After building the SeeMeCNC’s Rostock Max V2 kit, I found that I have an odd fascination with Delta-style printers. From the variability of speed to their odd geometry, deltas seem to carry an aura of mystery in the 3D printing world. With the flashing lights on the accelerometer and its compactness, the SeeMeCNC Eris embodies this very same aura in a very unique and exciting way.
SeeMeCNC regards the Eris as a RTP (Ready-to-Print) printer, which means that you should be able to print straight out of the box. The RTP model is extremely impressive, because within 30 minutes of unboxing, the first layers of a calibration cube were being laid down. Another big benefit to SeeMeCNC’s RTP model is that the printers are pre-assembled, which means that 3D printing novices and educators alike no longer have to worry about two-weeks of building their machine before printing their first object. To go along with the RTP model, SeeMeCNC provides additional resources such as custom g-code provided on their website. The g-code makes loading and unloading filament a breeze. Calibration is easy thanks to the auto-leveling accelerometer. The HE280 hotend taps rhythmically onto the bed of the printer at various points to calibrate the machine, and then you’re ready to print.
Because of the easy setup, I had high expectations for Eris’ printing performance. Unfortunately, there were a few items that could use some improvement. There’s no SD card support, so you’ll need a dedicated machine for this printer, such as a Raspberry Pi. Print quality with the Eris out of the box was average, but seemed like it could be improved with a little work on the slicing settings.
A huge benefit of delta-style printers is that the moving parts are lightweight, enabling fast and easy travel of the effector, which typically results in quicker printing times and more refined prints. Oddly enough, one of my biggest vexations with the Eris was its speed. I was surprised to find that the Eris’ default settings were so slow at low resolutions — this led me to wonder whether there were quality issues at higher speeds, or whether the SeeMeCNC team wanted to ensure that prints came out successfully for first-time users. In any case, more advanced users will find it simple to tinker with the speed and retraction settings of the printer.
With a ton of unique features like a metal hotend, accelerometer probe, easy-to-use carry handle, and plug-and-play simplicity for a heated bed upgrade, the relatively cheap price point of $549 puts the Eris within wallet’s reach for any family, educator, or hobbyist. SeeMeCNC has already made great strides in 3D printing with last year’s award-winning Rostock Max V2. Though not without its faults, its abundant, neat features make the Eris is a great new addition to the SeeMeCNC family.
