FLASHFORGE Adventurer 5M 3D Printer,600mm/s Max High-Speed FDM 3D Printers with Fully Auto Leveling, 280°C Direct Extruder with Quick Detachable Nozzle, Effective Cooling, Core XY Structure

Short Story: I purchased the FlashForge 3d Printer Creator Pro in mid December 2014 and started using it on December 25th. I have printed ABS things that came with it, an ABS bicycle I created with SketchUp, and a wrench using PLA glow-in-the dark filament. Everything works great. This is a fantastic machine and technology. And I had a couple of questions and the legendary Tang answered the first email within an hour on Christmas Eve and the second email within an hour on Christmas morning (Central Standard Time). Great product, great service and the concept of 3d printing is really cool.Long Story: I got interested in 3d printing about a year ago and began shopping and reading web sites. I noticed that the machines were getting less expensive and per the reviews, more reliable. In early December I decided it was time to buy one and I suggested to my wife that I was going to do this and ‘it could be my Christmas present’. She said that was fine, but I could not open it until Christmas day. That was not what I intended but it turned out to be a good thing. For the 3 weeks or so before Christmas I read everything I could find about how to set up and use this printer.The first thing I discovered is that there is a lot of software involved, and three ways to get objects to the printer. First, you can download files from the internet. Second you can create an object then print it, and third you can buy a scanner, scan an object, and then print it. And you can combine elements of all of those. You could download a file, merge that with something you scanned, and then import that file into a 3D modeling software like Google SketchUp and modify it.I’m a baby boomer and we all learned things by reading the manual. Kids today never bothered with manuals so when they started inventing all this stuff they don’t bother writing manuals. You have to figure everything out by reading Customer Reviews and researching on the internet.Scanning. I purchased a Matter and Form MFS1v1 3d scanner. I wrote a review about it, so won’t repeat that here. It works.Create a Model of your own design. You have to learn to use a software program to do this. I selected SketchUp because there are good reviews and it is free. But there are no manuals. You load it on your PC, then work through 4 training tutorials provided by Google, then you just have to do google searches to try to figure out everything else you need to know to create an object that you can print.Here is what I learned about SketchUp essential to 3D printing:1. Build your object in a large size, then let the printing software (more on that later) reduce it in size. SketchUp was developed as a 3d tool for architecture and lacks the ability to make very tiny parts. But you can make a big part with high detail then reduce it.2. Every time you create an object on SketchUp – you must select it then “make a group”. Then you right-click and look at ‘Entity Info’. If you see ‘volume’ you have created a solid that will print on a 3d printer. If you try to print something that is not a solid the print software will discover “manifold” problems, and the print won’t work.3. After you create solids, you join them together using a tool called “outer shell”. This is the tool on SketchUp 2015. I think tools on earlier versions had other names. You get to this tool by: View, Toolbars, Solid Tools. A bunch of solid objects joined together with ‘Outer Shell’ result in a model that can be printed.4. When you first download Sketchup you get the Pro version (for 30 days). With the pro version you get other Solid Tools and you can output ‘object’ files. I got so frustrated that I could not get objects to print properly (just using the print preparation software – see below) that I bought the Pro version. I now don’t think you need it. The free version will output STL files and the Print Prep software can use either an “STL” file or and “OBJ” file5. When you are finished building your object – export it as on OBJ file or Export it as an STL file. To export as an STL file you have to add the STL functionality to your SketchUp program. Again, just Google: “Add STL to Sketchup” and you will discover how to do thisConvert your File to a Print File: Next – you prepare your file to print. This is required regardless of whether you download a model from the internet of use a model you created from SketchUp. You must have software that is capable of creating a file in the format expected by your printer. The Print File provides all the info the printer requires heat the extruders, move the print bed, move the extruders, push out the plastic, and so on.The directions that come with this printer instruct the user how to download free software and install it – along with other programs and drivers and so on. I found this baffling and for $140 bought Simplify3D, which is an alternative to the free software. Simplify3D has about 9 tutorials that explain how to use it. Remember, I’m killing time until Christmas and working through these was very helpful.When you first launch Simplify3D you tell it the brand and model of your printer. Then, as you import the model you either created or downloaded, the software has preconfigured processes to facilitate printing. You can change all these but I found the defaults to work great. When you are ready to print the software shows you an extruder suspended in space above a print bed and it prints your model, on your computer screen. You can watch it and use the “repair” menu to find all the problems – before even using the actual printer. When you have the model printing correctly on your PC, you move the file to the actual printer.But this is the cool thing – if you are thinking about buying a 3D printer – get SketchUp and buy Simplify3d. Make some models; see how they print. You can learn an awful lot before making the leap to buy the printer.Now to the FlashForgeIt came, from Amazon, in two days. It was packed well and everything was in it.The instructions for assembly are clear – but I also found a video of how to assemble a slightly older version that was helpful.This version includes an acrylic cover and front door that help keep the temperature constant which is useful for ABS printing. The instructions that come with the printer provide a web site with a video that shows how to assemble the acrylic cover that goes on the top of the machine. Hint: Take all the protective paper off the acrylic, use some of the painters’ tape that comes with the printer to tape the acrylic pieces together, install the screws, and remove the tape. This is a lot easier than the process in the video.It took 20 minutes and a lot of patience to get the print bed level. I finally settled on this procedure – Launch the ‘Level Build Plate’ on the printer, push the extruder assembly until it is right above the leveling wing-nut closest to you. Adjust that wing-nut until paper just barely slides; move extruder until it is above the other wing nuts and do the same thing. You just push it with your hands. Keep moving the extruder and adjusting the wing nuts until paper just slides, anywhere on the bed.Printing was the easiest part. First, I printed the objects that are on the SD card that comes with the machine. These printed fine. I was a little impatient getting the first print off the print bed, which has a layer of Kapton tape. I used a sharp knife from the kitchen to pop the model loose and actually cut into the tape. So on every subsequent print there is a little flap of Kapton tape sticking up. Note, however that when you use the Printing Software (in my example Simplify3D), you can check a box for “Include Raft”. When you do this, the printer creates a lattice of plastic under your actual object. That lattice just peels right off when finished. And the lattice covers up the Kapton tape tear and minor imperfections in levelling.Then I moved to printing from my PC. I could not load the driver necessary to connect my PC directly to the printer – but just copied ready-to-print files from Simplify3D to the SDCH card that came with the printer. Then put the SDCH card in the printer and it works fine.ABS. First 10 prints were using the ABS filament that came with the printer. I had studied all the settings and variables available to control the print – but when it came time to do it I just told the Simplify3D software that I was using ABS and wanted a ‘raft’ and everything came out fine. NOTE regarding “Supports”. The reason I bought a two extruder printer was because I thought you needed a second extruder to generate ‘supports’ for parts with a big overhang, using one of those soluble plastics that can later be dissolved. It turns out that the Simplify3D software (and probably most others) can print ‘supports’ just using the same ABS spool as your model. Somehow the supports are printed so they don’t stick very much and they just break off. The only time you would really need soluble supports is if they had to be printed inside your model where you could not easily remove them.PLA. Same story (almost). I backed out the ABS filament and loaded some PLA (that actually glows in the dark!). Everything had been printing so smoothly on the Kapton tape that I just told Simplify3D I was using PLA – and printed! I did not bother to use the Painters’ Tape as instructed because that would require re-leveling the print bed. The PLA print on the Kapton tape worked fine for about 10 minutes then the entire RAFT pulled loose and got caught against the extruder and I was not watching closely and a LOT of PLA got gummed up on the end of the extruder. Cleaned it up, installed a couple strips of painters’ tape, re-leveled and it prints fine. LESSON: follow the instructions.This machine and all the software are really fun. About the equivalent to a two hour college course, I think. I highly recommend this machine and the company that backs it up.11/5/2018 Update: I have had this machine for 4 years. I had to replace the print nozzles when they got too clogged, and I NEVER use the dual nozzle feature but this machine is a champ.11/16/2023 Update: That machine finally wore out. I could have emailed the vendor and purchased parts but I like the printer so much I just bought a new one. And meanwhile about 4 years ago I bought another one for a different house. I’m convinced this printer is the best one available. Sketchup (mentioned above) is much better now and it works great for 3d parts.One more suggestion: Use klapton tape on the bed and clean it every time with acetone. Replace the tape when it wears (maybe every 10 prints or so) and after removing the worn out tape clean the bed with alcohol.Strength: I bought a boat in 2017 that has an 8’ x 8’ Bimini top (big heavy monster). I got 2 Linco lifters and created brackets with this printer (and ABS+ plastic, 10 layers) to print the brackets that connect the lifters to the boat and to the top. Total force on these plastic brackets is about 100 lbs! This thing has worked flawlessly (use it to get the boat under a bridge) for 7 years now. One bracket cracked so I just pushed the button on the printer and made another one.

Executive summary: This is a great printer and the seller (Tang) provides great support! I knew nothing about 3D printing when I bought it and found it very easy to set up and use. I was printing well under an hour after I opened the box. The seller included a sticker right on the front of the machine with his name and email, and he is extremely responsive. He answers questions clearly, promptly in excellent english. By the way, no one paid or even asked me to write this review. I was impressed with the support I received and decided to do it. I have been using this machine a lot for nearly two weeks now and I'm very happy with it.Details:I needed a 3D printer not as a hobby, but because I need to prototype enclosures for electronic devices. As such, I wanted something reliable, that would work right out of the box with minimal fussing. I also wanted to be able to print using ABS and be able to print supports with soluble material. Of course I didn't want to spend thousands. This printer is fully enclosed (helpful for ABS) and dual extruder for well under $1,000. It arrived very well packaged with an excellent getting started guide (I recommend you read it and follow the directions - the english is excellent, no decryption required). It's sturdy and solid. The machine needed some assembly, including one screw that was a bit tricky to get in, but if you follow the guide assembly is straightforward. All tools needed were supplied. I was super careful and had it assembled in about 40 minutes. One thing that's easy to miss is the correct way to feed the filament from the spools. I posted a pic, notice how the filament crosses and feeds into the tube furthest away from it. This is counter-intuitive and important.Before you can print, you have to manually level the bed. There are three knobs below the bed, and the machine came with a cardboard card that's used to level. You just stick the card between the left nozzle and the bed and adjust the knobs until there is a little friction when you slide the card. What's nice is the card has a diagram to tell you which way to turn the knobs to raise or lower. It's the little things like this that make a difference. Again, follow the instructions and it's easy.It also came with an SD card that has several test prints on it; two cylinders and a traffic cone. In the attached pic, each cylinder was printed with a different nozzle and the traffic cone was, of course, printed with both. It printed these nicely on the very first try, so the first 3D prints I ever made came out near perfectly. I say "near" because each of them has a very slight vertical line. I was initially concerned, but other prints do not have that, including the "benchy" boat test print. The benchy boat in the pics was printed on the highest quality settings, and it's noticeably smoother than the "standard" settings in the slicer program. The standard looks good as well, but the "hyper" profile looks great. The bottom half of the enclosure pictures was printed using the lowest quality profile, because I wanted it fast, not pretty, but it still looks great. That was printed directly on the bed that came with the printer, no tape, no hairspray or glue or anything like that that I have read people do (have I mentioned that I don't want to tinker with this?).Of course, these profiles are in the "FlashPrint" slicer program, which is supplied by FlashForge. The "slicer" converts your STL file to gcode that the printer then reads to make your print. FlashPrint is very easy to use and seemd to do a fine job. In "expert" mode there are about a bazillion settings, most of which I have no idea about and just don't change. There are, however, many slicer programs available, most free.All that said, the printer is not completely perfect. One of the concerns I had about this printer before I ordered it is that it's an older model, with an 8 bit control board. The printer does lack WiFi connectivity and a 32bit control board. Turns out, I don't have a problem with this. My laptop makes all the gcode, which I just put onto an SD card. I insert the SD card into the machine and use the display and buttons to tell it to print my file. One very minor annoyance is that the machine will initially say "can't read SD card" or something like that, but each time it works fine on the second try. Also, this machine has a great support community on Facebook, very helpful people there. Also, I don't have other machines to compare to but it does make a bit of fan noise, and also when printing sounds a bit like R2D2. I can't hear it in the next room, so not a problem for me. The last inconvenience I noticed is that the print bed is not removable, so you have to remove your print from the bed while it's still in the machine. Except for the fan noise, these can all be fixed with addons and such, but again, this is not my hobby.Also, the printer will work with lower temp filaments like PLA and ABS and such, but the nozzles can't get hot enough to print Nylon and other more interesting materials. It can however, be upgraded with an "all metal hot end" so that it can do that. The heater in the extruder can get hot enough, but there are some plastic tubes in there that can not. For hotter filaments you need to replace these parts, and for abrasive filaments like carbon fiber and wood you need a hardened nozzle. These are available for this machine, and not very expensive, so I'll probably make that change. This is not my hobby, but I do want to make my enclosures from carbon fiber reinforced nylon.Finally, and perhaps most important for someone who is not interested in endless tinkering, is the excellent support from this seller. The machine arrived with a sticker affixed, that listed the name of the seller (Tang) and his email address and a note that says to contact him with any issues or questions. I had a small issue where a larger enclosure printed a bit lopsided. I emailed Tang and within an hour he replied with what he thought was the issue, and two videos demonstrating how to correct it. He then quickly replied to follow up questions. Overall he made it a super easy fix and I'm glad I don't have to return the machine.So I'm pretty happy with this printer. It's been easy and fun to use, and I can even deduct it from my taxes!