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Creality launched the anticipated Creality Hi Combo 3D printer today.
The Combo refers to the pairing of a 3D printer and a Creality Filament System, which provides automated filament switching during print jobs.
Let’s look at each of these two components, first the 3D printer.
Creality Hi 3D Printer
The Creality Hi is a bedslinger-style device that has just about as many features as I’ve seen in such a device, including:
- Incredibly easy setup: only seven screws and some wiring are required
- Color touchscreen
- Completely automated levelling and calibration, including X-axis leveling
- Toolhead sensor for real-time pressure advance fine tuning
- All-metal frame with linear rails and rods for smooth motion
- Vibration compensation firmware
- 500mm/s print speed with closed-loop motors
- An amazing 40 cubic mm/s maximum flow rate
- Maximum hot end temperature of 300C
- Dynamically balanced cooling fans
I’m sure you’ll agree this is a pretty impressive set of features for a low-cost desktop 3D printer. It wasn’t that long ago that many of these features would have been available only on much more expensive professional devices.
Creality Filament System
The “CFS” is an accessory for the Creality Hi 3D printer, and provides automated filament switching. It can contain up to four spools, which are automatically recognized by an RFID chip embedded on the Creality material spools. In other words, the operator does not have to tell the system what material is loaded — it just knows automatically.
As the print job proceeds, the CFS automatically pulls filament back from the printer and inserts an alternate filament, making it possible to print multicolor objects.
There’s another possibility beyond colors: support material. Creality can supply either soluble support filament or breakaway filament, which can both be used in the CFS. Soluble support material allows for very complex 3D prints to be easily produced and post-processing: just dissolve the supports away.
If four colors are not enough for your job, there is a solution. Creality allows for up to four CFS units to be attached to the Creality Hi 3D printer. This is accomplished with a special four-way attachment and allows for up to 16 different colors.
There’s yet another CFS feature that should be mentioned: filament run out. Should a spool run empty during a print job, the CFS will automatically switch to an identical spool, assuming one is loaded. This means that jobs should never wait overnight for the operator to swap spools.
Finally, the CFS is designed to be airtight and provide real-time temperature and humidity monitoring. This should ensure the filament in the CFS is at peak performance.
Creality Hi Pricing
At launch, the Creality Hi 3D printer alone is priced at a modest US$369, with the combo priced at US$519. That’s a good price compared to the competition (Bambu Lab A1 Combo at US$529).
The Creality Hi Combo looks to be an excellent option for low-cost multicolor desktop 3D printing. The new device is available at the following Creality outlets:
