[Three-in-One] Snapmaker Artisan Review — 3D Printing Function

 
Following our previous article — Snapmaker Artisan Unboxing and Assembly Introduction, we now move on to the functional testing. Each function will be covered in a new article. This time, we will introduce the 3D printing capabilities of the Artisan, as tested by All3DP and Tom's Hardware, similar to the previous article. Read on to find out the test results!

Previous Articles
1. Unboxing Review
2. Laser Engraving and Cutting
3. CNC Mill

 

 

To perform 3D printing, you only need to install the 3D print toolhead, heated bed, and its removable glass print sheet!

PEI coated side: Suitable for most materials, easy to remove prints;
Regular glass side: Suitable for printing ABS or prints that require a smooth bottom.
 

The Snapmaker Artisan has an all-metal hot end that can handle PETG, ABS, and nylon. The direct drive design should also be able to handle TPU, but further adjustments to the Luban configuration are needed.
 

Calibrating the Snapmaker Artisan

The Snapmaker Artisan needs to be calibrated each time the 3D print toolhead is installed. The machine can automatically detect the installed toolhead and prompt for the corresponding calibration. The control screen will display what needs to be done at each step. For 3D printing, the Artisan uses a "smart" probe installed on the left nozzle for leveling. The print bed is fixed and cannot be manually adjusted. The probe will move to 25 points, then ask you to set the Z offset for both nozzles using a piece of paper.

Dual nozzles also require a third calibration to ensure X and Y axis alignment. The machine will automatically prompt for a test print.
 

Loading Filaments on Snapmaker Artisan

Loading filament on the Snapmaker Artisan is very simple. The machine has a reverse Bowden tube that guides the filament from outside the enclosure to the toolhead. The machine can detect if filament is loaded and will prompt you to load the machine after changing the toolhead.
 

 

The initial loading process is guided step-by-step by full-color photos on the touchscreen. If you need to change colors, click "Control" → "Filament" to use the temperature adjustment knob to set the heating temperature for each nozzle. Once the correct temperature is reached, the "Load" and "Unload" buttons will activate. The filament is fed through the Bowden tube to the top of the toolhead. Press "Load" and apply pressure to the filament, and the gears will grab it and feed it to the hot end. To unload the material, simply reverse the process.

 

Hands-on Tests with Different Materials

PLA

After calibration, Tom's Hardware performed its first print, selecting a pencil holder design from the Snapmaker Luban library. This pencil holder demonstrated how seemingly impossible prints can be made using the provided breakaway support material. It took 4 hours and 54 minutes to complete, using default "Normal" settings, a layer height of 0.16mm, and a speed of 100mm/s. Although the breakaway support material was a bit stubborn, it was eventually removed cleanly. This was printed using Snapmaker's black PLA and white breakaway PLA.
 

 

Next, an IDEX jar designed by Bugman_140 was used for a two-color print. The print quality was excellent, with no mixing between colors! Using Snapmaker's black PLA and Inland's red PLA, this jar took 6 hours and 30 minutes, with a layer height of 0.16mm and a speed of 100mm/s.

The Artisan's large print bed is perfect for printing cosplay items, so a Mandalorian helmet was printed. This wearable helmet measures 225 x 276 x 242mm, which is a bit large for typical Ender 3 style printers, but the Artisan, with its 400x400mm print bed, had plenty of extra space.

The default support settings were very strong, and the Tom's Hardware testers were somewhat puzzled about how to remove them, but believed that the final support marks would require sanding and polishing.

If the support covered the entire eye opening, the print would be cleaner. Tom's Hardware believed this was their mistake, as Luban has a paintable support function, and adding more would have removed unnecessary support from the middle of the helmet, saving 9 hours of printing time and at least 300 grams of filament. The layer lines were a bit rough, but this was running at full speed: 0.2mm layer height, 160mm/s speed, taking a total of 54 hours and 26 minutes, using Inland white PLA and Protopasta colored recycled PLA 005.
 

ABS

For high-temperature printing, some parts for an RC demolition derby car were printed using ABS, which requires extreme durability. Printing larger ABS parts is often difficult, so it was necessary to keep the enclosure warm, turn off the fans, and use a homemade ABS slurry to ensure part adhesion. The slurry is made by dissolving ABS scraps in acetone, which leaves a thin layer of ABS after the acetone evaporates for the print to adhere to. These parts printed cleanly at 255°C hot end and 100°C print bed with no issues. The print time was 11 hours and 30 minutes, with a layer height of 0.2mm and a speed of 100mm/s.
 

TPU

TPU performance was somewhat disappointing and did not meet expectations. The Artisan's direct drive fed the material well and handled it excellently, but the default settings resulted in a lot of stringing between the ears. The print time was 6 hours and 39 minutes, with a layer height of 0.24mm and a speed of 30mm/s, using Inland TPU.

3D Printing Experience Enhanced, Not to be Missed!

All3DP believes that the Artisan's 3D printing experience is superior to the Snapmaker 2.0. While it's not the fastest, it has shown significant improvement. Currently, 3D printing speed is a hot topic, especially with the emergence of Bambu Lab. Compared to it, the Artisan may have some shortcomings, but it also has its unique advantages.
 

Due to the Artisan's parts needing to withstand CNC machining pressures, speed is naturally somewhat limited, but this also means it's more durable. In our multiple tests, although some prints required post-processing to reach display quality, the dual extrusion performance was quite good. The new print core system is impressive, allowing for smarter printing strategies.
 

Only 0.4 mm cores are provided in the box, which means large prints with the Artisan's large build volume can take days. This is indeed a challenge, but Snapmaker's zoned heating feature for the Artisan is impressive, meaning smaller items can be printed faster while saving energy.
 

Both hot ends can heat up to 300°C, enabling the printing of more challenging high-temperature materials, and the Artisan's enclosed structure effectively retains heat. However, the nozzles provided are made of brass and are therefore not suitable for abrasive materials. The built-in calibration procedure makes it easy to synchronize the two print cores.
 

 

Overall, the Artisan is a 3D printer worth considering, especially for users who demand high print quality and versatility. If you are looking for a printer that balances speed and precision, the Artisan is undoubtedly your best choice!