Rostock MAX v2 vs Orion accuracy

[Tinker12]

Hi, I am new to 3d printing and am trying to decide between Rostock Max v2 and Orion.
I know the quoted print accuracy is the same for both printers but wondered in reality if
one was more accurate than the other, does anyone have experience with this?
thanks

[Eaglezsoar]

Hi, I am new to 3d printing and am trying to decide between Rostock Max v2 and Orion.
I know the quoted print accuracy is the same for both printers but wondered in reality if
one was more accurate than the other, does anyone have experience with this?
thanks

The accuracy, in theory, should be the same. In actual practice I believe them to be the same.
The Max has the much large print area but the Orion is already assembled. I have both and the smaller print area
of the Orion can interfere with some of the stuff I want to print so I go to my Max to print it. If you have kit building
ability the Rostock Max V2 represents the best value and functionality.

[Polygonhell]

Hi, I am new to 3d printing and am trying to decide between Rostock Max v2 and Orion.
I know the quoted print accuracy is the same for both printers but wondered in reality if
one was more accurate than the other, does anyone have experience with this?
thanks

FWIW IME when it comes to print quality the single most important axis isn't X or Y, most of the obvious poor quality prints can be attributed to X and Y coupling to the Z axis. On most cartesian printers this is a function of the fact Z screws are not straight and the XEnds couple errors in the Z screw to the other axis.
It's not a trivial problem to diagnose and fix, I spent months and hundred of dollars in parts to resolve this coupling on my Mendel Max.
One of the things that impressed me most when I first used a delta printer is that layer alignment is spectacularly good, I think this is attributable to two things, the very fact that Z is belt driven and the symmetry of the design.

Quoted accuracy is usually a garbage metric for 3D printers, it's based on calculating the movement per uStep and uSteps aren't steps, you're also squirting molten plastic out of a 0.5mm hole, it shrinks after you do that quoting numbers like 0.05mm positional accuracy, while correct isn't really representative of the output quality. Almost any printer can print 50 or even 20 micron layers (though you'd probably need a smaller nozzle), and will run into issues with consistent extrusion before stepper accuracy becomes the dominant factor.

[JohnStack]

Agree. Totally.

One thing I would say is that once you're printing out something of size and are well calibrated, it's entirely up to the printer to drive the rest of the print settings. Everyone's trying for out of the box settings; however, different objects require different settings. I like to print slow. I also, when I have the time, love to print with smaller heads.

[Generic Default]

Yup.

I think that the orion should theoretically have better accuracy because of the shorter arms, but it depends on where the platform is over the print bed. The mechanical resolution of delta printers is excellent when you consider how fast they move and accelerate. Plan on part tolerances of 0.01 inches with a 0.5 or 0.4 nozzle. With a 0.25mm nozzle I get tolerances of < 0.004 inches. You need slower speeds and lower layers heights for good tolerances. If precision is what you're after, get a CNC lathe or mill.


On a side note, all types of 3d printers make terribly out of round parts, especially if they have a diameter of less than 1/2 inch or so. Don't plan on concentric parts turning smoothly if they're printed.