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Creality CR-6 SE is a personal Cartesian type FFF/FDM desktop 3D printer. Although sold as a DIY kit, the machine is quite easy to assemble and takes only five minutes to set up.
The machine’s Aluminum frame is very stable and offers a great level of rigidity, resulting in improved accuracy. Its dual Z-lead screws and timing belts assist users by enabling smooth movement via the printer’s print head.
The printing operation of Creality CR-6 SE is almost noiseless, which is rarely possible in an open-design machine. A significantly noteworthy component of the printer is a Trinamic controller that makes the motion of the nozzle smooth. The device also features an automatic bed leveling assisting users to maintain the much-needed height between the print bed and nozzle system.
A redesigned extruder hosts a 0.4 mm nozzle providing the best balance between speed and detail. Keeping the print file safety in mind, the printer manufacturer has included a photoelectric filament runout sensor and a print resume function. The print quality of parts is also impressive.
All of these benefits available for an affordable price seem like a dream come true. However, before you plan to buy the printer, go through the detailed review of Creality CR-6 SE to understand if the printer works as per your needs.
Features
CR-6 SE comes with a build volume of 235 mm * 235 mm * 235 mm, dual Z-axis stepper motors, a 32-bit motherboard with TMC 2209 stepper motor drivers, a textured glass bed, X and Y-axis belt tensioners, and a sophisticated automatic bed leveling system that works very well.
Additionally, a new-style hot end and extruder take care of heating the filament material in a very short time. Thereby decreasing the overall print time. Below mentioned are more such amazing features offered by Creality CR-6 SE.
4.3 inches Long HD LCD Color Touch Screen
To give you an overall user-friendly experience CR-6 SE has equipped the printer with a very responsive, color-rich LCD touch screen. This simplified and straightforward interface gives people a seamless experience; it’s a leap from the rotary knobs that a lot of people are used to making adjustments with manually.
Sleek Design
CR-6 SE has a stylish appearance sprinkled with some very useful features. Its embedded base finds you a little compartment for storing nozzles, needles, pliers, and other such tools. Moreover, the handle on the gantry lets you carry the printer around safely without any risk of offsetting belts or tensioners.
The design has a new extruder locking design which will not only make it easier to feed the filament through for a smooth extrusion but also should lead to faster, quieter, and smoother prints overall.
Easy Setup
The printer comes assembled and should be ready out of the box within minutes. All users need to do is connect the gantry to the base with four screws which shouldn’t take much time. After that, you are ready to print with the machines.
Innovative Bed-Leveling
Most Creality 3D printers demand manually leveling via a sheet of paper. But that’s not the case with CR-6 SE. The force-based sensor on the printer promises hassle-free automatic bed leveling. This is done by featuring a truly leveled print surface that not only greatly improves bed adhesion, but also the overall print quality without much hassle.
It touches the surface of the bed and then based on the resistance that is sensed, it smartly adjusts itself to be in a perfect position for 3D printing parts. All users need to do is just give a single click to the touch screen interface to start the auto-leveling process.
Tempered Glass Plate
With Creality-6 SE users get a fixed bed that they won’t need to fiddle around with. The bed is bolted onto the carriage allowing for no flex or movement whatsoever.
A cable strain relief is also included with the stock bed, making the printer more reliable and able to withstand a lot of printing without worrying about the wires getting bent by the regular movement of the bed.
Heating this bed to 60 degrees Celsius takes 2 minutes and 30 seconds. The glass print bed seems to improve overall material adhesion thereby reducing the need for adhesives, providing a smooth surface, and letting you remove prints easily once cool.
Rigid Build
Hosting a dual lead screw, CR-6 SE in combination with an aluminum frame helps reduce vibrations and solves the recurring issue with most FDM 3D printers i.e. inconsistency on the surface of prints.
Moreover, this rigid build-up lessens the Z-axis wobbling thereby giving a smoother finish of prints. Also, the connector belt on the top of the Z-axis ensures synchronized movement which results in better quality even at the top of the build volume.
Seamless Wiring System
The most encountered problems with open-frame FDM 3D printers are bed wires being knocked into or obstructed by some of the other moving parts. But Creality has tackled this issue with its new design seamless wiring system.
Users no longer need to worry about the wire fraying or knocking. Additionally, the wires that turn on and off the extruder are also present on the side of the printer and therefore are out of the way of the moving parts. Moreover, there is an all-new-silicon hotbed cable protector installed with it to ensure safety.
Efficient Hardware Components
CR-6 SE’s hardware components are made by the most reliable printer part manufacturers. It features a modular nozzle with which users can exchange the heat block, heat sink, PTFE tube, or the nozzle tip with included spares.
Also, the redesigned extruder allows for easy feeding of the filament. CR-6 SE has a photoelectric filament sensor detecting almost any possible filament runout. Guaranteeing precise and quiet printing are the printer’s TMC2209 motor drivers. Moreover, Meanwell’s high-quality power supply is shipped with CR-6 SE ensuring complete assurance with the electronics.
8-bit Trinamic Drivers
The majority of the credit for the ultra-silent printing of CR-6 SE is due to its ability to minimize current fluctuation i.e. the main role of Trinamic drivers. The exhibitory waves are a lot smoother and cleaner. So, users will only hear the fans working.
Also, the other benefit of Trinamic drivers is better voltage control, faster movements, and speedier printing, all in quiet mode. Moreover, to safeguard the noise issue, Creality has put in place a silent chipset to CR-6 SE.
Specifications
Creality CR-6 SE is based on FDM 3D printing technology and offers a build volume of 235 mm * 235 mm * 250 mm. It features a Bowden-type feeding system with a print head consisting of a single nozzle of 0.4 mm size. The heated bed and hot end of the printer can withstand a maximum temperature of 260 and 110 degrees Celsius respectively.
The machine comes partially assembled and has a Cartesian XZ-head. Its print bed is made up of Glass material, while its frame is manufactured from Aluminum. To make the process of 3D printing hassle-free the manufacturer has equipped it with an automatic bed leveler.
Users can connect with it using an SD card as well as a USB. CR-6 SE allows printing with PLA, ABS, PETG, flexible as well as 3rd party filaments with 1.75 mm diameter.
Price
Creality CR-6 SE is available for $399.
First Impression
The CR-6 SE 3D printer comes along with all the necessary equipment and tools to offer users a seamless experience while setting the machine. The package includes:
- A nozzle wrench.
- Two spare nozzles with PTFE retainers.
- Wrench for tightening the wheels.
- 250 gram white PLA spool.
- Card reader.
- 8GB SD card.
- Needle for cleaning the nozzle.
- Tool for removing the prints.
- Filament pliers and
- Hex wrenches.
Setup
The complete assembly process of Creality CR-6 SE is very easy even for the beginner as it comes mostly pre-assembled and users only need to attach the gantry to the base with the help of four screws.
Then, the final step is to install the touch screen and connect the wires, that’s it! The already machined slots on the printer’s base help users with the installation, guaranteeing that the gantry is assembled right and is cubical.
Print Type/Cost
FDM 3D printing process starts with fitting the filament you desire to print within the printer’s pool holder. Thereby the plastic filament is squeezed through a hot end, is melted after taking it a little bit over its glass transition temperature.
Till then, the print head and nozzle system attain the exact position where the melted filament needs to be deposited on the print bed. One after the other, the layers are deposited until the final geometry is achieved, after which the part is allowed to cool down.
The cost of manufacturing a part via FDM 3D printing technology is generally lower than other 3D printing technologies. However, it depends on many factors such as the part’s geometry, the filament utilized, support structures, etc.
Print Quality
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Test prints of CR-6 SE such as printing the Benchy turn out to be fine for an unturned profile, right out of the box. Also, the printer does an amazing job while printing the standard pirate with his rat model. It has some of the most perfect layer lines with no stringing and good performance with small features.
Also, the figurine of Superman is outstanding. Even the Darth pumpkin’s quality is excellent and even the large overhangs under the head are great. The printer continues to excel in its performance with a 0.2 mm layer height while printing the Evil grinning pumpkin.
Software
Creality CR-6 SE is compatible with a wide range of open-source software applications such as Cura, Simplify 3D, Repetier-Host as well as Creality Slicer. These applications can be operated easily via any of the two operating systems Windows and macOS and are compatible with STL, OBJ, and AMF file formats.
Customer Support
Creality has employed one of the best technical support teams in the world. There are FAQs as well as documentation available online. Users can contact them via call as well as email.
Parameters Influencing Buying Decision
Let’s have a look at the important parameters that may influence the user’s buying decision.
3D Printer Cost: Available at a price under $400, CR-6 SE houses some of the most advanced features thereby making it affordable.
3D Print Speed: The printer allows a standard print speed range of 80 to 100 millimeters per second.
3D Print Quality: Above average.
3D Printer Capability: CR-6 SE is an easy-to-use 3D printer that is designed to keep customer convenience in the center. It has many flexible options such as a touch screen interface, multiple modes to connect, automatic bed leveling, etc to ease user interaction and allow hassle-free printing.
3D Printer Practicality: When printing, CR-6 SE is noise-free. Its bed heats up quickly. Also, the filament sensor and power run-out detection make the overall work much easier.
3D Printer User Expectations: The printer primarily caters to beginners and hobbyists just like most of the 3D printers by Creality do. Having stated so, it has some wonderful features that are available only in intermediate or professional level 3D printers.
The Verdict
Creality CR-6 SE can be your ideal first 3D printer purchase. It delivers amazing print performance at a very affordable price. Features such as auto bed leveling, solid build-up, touch screen interface, ensure the user is a little less occupied.
Overall, it’s an easy to assemble desktop 3D printer that is based on the simplest 3D printing technology, yet able to print fine quality 3D prints.
