Manufacturer: Elegoo
Price: $413
Link: us.elegoo.com/products/centauri-carbon
The first 3D printer I ever operated used stereolithography (SLA) to slowly form solid layers from goop, and was similar in cost (and size!) to a sports car. The first 3D printer I ever owned, I assembled myself from a pile of extruded aluminum, stepper motors, and hope, gaining invaluable experience about fused filament fabrication (FFF) printing during the process of getting it to work (at all!), and upgrading and tuning it over subsequent years. Then Creality brought cost-effective, somewhat reliable printers to the masses, and became my main daily printers.
Despite my youthful visage, I’m old enough to have been through the similar evolution of computer-driven paper printers as well. High-end color laser printers were the SLA of their time, while cheap black and white dot-matrix printers, often tractor-fed if you didn’t want your paper sliding all over, were the at-home reality. I recall vividly the breakthrough accessibility of HP’s inkjet printers transforming my (dorky, computer-centric) life as a child when suddenly my creativity was no longer limited by my access to tools. That’s how I felt from the moment I started using the Elegoo Centauri Carbon.
Like that HP inkjet, the Centauri Carbon doesn’t pioneer groundbreaking technology but rather packages recent innovations in a very easy-to-use device. For starters, it eschews the outdated bed-slinging motion in favor of CoreXY, with self-tensioning belts and print speeds up to 500mm/s. A magnetic build plate underlies its 256mm×256mm×256mm build volume, which is fully enclosed and features closed-loop part-cooling and chamber fans to suit a wide range of materials, including ABS and PETG. A 320°C hot end with hardened steel nozzle stands up to exotic filaments, like the nominal carbon fiber.
Quality-of-life touches include a built-in camera and case lighting, while automatic nozzle cleaning and bed leveling with Z-axis compensation optimize results. Automated filament loading with built-in purging and cutter, as well as run-out detection and power-loss recovery, make everyday usage a breeze. The integrated touchscreen and “Elegoo OS” make on-device printing via thumb drives simple, and the included Orca-based slicer is familiar and intuitive, making network printing and monitoring a joy.
Just like that trusty inkjet, setup was simple; Elegoo include clear instructions and lots of warning stickers to make sure you don’t miss any screws that need removing before printing. The initial self-check and input-shaping tuning process took a while, but after that I had a sharp-looking Benchy within 15 minutes, using the gorgeous Galaxy Purple filament that Elegoo sent me. After running through a few of my favorite standard prints, I was simply astonished at how reliable and consistent this machine was, especially enjoying the ease of filament changes. It has since become my everyday workhorse, sitting right next to my computer on my desk, indulging my every printing whim with aplomb.
Based on its performance, the Elegoo Centauri Carbon is a solid buy at its $413 retail price, and I’ve seen it discounted as low as $279, which is insane value. The ideal first 3D printer/daily workhorse has never been closer within reach!
This article appeared in Make: Volume 96.
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