually found in high-priced 3D printers.
Overall, it is a printer for the most demanding for a reasonable price. In addition, we must not forget its ultra-base bed, with which you can choose a series of specific materials.
Like most 3D printers marketed by Anycubic and even for others that are a bit above its price range, the printer comes with a one-year warranty.
The Anycubic Mega-S comes with a manufacturer warranty of three months on the print head. There’s also a 6-month warranty on the print bed and 1 year on the rest of the components.
The Anycubic Mega-S is a powerful 3D printer with great value for money. For just under $300, you have a good 3D printer for your prints and designs. It’s a printer, which despite being cheap, does not disappoint. Its high-quality work and finishes will leave you satisfied.
With this quality, and for this price, this printer is very good for commercial production. Since you get very good finishes for a fraction of the price of a semi-professional (you can have 5 printers for the price of one), which is something to consider for production capacity.
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The Anycubic Mega-S printer is an entry-level printer that is very popular among users. This is thanks to its very high accuracy, with an error margin of only 0.0125 mm on the x and y axes, and 0,002 mm on the z-axis. This model is compatible with Windows, Mac OS, and Linux, can support STL, OBJ, DAE, and AMF files, and works with Cura, Smplify3D, and Repetier-Host.
However, as we mentioned in the Anycubic Mega-S review, connection to a computer can only be done via USB cable, as the Anycubic Mega-S is not equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity. The usable materials are different, from ABS to HIPS, to PLA, up to composite materials with wood fibers.
We recommend this model to those looking for an entry-level device without compromising much on the final print quality. Those looking for more complete products, probably with WiFi and app connectivity and for larger commercial and professional production, should instead look at higher-end models like the Anycubic Photon Mono X.
