Generally speaking, Delta 3D printers are quite different from the regular run of the mill Cartesian and other 3D printer types such as the Creality Ender 3 or Prusa i3 MK3S+.
In fact, most Delta model 3D printers are typically inspired by various open-source Kossel and Rostock models. While the average Delta printer can be a tad difficult to operate, delta printers have many advantages that more than make up for the difficulty of use.
A Delta 3D printer’s key benefit is it’s possible to build really tall objects easily.
Also, print speed on a Delta printer is generally faster than most other types of 3D printers, especially other FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling – the most popular kind) printers due largely to the linear guide rails and pulley based design.
The downsides of a Delta printer is that they tend to be quite tall so they take up a large vertical footprint, though they’re also usually light owing to only having 3 rails VS 4 in a cartesian printer.
Delta printers can also be a bit less accurate outside of the center of the print area because the print head is operated by three pulleys, rather than an XYZ set of guide rails. Their linear guide rail and pulley design is also not great for large, flat areas.
In short, a Delta 3D printer is a great addition to your collection, especially if you plan to do a lot of tall prints (such as figures).
Now that we know what a Delta 3D printer is all about let’s go through some of the best delta 3D printers to help you make an informed decision on purchasing the Delta that best fits your needs:
Best Delta 3D Printer: Top 5 Picks
IMAGE | PRODUCT | DETAILS | |
---|---|---|---|
Excellent ValueExcellent Value FLSUN QQ-S Delta 3D Printer |
| VIEW ON AMAZON → | |
Lightning fast Lightning fast Monoprice Mini Delta 3D Printer |
| VIEW ON AMAZON → | |
Ultra compact Ultra compact FLSUN Mini Delta 3D Printer |
| VIEW ON AMAZON → | |
large and intuitive large and intuitive Monoprice Delta Pro 3D Printer |
| CHECK BEST PRICE → |
1. FLSUN QQ-S Delta 3D Printer
The Flsun QQ-S has been produced by the good people at Flsun. This Delta printer is part of the QQ series that includes both the QQ-S as well as the pro version of the same 3D printer. It’s an upgraded version of its older predecessor – the QQ. The Chinese company Flsun has come a long way since its inception and the Flsun QQ-S printer is a shot over the bow of their competitors.
Let us see what makes this printer better than many others in the market.
Features
According to the manufacturer, the Flsun QQ-S has been equipped with its own Titan extruder (a feature that was lacking in its older counterparts), a 32-bit motherboard as well as a lattice printing bed.
This latter feature makes it stand apart from its predecessor – the Flsun QQ since the older printer operates on a less powerful 8-Bit Arduino Mega 2560. The QQ-S Delta 3D on the other hand has been equipped with its own state of the art 32-Bit motherboard that has been well paired with a separate MOS module. One that allows for considerably stable prints even at very high printing speeds. All in all, this is a 3D printer Flsun that gets the job done both rapidly and effectively, to say the least. This makes it one of the best Delta printers around.
Technical Specs of this 3D Printer
- Manufacturer: Flsun
- Frame: Delta
- Technology: FDM/FFF
- Model: QQ-S
- Printer size: 290 x 350 x 800mm
- Year: 2018
- Connectivity: USB, SD
- Boxed size: 450 x 770 x 200mm
- Category: Desktop
- Kit Packaged weight: 14kg
- Printer weight: 12kg
- Power input: 110 – 220v
Printable Materials
- Printable materials: PLA ABS, flexible, wood, HIPS, PVA
- 3rd Party material compatibility: Yes
- Printing Format: G-Code, OBJ, STL
- Material size: 1.75mm
Printing Properties
- Removable bed: No
- Heated bed temperature: 0-100 °C
- Nozzle temperature: 0-270 °C
- Leveling method: One-click Auto Leveling
- Layer thickness: 0.05-0.4mm
- Nozzle size: 0.4mm
- Flexible bed: No
- Print pause/resume: Yes
- Drive mechanism: Bowden
- Enclosure: No
- Dual/multi-extrusion: No
- Printing size: 260 x 260 x 320 mm
- Power out recovery: Yes
- Stepper Motors: Nema17
- Printing speed: 30 – 300 mm/s
- Z Positioning Precision: 0.004mm
- Nozzle diameter: 0.4mm
- XY Positioning Precision: 0.012mm
2. Monoprice Mini Delta 3D Printer
With the Mini Delta printer, the Monoprice Company has laid claim to building one of the single lowest priced top of the line professional quality 3D printers currently available anywhere in the world.
Features
Some of its important features include the following:
- This is a very fast Delta 3D printer. In fact, so fast that it can easily outstrip many of its bigger counterparts, in the speed department. Thanks to its x 150 mm per second output.
- This printer comes fully assembled right out of the box. As a matter of fact, many 3D printers makers insist on plug and play capabilities, but that does not mean that such capabilities are actually present in their Delta 3D printers. However, in the case of the Mini Delta printer, it really does hold true and you just have to plug it into the nearest electric main to get up and working. This makes it an excellent printer for most newbies and students new to the 3D printing game.
- It is a highly portable Delta 3D that comes with a full metal case that protects its sensitive components even if it dropped. Apart from that, it is also equipped with a carry handle to make it easy to carry the Delta 3D around.
- However, a portable printer is not worth much if you will be forced to move it around since it will lose its level. Keeping this in mind, the engineers at Monoprice HQ have thoughtfully added an auto leveling feature to ensure that you won’t have to re-level the bed all over again, every time your move this printer from point A to point B.
- The easy to use auto leveling as well as calibration feature will level the build plate out within seconds only. This is considered by many industry pundits to be a very useful feature for both beginners and seasoned 3D printer users alike, as the whole thing is taken care of, by flicking a few switches and knobs.
- It achieves reasonably good quality via its 50 microns layer resolution.
However, here it is pertinent to note that the ‘mini’ in its name denotes the fact that it is basically a small-sized select mini Delta 3D printer. If you want to print something large, this is not the right option for you.
Tech Specs
- Mechanical arrangement: Delta style
- Technology: FFF
- Year: 2018
- Manufacturer: Monoprice
- Assembly: fully assembled
3d Printing Properties
- Average operating noise: -49 dBA
- Build volume: 110 x 110 x 120 mm
- Feeder system: Bowden
- Print chamber: Open, not enclosed
- Maximum heated bed temperature: 60 °C
- Layer height: 50 – 200 microns
- Extruder Type: Single
- Bed level: Automatic
- Connectivity: USB, SD Card, Nozzle size: 0.4 mm
- Maximum extruder temperature: 260 °C
- Frame: Aluminum
- Build-in camera for monitoring: No
3d Printing Materials
- Third-party filament: Yes
- Filament diameter: 1.75 mm
- Filament materials: PLA ABS, Wood Fill, Copper Fill, Bronze Fill, Steel Fill
Software
- OS: Windows (XP and later on both 32 and 64-bit) Mac OS X (10.6+ as well as 64-bit), Linux
- File types: STL, DAE, OBJ, AMF
- Recommended Slicer: Cura
Dimensions and Weight
- Frame dimensions: 348 x 264 x 430 mm
- Weight: 13.9 kg
- Assembled dimensions: 360 x 440 x 480 mm
3. FLSUN Mini Delta 3D Printer
The FLSUN Mini Delta 3D Printer is one of the quietest Delta 3D printers around. In fact, it is so quiet; you won’t even know it is working. This makes this mini Delta an ideal printer for any workshop where you both create and do creative thinking as well. In fact, it is right up there with the Flsun Q5, in the best 3D printer category.
Features
- It has been equipped with a Heated Plate of 260 x 260 x 370mm
- It has an auto calibration feature
- It is compatible with a whole lot of different materials
- Sturdy metal frame
- Comes p re-Assembled
- Excellent Touch controls
- Comes with free filament
Tech Specs
- Brand Name: FLSUN
- Item Weight: 26.5 pounds
- Material: Aluminum
- Heat Plate Size: 260 x 260 x 370mm
- Auto Leveling Feature: Yes
- Pre-Assembled: Yes
- Materials: ABS, PLA, Wood, PV
- Filament size: 1.75 standard
- Touch Screen: Yes
- Remote Control: Yes
- Connectively: Wi-Fi
This printer has many of the same qualities as its elder QQ-S bother, but on a smaller platform that can fit even small spaces.
4. Monoprice Delta Pro 3D Printer
This printer is the result of a close collaborative effort between the Monoprice Company and the Taiwanese 3D printer making company Atom.
The Monoprice Delta Pro may be defined as more of a cutting edge professionally built 3D printing machine that comes with a total build volume of 270 x 300 mm
Features
- Like most other top-line Delta 3D printers, this printer to has been well paired with an automatic bed leveling function
- It has a very large and intuitive touchscreen interface
- This printer boasts of a whisper-quiet set of drivers that deliver near-silent operation
- The glass print bed of this printer can be heated up to a whopping 100°C, thus allowing a lot of flexibility in terms of filament usage
- Triple Fan
- PID Tuning
- Comes Pre-assembled
- All in all excellent value for the money
- Good customer support
Tech Specs
- Manufacturer: Monoprice
- Vertical Print Speed: Up to 150mm/sec Model: Delta Pro
- Maximum Build Area: ø270 x 300 mm
- Software: Cura, Simplify 3D and KISSlicer
- Layer Thickness: 50-300 microns
- Filament Diameter: 1.75mm
- Materials: PLA, ABS, PETG, Nylon
- Overall Dimensions: 20.7″ x 20.7″ x 37.0″ (525 x 525 x 940 mm)
- Weight: 26.5 lbs. (12.0 kg)
- Build Platform: Heated glass
- Automatic Bed Leveling: Supported
- Input Power: 110~220 VAC, 50/60 Hz
This is an expensive delta 3D printer kit when compared to its other counterparts on this list.
5. SeeMeCNC Rostock Max
The Rostock MAX is a fully assembled Delta 3D printer that has a really powerful A/C heat bed as well as a full metal enclosure.
The highly improved heat bed not only improves performance but also adhesion too. It reaches 100 degrees C in about 8 minutes or so. Its 32 bit Duet controller helps provide very smooth, precise, and also quiet motion control. Its SE300 hotend is ever ready for any and all filaments that require temperatures up to 280C.
Key Features
- Touchscreen Controller with an integrated SD Card Reader
- 32 bit Wi-Fi Duet Control Board
- Auto bed level courtesy of the SE300 probe
- Very quiet motion control
- Very fine 0.9-degree axis stepper motors
- Full browser Control from PC, MAC smartphone, or tablet
- Heat Bed with its own borosilicate glass build plate
- Standard 0.5mm diameter nozzle
Tech Specs
- 280mm Dia x 385mm H Print Area
- Maximum Recommended Layer Height: 5mm nozzle of .4mm
- Power Requirements: 110VAC @ 500 watts
- Layer Height: 0.5mm nozzle of 0.08mm
- Step Resolution: 0.01mm
- Maximum Hotend Temp: 280C
- Max Printing Speed: 2mm Layer Height 100mm/s
- Maximum Travel Speed: 350mm/s
- Max Heat Bed Temp: 110C
- Printer overall size with spool fitted on top: 430mmW x 410mmL x 1130mmH
- Typical bed probe auto-calibrate deviation: 0.08mm to 0.13mm
- Printer overall size without integral spool: 430mmW x 410mmL x 910mmH
- Large print size
- Made from emerging technologies
- Strong power supply
At around $1400 this printer is a bit on the heavy price side.
Check price on AmazonMore Delta Printer info:
Build your own Delta 3D Printer
If the above designs are too expensive, there is no need to fret since the open-source design of many Delta 3D printer kits ( such as the mini 3D) means that they can be built from the ground up. If you are interested in delta diy, you can order a diy kit from Amazon and create all kinds of 3D models with your desktop 3D printer.
The Delta 3D Printer Kossel
The Kossel Delta i3 3D printer kit is a very old and well-known design. This means that there is plenty of support available online, even if it is your very first 3D printer build.
This Kossel Delta 3D printer kit (along with the he3d k200) is still one of the 3D printing community’s favorite printers thanks to its easy to use interface as well as simplicity of assembly. Best of all, this 3D printer Delta is tall enough for many large builds and doesn’t have a large price tag.
Delta BOT DIY 3D Printer
This is a very efficient and reliable all metal 3D Printer kit with top notch parts. It offers universally good quality prints it can churn out 3D objects at up to 140 mm/s print speed. It can compete with the along with the he3d k200 for best 3D printers Delta in the low price range.
You can build with this 3D printer kit own heat bed as well as a hybrid Bowden suspended extruder. What is more, it does not require a lot of tools to assemble the Delta Bot. Once it starts printing it can continue for up to 24 hours without getting hot.
Delta Printers vs Cartesian Printers
In the FDM 3D printing word, there are two main kinds of printing systems: Cartesian and Delta. The key difference between both is the method ofk8 movement. It is thanks to this crucial difference that you will achieve different results.
The Delta 3D printing system basically consists of three mechanical arms that move on rails. These move vertically to move the print head while the print bed remains immobile. Many of them have a dual extruder setup. It creates great 3D printed objects. They are better than resin 3D printers in many respects.
Cartesian printers as the very name implies are based on the Cartesian system of coordinate and use three individual and separate axis: X, Y, and Z. These axis combined determine the position of the printer’s head at any given point in time.
Pros and Cons of Delta 3D Printers
Pros
- Delta printers can print tall objects
- Lightweight and portable
- Instant change of direction possible
- Easy to maintain and upgrade
- Very high speed printing and accuracy
- Large printing capability plus
Cons
- Since it is tall it is difficult to find enough space for the delta 3D printer
- Very difficult to pinpoint errors
- Not easy to print large horizontal objects
Are Delta 3D Printers Better than cartesian printers??
In some ways yes, due to their design, these printers can almost always print much taller objects than their Cartesian counterpart printers. They are also more accurate too.
Are Delta 3D Printers Faster?
Yes definitely. In fact, high speed printing is the main reason behind their very existence! And many of them can be checked for multi material capacities too.
Conclusion
All of the above 3D printers fit the bill as far as the best Delta 3D printer is concerned. Ultimately, it is up to you what you want and prefer and what will best fit your needs the most. You can check many of them for other capabilities as well.