The highly mechanical world of 3D printers has traditionally not been hospitable to beginners. Most kits require dozens of complex parts to assemble, making initial setup time-consuming. And once a 3D printer is built, it requires the know-how to manually level the print bed, merge layers and manipulate computer programs to find the right balance of settings for each print. We’re here with our AnkerMake M5 review.
This is why the AnkerMake M5 3D Printer’s plug-and-play capability is so important. The system consists of two components, and the onboard software automates the most difficult parts of the process. In addition, AnkerMake’s computer and smartphone apps allow users to wirelessly send objects to the printer and start a job with just a few taps.
AnkerMake M5 review: Design
The highly mechanical world of 3D printers has traditionally not been hospitable to beginners. Most kits require dozens of complex parts to assemble, making initial setup time-consuming. And once a 3D printer is built, it requires the know-how to manually level the print bed, merge layers and manipulate computer programs to find the right balance of settings for each print.
This is why the AnkerMake M5 3D Printer’s plug-and-play capability is so important. The system consists of two components, and the onboard software automates the most difficult parts of the process. In addition, AnkerMake’s computer and smartphone apps allow users to wirelessly send objects to the printer and start a job with just a few taps.
AnkerMake M5 review: Features
While writing our AnkerMake M5 review, we found it is similar to the highly successful Snapmaker 2.0 on Kickstarter, the M5 consists of a modular frame and a closed print head that encases a direct extruder, eliminating the clunky look of desktop 3D printing. The M5 is designed to be plug-and-play. It appears to be plug-and-play, which is what this product is intended to be. Whether it is, of course, remains to be seen.
The AnkerMake’s build capacity is 235 x 235 x 250 mm, which is mid-range for a desktop 3D printer. Since many companies have determined that most people do not print anything larger than a fistful, the M5 should be able to comfortably handle most print sizes.
AnkerMake M5 review: Connection
The main menu is reduced to four buttons: Preheat, Control, Settings, and Print. The Preheat and Print buttons are obvious, but the Control button offers the option to manually adjust the axis in 0.1, 1, and 10 mm increments. The settings tab includes Wi-Fi connectivity information, a switch to switch temperature measurement units between Fahrenheit and Celsius, and a button to check for software upgrades.
During the past week we rarely touched the preheat button because the system automatically preheats itself when starting a new print job. The nozzle temperature was 436°C and the print bed temperature was 130°C, reaching the target temperature in an average of 2 minutes and 28 seconds. This is one-third of the median preheat time of comparable 3D printers of 7 minutes and 30 seconds.
Leveling
It is also a very modern machine for today’s tech-savvy consumer.The AnkerMake M5 has two CPUs, one for Marlin to handle printing and one for Linux to monitor results with cameras and control WiFi. A free app for smartphones is available to monitor and stop printing remotely. It has a flexible PEI-coated steel plate, auto-bed leveling, and direct drive for flexible TPU operation.
Performance
The AnkerMake M5 is not just a fast 3D printer, it is an easy printer and one of our best 3D printers right now. This machine was quick to assemble, no trouble leveling it, and we were able to start working on it right away without headaches. It also has premium features not found in most 3D printers, such as a camera and print failure detection.
Anker’s recent interest in commercially available, high-speed 3D printers has increased 3D printing, which has always been considered a time-consuming hobby. Those interested in speed would have had to either build their own Voron machine from raw components or hack a commercial machine with a Raspberry Pi, Klipper, and a lot of bad language.
The AnkerMake M5 is twice the price of the Ender 3 S1, but has the same overall quality and build quality. However, considering the 1080p camera, the current ridiculous price of the Raspberry Pi, the Spaghetti Detective subscription, and the time saved writing code to get Klipper running, this price seems quite reasonable. It’s also worth knowing that AnkerMake is still working on the M5 project and plans to announce a 6-color MMU that will run on this machine.
AnkerMake M5 review: Price
The quality of the prints on the AnkerMake was consistently good. When you pay $800 for a 3D printer, you should expect that, and the AnkerMake is not inferior to the best 3D printers in this price range. My daughter and we had a big desire for skulls – it was Halloween, after all – and Hex3D gave us plenty to choose from.
The deluxe skull you see here was printed without supports and with very few flaws. It looks beautiful in this tri-blend PLA from GVMTP, whose colors change as you move. Of course, you can still see layers, and there is some curl at the bottom of the skull where it could have used some support.
Final Words
Anker has launched its first 3D printer, the AnkerMake M5. The company claims that the device can reduce printing time by up to 70% compared to other 3D printers. The device’s base print speed is 250 mm/s, and an accelerated mode for less detailed printing can enable extrusion of up to 2,500 mm/s². AnkerMake claims the device is easy to set up in three steps, which is estimated to take 15 minutes.
The device features 7×7 automatic leveling, a soft magnetic PEI print bed, and an auto-resume function that makes the device easier to operate. Thanks to its design, the unit has a low center of gravity, resulting in more stable printing and faster extrusion speeds. A built-in HD camera shows you a live feed of your print output, and the unit can alert you to problems such as layer splitting, nozzle clogging or spaghetti chaos.
