This machine was reviewed as part of our 2017 Desktop Fabrication Shootout. See more machines in our 3D Printer Guide and non-3D printer reviews here.
Looking at the mUVe 3D DLP Pro+’s aluminum extrusion legs, projector, visible electronics, and partial coroplast case, it is easy to think that this might not be a high-quality machine. You would be wrong though. The Pro+’s exposed interior leaves the machine open to fix, expand, or change as desired. Beautifully shaped acrylic cases may look nice, but have fun replacing them when you inevitably break something.
It Just Works
The mUVe 3D performed well right out of the box, with the first print coming off without a hitch. Our test prints on the Pro+ were clean and crisp, and the high-resolution projector made the layer lines hard to spot. The lettering detail on top of our rook test looked like it had been chiseled in place with edges so sharp you could feel them. The Pro+ will also not restrict you to a proprietary resin, so you can use a wide range of colors and properties that will not break the bank.
A Standalone Machine
The Raspberry Pi-based nanoDLP software does all the heavy lifting. Once you plug the system into your network, you can control the printer via your web browser with nanoDLP’s built-in web server. There is no software to install on your local computer since the files are sliced onboard the machine in nanoDLP. This makes it easy to share the Pro+ in a collaborative environment like a lab or hackerspace. All the settings and software live on the machine, so there is no need to ensure every team member has the correct software.
A Few Quirks
One of my few complaints with the machine is how the resin vat and build plate are hard to remove. Both are screwed in place, which makes it difficult to switch between resins without cross contamination and removing finished parts from the top-heavy printer.
Remarkable Results
For the highest print quality and detail you can get on a desktop machine, resin printers are the way to go. I could not be happier with the performance of the mUVe 3D DLP Pro+. There is no doubt that this printer has moved to the top of my recommendation list for resin printers.
Details
Manufacturer: mUVe 3D
Price as Tested: $1,899
Build Volume: 175×98.5×250mm
Open Resin? Yes
Print Untethered? Yes (Raspberry Pi included for wireless printing via nanoDLP)
Onboard Controls? No
Host/Slicer Software: nanoDLP
OS: Any (web interface through nanoDLP/Pi)
Firmware: Marlin and nanoDLP
Open Software? Partially, Marlin is open source but nanoDLP is not
Open Hardware? Yes, CC-BY-NC 4.0
Pro Tips
Consider your size-to-quality scale when you order so you can have the team pre-configure your machine to your needs. You can adjust it yourself, but it is always better factory-ready.
Why to Buy
This printer gets beautiful results from resin that will not break the bank. If you care more about how a machine performs than how it looks, there are few options better than this one.
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