Anet Brand Review
This time, we will tell you about Anet, one of the leading Chinese manufacturers of popular inexpensive 3D printers used by both beginners and advanced makers — by sophisticated users and those who are only getting familiar with 3D printing. Find out the history of the company and its products in the given article.
About Anet
Source: anet3d.com
Company history
Founded in 2015 in China, Shenzhen Anet Technology is a high-tech enterprise that designs, manufactures and markets 3D printers and accessories. Anet primarily produces desktop printers using FDM and DLP technologies, which are employed for domestic and training purposes. The production volume is 300–500 thousand units per year. Anet products are represented in more than 80 countries, there being customer service centers in addition to stores themselves.
Source: linkedin.com
The main principles of the company are commitment to customer focus, unity and cooperation as well as mutually beneficial strategy.
Achievements of Anet 3D printers
Source: anet3d.com
At the annual MEI 2017 Awards in Guangzhou (Manufacturing Excellence & Innovation), Shenzhen Anet Technology's nominee for Easy DIY 3D Printer Kit (E10 and E12 printers) was recognized as a leader in the 3D printer industry.
Source: anet3d.com
The MEI Summit, hosted by Made-in-China.com, aims to support innovations in local production and take the Chinese quality standards to a new level. Anet products were selected and nominated for a prize out of 4,309 applications.
The company also takes part in international exhibitions of high technologies. In 2019, the Chinese manufacturer introduced its Anet N4 DLP printer and Anet A10 delta printer at the 31st exhibition of information and communication technologies "Svyaz" in Moscow.
Source: anet3d.com
Products
FDM printers
Source: anet3d.com
As we mentioned above, the main focus of Anet production is printers based on FDM technology. Such devices print with melted plastic, which forms layers superimposed on one another.
Anet A3S 3D printer
Source: anet3d.com
Compact, robust and ready for assembly, the Anet A3S 3D printer fits easily on the table and has a minimalistic, thoughtful design.
The manufacturer took care of its customers: the package includes a card reader coupled with an SD card containing the necessary software and files with examples of 3D models ready for printing.
Anet A3S print samples. Source: 3dengr.com
SPECIFICATIONS
- Technology: FDM
- Build volume: 150x150x150 mm
- Max speed: 100 mm/s
- Platform temperature: 50–100 °C
- Z axis print accuracy: 0.004 mm
- Price: on request
Anet A8 3D printer
Source: anet3d.com
Low cost, modifiability, and multi-material compatibility made Anet A8 the most popular 3D printer of 2018.
This is a model requiring subsequent assembly. The main design features are metal pulleys, which provide improved accuracy and reliability; fast material feeding mechanisms; linear guides, gears, bearings and connectors made of stainless steel.
Source: anet3d.com
The printer is compatible with Windows XP/7/8/10, Mac and Linux, there is also the possibility of offline printing from an SD card.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Technology: FDM
- Working space: 220x220x240 mm
- Layer thickness: 0.1–0.3 mm
- Max speed: 100 mm/s
- Materials: ABS, PLA, Woodfill, Nylon PVA, PP, etc.
- Price: $179.00
Many Anet A8 owners recommend installing a MOS transistor (metal oxide semiconductor) on the motherboard. In addition to improving fire safety, the transistor makes it possible to install a second power supply unit (PSU), which significantly reduces the time required to heat the bed.
Anet A6 3D printer
Source: anet3d.com
This model is similar in characteristics to the Anet A8 printer. The latter has a bigger design, but their print area is approximately the same. The A6 also features a horizontal extruder position and a more vibration-resistant frame, which contributes to more stable printing. To learn more about the differences between these models, watch the video:
SPECIFICATIONS
- Technology: FDM
- Working space: 220x220x240 mm
- Layer thickness: from 100 μm
- Max speed: 40–120 mm/s
- Materials: ABS, PLA
- Price: $274.99
Anet E10/ E12/ E16 3D printers
Source: anet3d.com
|
Specifications |
|||
|
Print speed |
40–120 mm/s |
40–120 mm/s |
40–120 mm/s |
|
Working chamber |
220х270х300 mm |
300х300х400 mm |
300х300х400 mm |
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Capacity |
250W |
300W |
300W |
|
Price |
$348.00 |
$498.79 |
$349.00 |
E12 has a more functional extruder mechanism that easily changes material and feeding direction, efficiently working with soft materials as well. E16 is characterized by improved kinematics and the presence of a Bowden extruder, which improves print quality due to less weight and reduced inertia. All three printers are shipped unassembled. The approximate assembly time according to the manual is about 10 minutes.
Resin printers: SLA, DPL, LCD
Source: anet3d.com
The SLA and DPL technologies are based on laser and ultraviolet light using laser and projector respectively, which causes liquid polymer to create internal bonds and become solid, forming a layer-by-layer model.
Another type of photopolymer printing is the use of LCD technology, with the light from the array of diodes passing through the LCD panel, which forms the projection of a layer.
The accuracy of printing with photopolymer devices is higher than that of FDM printers, the volume of construction and the size of resulting parts are usually less, which accounts for the technology being more expensive.
Anet N7 DLP 3D printer
Source: anet3d.com
SPECIFICATIONS
- Technology: DLP
- Layer thickness: from 10 μm
- Print accuracy: 75 μm
- Max speed: 5–8 sec/layer
- Offline print: Available
- Price: on request
Anet N4 LCD 3D printer
Source: anet3d.com
Affordable and functional printer, in comparison to counterparts with similar characteristics. It can also be used in fields such as dentistry or jewelry production.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Technology: LCD
- Layer thickness: from 50 μm
- Light source: UV LED 250W
- Max speed: 5–10 sec/layer
- Print area: 120х60х138 mm
- Price: $369.99
Cases
Blythe dolls parts
Tomas Aceytuno, an owner of the Anet A8 printer, is directly involved in his wife’s new hobby — customization of Blythe dolls and making clothes for them. She needs small parts that Tomas prints with his 3D printer.
Source: anet3d.com
To create 3D models, he used the Cura program. Some patterns with ornaments required more detailing, so Tomas imported .stl files into 3Dcoat for being able to split a model into fragments for 3D printing.
Source: anet3d.com
With the help of A8, Tomas printed a number of spare accessories such as a hinge enabling to rotate the doll’s head, doll stands, mannequins for clothes, hangers, shoe soles, clothing buttons, earrings, and so on.
Source: anet3d.com
Miniature house printed with Anet N4
Source: youtube.com
The Australian decorator Luke Towan has printed a miniature version of his house by means of the Anet N4 3D printer. To do this, Luke made accurate measurements of the objects using a tape measure. The scale of the 3D model of the house is 1:87.
Source: anet3d.com
He divided some parts of the house into smaller ones so that they fit into the print area.
Source: anet3d.com
Watch the video to learn more details on the process:
Laser upgrade
As already mentioned, the popular Anet A8 can be modified. Tomas Aceytuno, for example, installed a laser module on the printer. To do this, he needed a support and one cable, with which he connected the module to the motherboard.
Source: anet3d.com
A 500mw laser is enough to cut and engrave wood, vinyl, textiles, and paper, adjusting speed and power.
Source: anet3d.com
Software for Anet printers
One of the most common slicers is Ultimaker Cura. The program is popular among beginners, chiefly due to the possibility of training. The Internet is abundant in various guides to work with the program. Cura is constantly updated and is absolutely free.
Source: all3dp.com
As concerns 3D modeling, Autodesk’s Tinkercad site is recommended for novices. There, users learn to combine basic shapes in a 3D model. The lessons provide information on the basics of CAD and the tools necessary to create and download an STL file. Tinkercad is also free.
Source: all3dp.com
The second CAD program available for free download is SketchUp. It is especially popular among architects and designers working with wood; it allows you to create individual components and combine them into a 3D model. There are many tutorials on working with this program.
Source: all3dp.com
Fusion 360 will appeal to both amateurs and professionals. This program is also immensely popular, so you can find a lot of training information on working with it on the Web. The version for amateurs is completely free.
Source: all3dp.com
Conclusion
Anet is a modern manufacturer of affordable 3D printers, which are well suited for training, home and garage workshops, small business. They have, to be sure, some common drawbacks inherent in all low-cost devices, but they also have significant advantages over minor printers from unknown manufacturers: the availability of service and parts, warranty, a large community of enthusiastic users who are always ready to help with advice on sites and forums.
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