Finally A Press Video! (Page 1 of 3)

So the first 3 things that come to mind... I really dig this new extruder design.  Love the aluminum heatsink, larger heat block with what I am assuming is a ceramic heating element as opposed to the stupid over driven resistor... I really really like the stainless steel angled sheet metal carriage.  I know some may think that is a downgrade, but I think it's a beautiful upgrade, seems less prone to shifting, and perfectly adequate. 

Highlighted in red I am wondering... What in the world is that for?  Almost looks like an accessory mount, or something. 

Thankfully they put a fan shroud on, although I am wondering if it's up against  solid wall, or if there is some kind of allowance for air to be pushed over the entire aluminum heat sink portion. 

I know they say this isn't for being modified.... but come on.  What's going to really stop us nutters from that.  From all the creaking, groaning noises I heard in the video I already am assuming I'll be doing some structural re-enforcement of the case, sound dampening on thin rattly parts etc...

I think it is part of the bed leveling system as shown in the first Press vid.
I beat me by 20 mins posting the EXACT same photos! hahaha

@ AZERATE - I would have thought so too, but I believe that is what the black box highlighted on the left is for.  If you look closely in the head-on image you can see a limit switch sticking out ever so slightly.

@proctor_richard - Yeah, I get what you're saying. To be fair though the SD2 & SD3 did not have fans, and I did successfully print decent prints out of PLA on my SD3.  But if we're really being fair, not having a filament cooling fan is pretty chinsy stuff when it will make "out of the box" printing a much more successful endeavor for the novice user.  I mean really, at the very least they should have it as a simple upgrade.  I bet they'll refund you though if you asked.  But I understand the outrage.  I've had my fair share of doodle-rage with my entire Solidoodle 3 experience.  I mean from the first day I've heard them tote all their printers as far as I can recall as "out-of-the-box" printers, and that was such a far stretch of the truth.  Indeed every printer could for the most part print at the very least an unrecognizable blob of plastic solidly attached to the extruder nozzle. 

Honestly the only reason I went with solidoodle again is because I knew what I was getting myself into, and the preorder sale price was right.  I figured worse case I'm spending the money I saved ordering early ripping out the electronics and replacing them with my own, and stiffening the frame.  Something I can easily do in the $200 range I saved by going with the pre order.

But still they have a talent like many businesses for "stretching" (downright misrepresentation) of the truth.  You never want to win a war of technicalities with a customer... The business always loses.

To be fair, proctor_richard, it is possible to print PLA without a fan. I did it for about a month earlier this year. Some large or intricate designs, yes...you absolutely need a fan. But then again, what is a Solidoodle user without some ghetto-rigging?
I say keep your blood pressure down for a couple weeks before accusing freaking out. They may have an "easy to add fan" feature on the newer models. Probably not, but still possible.

all 3 new models said and pictured with the cooling fans/mounts for bridging etc and said they where connected to board for G code control but none at shows have had them installed plus SD techs say Solidoodle dont believe in them and recommends plenty support for any such bridges. as for PLA use all models since SD2 said that just didnt help it happen correctly. also what is the front heat sync for if not that fan? the one on side wont blow anything there. see this kinda misinformation SD always pulls is why I wont buy till they "SHOW ME" the needed/required features we all have been demanding for 2 years of "upgrades" now.

good luck ever selling these incomplete printers SD. we can upgrade our old printers better for less money. including duel E3D heads.

PS has anyone ever heard what heads/nozzles these 3 printers come with and size orifice? maybe they wont handle PLA any better than the old printers

who would people recommend jumping over to? im hearing good things of robo printers for a similar price point

so far after couple months wait looks like the 3 new models are a Fail.

just like the new Blueprinter stating its an affordable complete desktop powder type printer. when in reality its an incomplete $25,000 european sales only huge cumbersome industrial Lab machine requiring a few several thousand dollar accessories and costly materials to print up to a 4 inch cube in 2-7 days printing and 3 hours cleanup.

so powder type printers wont be home ready in my lifetime seems.

I was hoping Solidoodle finally listened to the masses with the 2 Workbench series while offering an in-home 3D printer for students etc to get started with. but that too is seeming more like a distant dream.

I had wondered... I think when the likes of the mod-t from new matter come out SD are essentially screwed

So here's my take on the Press.  I won't say anything about the workbench models because they are in my opinion exactly the same as the SD3/SD4 with a few "oooooo" look at me features.  Namely dual extruder and the 12" print cube... The dual extruder possibly has some very beneficial uses for a few nitch items that I would make.  The 12" print bed.... Well seeing as the process is already pretty slow going, rarely do I want to tie up my only in house 3d printer on some monstrous 12-16 hr print. Now I suppose there is something to be said for being able to print longer small assemblies.... but until the speed of 3d printing increases I think anything past 6" - 8" gets as much use out of it, as a Lamborghini owner gets to utilize it's full potential. 

This is why I am excited about the press.  Not so much because solidoodle is designing it, but because of who they are partnering with to sell it. I hear rumors of best buy, home depot, etc... I could care less about those businesses, but what I do care about is the fact that the press more so than the other printers looks more likely to be a cooperative effort with a Chinese manufacturer.  Let's be honest, does anybody really think these are strictly "American built"? 

Point being is there are a lot of design tip offs to this being a Chinese designed printer.  The thin stainless steel angle carriage... If you spend some time in many of your inkjet, craft cutters, etc... That is a very common motion system in these solely Chinese designed, and manufactured items.  The cast aluminum parts... yeah I know they could have done this state side, but really... 90% most likely thing that happened? They gave a solidoodle to a Chinese manufacturer, and said here's what we have, here's what we want, look forward to talking to you in a month or two.  Yeah Solidoodle may have influenced some important design choices, auto bed leveling being one of them.  But being familiar enough with over seas manufacturing as I am, the press has Chinese designed and made written ALL OVER IT.   I know SD will claim it's their design, indeed legally it is, indeed they gave them alot of important guidelines, blue prints, etc... But the chances that the actual grunt design work was done here state side??? Not very likely.

My whole point is I think we should rejoice solidoodle turned this over to the Chinese.  If the Chinese manufacturers know how to do anything, it's to give customers as much as they possibly can while doing it for next to nothing.  That's why they are so popular imho.  So I really do think we are going to see a lot of previous bizarre design choices left out of the press that were present in the previous Solidoodle line up.  And that is where I put my money.  Yes there will be shortcomings... I mean it's a $600 3d printer. Let's be honest... there may be others out there doing it for cheaper, but none that I have seen that actually ever really deliver anything better, and usually worse. 

So I look at a the press as a step forward, because it's a printer that while may be lacking in many important features to us veteran 3d printing dweebs.  In reality it will garner more investment from retailers.  More investment, means more advertising, more advertising, means more likelihood of more wide spread adoption.  Which in the end will be a huge win for us early adopters. 

So right now I will pay the price for playing with 3d printing in the still (whether we admit it or not) early adopter phase of it's market life cycle. 

Advertisers have always been full of it.  I'd wish Solidoodle would have been more careful to set themselves apart as companies on occasion sometimes do. But they haven't so, now I am willing to dance with the devil;)

curious about the performance of the all-metal hotend, so there's that. looks like they likely improved the filament feeding mechanism from the sd4 but it's hard to tell from the video how it works. confused as to why they showed it at such low printing speeds. so slow it's ... creaking haha