Dremel always impresses us with their well-constructed, dependable 3D printers. Shining brightest in professional and educational settings, Dremel printers are usually a cut above the rest in both form and function. Today we look at their Digilab 3D40 Flex, the “lite” version of there 3D45. Keep reading to decide if the Digilab 3D40 Flex is the right printer for you.
Dremel Digilab 3D40 Flex Review Basics
Per usual from Dremel, the Digilab 3D40 Flex features a fully enclosed build space. Even the filament spool is inside the enclosure! Enclosed build spaces are safer than open-framed printers and offer better print environment control, including temperature control.
The Digilab 3D40 Flex’s print volume measures 10” x 6” x 6.7”, which is slightly larger than the average 3D printer and certainly bigger than most enclosed 3D printers. The flexible steel print bed gives the 3D40 Flex its name and aims to make removing finished models much easier. The build plate is removable and simply flexing the metal makes large models pop right off with little or no scraping. Unfortunately, the build plate is not heated, limiting this printer to PLA filament only. Print your models in resolutions up to 50 microns
Interfacing with the Digilab 3D40 Flex is made very easy with a variety of connectivity options and a large, responsive color touchscreen. Featuring USB, WiFi, and Ethernet connectivity options, this 3D printer is also compatible with Windows, Mac, and Chromebook operating systems. You may even connect to this printer using iOS, making this one of the most openly compatible printers on the market.
Dremel Digilab 3D40 Flex Review Pros
Quality Construction, Lasting Durability
Some printers are made with tinkerers in mind, like the ever-popular CR-10. The CR-10 is meant to be tweaked to perfection as you discover each tiny inefficiency. At Dremel, ain’t nobody got time for that. The Digilab 3D40 Flex comes calibrated and ready to run with no rattling parts, loose cables, or missing parts. Quality control is paramount to this company, and should anything be wrong with your printer, Dremel’s customer service is quick to fix the problem.
This obsession with quality ultimately leads to robust machine that will last many years into the future with little downtime and no extensive tinkering required. If you want a 3D printer that just works, the Digilab 3D40 Flex won’t disappoint.
User-friendly Features Galore
Like we said earlier, the Digilab 3D40 Flex basically runs itself thanks to the huge list of convenience features. There’s a 9-point auto-leveling system, real-time temperature monitoring inside the enclosure for more efficient cooling, and even a filament sensor which pauses your print if you run out of filament, allowing you to finish the print later. We can’t forget about our favorite feature, either: the removable, flexible build plate has amazing adhesion and takes away the stress of removing your finished pieces.
We also love the overall compatibility of this printer. Able to connect with all popular operating systems, including iOS for mobile, you really can control the 3D40 Flex from anywhere. This printer uses the Dremel Print Cloud for slicing and starting jobs wirelessly, or Dremel’s included version of Cura for off-line printing. Both deliver the settings and options you expect from a comprehensive slicing program.
Dremel Digilab 3D40 Flex Review Cons
Interior Filament Spool
This strange feature of the Digilab 3D40 Flex apparently serves no function except to frustrate users. Not only is it inside the enclosure, meaning you have less space to load and feed the filament, but the spool is designed to fit Dremel’s branded filament. Importantly, this machine can use 3rd party filaments, but will likely require separate setup with an exterior spool holder. It’s disappointing to see this sort of cash grab considering our next Con, however it is not an insurmountable issue.
Pricey
Plainly put, there are bigger printers with more filament compatibility that cost much less. The QIDI X series immediately comes to mind. They have many of the same convenience features and enclosed build spaces but are hundreds of dollars cheaper. We appreciate Dremel’s commitment to developing their own quality products and providing thorough quality control. Still, it’s worth noting that cheaper printers beat this machine in flat specs.
Dremel Digilab 3D40 Flex Review Verdict
This is a terrific 3D printer for the educational segment, where they use PLA almost exclusively and durability is key. We also recommend this machine for those who want a 3D printer to just work out of the box. The 3D40 Flex produces consistent, high-quality results day after day without constantly needing tweaks or troubleshooting. This is a low-maintenance 3D printing dream that does everything it says it does on the box. For some people, this peace of mind is worth every penny of what Dremel is asking for the 3D40 Flex.
That said, the Digilab 3D45 is a better option for advanced users who want more filament freedom. If you owe no loyalty to Dremel, we also recommend looking at the QIDI X-Max or QIDI X-Plus for a cheaper alternative.
