Wanhao D12/230 and D12/300: New 3D Printers Review

Updated Nov 30, 2020 6626

Hi everyone! In this review, we will talk about the new Wanhao D12/230 and D12/300 — the affordable FDM 3D printers that replace popular models of the Duplicator i3 series (Di3+, Di3+ Mark II, and Di3v2.1). Read the article to learn more about these devices and their features.

About Wanhao

Source: whmould.com

Unlike the majority of other China-based 3D printing manufacturers, Wanhao works on their devices a lot and offers them at affordable prices.

Founded in 2011, Wanhao took less than a decade to take a place among leading 3D printing manufacturers in China.

Source: wanhao3dprinter.com

This company with annual revenue exceeding $25 million produces 3D printers that utilize different technologies and offers supplies and accessories.

Wanhao Duplicator D12/230 and D12/300 3D Printers

Wanhao managed to keep all of the pros of the previous models in the Duplicator D12 series:

a rigid metal frame;
a metal heated print bed with flexible magnetic plate;
large build volume;
a filament runout sensor.

The most noticeable change is that the devices of the D12 series now support dual-material printing. This feature can be used for producing complex parts with soluble supports, as well as for dual-color printing.

Build

Source: Youtube.com

Fulfilling the wishes of their customers, Wanhao added several significant improvements to the printers of the D12 series:

they installed a dual-extrusion (with an ability to work with two filaments) print head and improved cooling system;

improved a filament feeding mechanism to increase torque;

installed a new 5-inch touchscreen to control the device and printing process

added Wi-Fi connectivity;

added the ability to precisely adjust belt tensioning over the X and Y axes.

Other changes include an improved Z-axis mechanism, an added printhead data cable protection, a new filament sensor design and an increased size of print bed leveling knobs. The improvements made the printer quieter and more reliable.

Technical Specifications

	D12/230	D12/300
Size	330 x 520 x 500 mm	400 x 580 x 710 mm
Weight	8.56 kg	13.2 kg
Software	Cura; Simplify 3D; Repetier-Host
Supported File Formats	obj; stl
Automatic Bed Leveling	No
Number of extruders	2
Supported materials	FLEX (TPE); PETG; PLA
Build Volume	230 x 230 x 250 mm	300 x 300 x 400 mm
Max. print bed temperature	100 ℃
Max. hot end temperature	260 ℃
Technology	FDM/FFF
Min. layer height	100 microns
Filament diameter	1.75 mm
Nozzle diameter	0.4 mm
Connectivity	Micro SD; Wi-Fi	SD; Wi-Fi
Printing speed	up to 150 mm/s
Price	On request	On request

What’s in the Box?

Source: Youtube.com

The package includes:

The Wanhao Duplicator D12/230 or D12/300 3D printer;
A toolset;
An SD card;
A user manual.

Pros and Cons

Pros

dual extrusion;
large build volume;
improved mechanics;
convenient adjustment;
a big touchscreen;
a heated print bed;
new electronics.

Cons:

open-frame design;
relatively low hot end temperature.

Comparisons

Wanhao D12/300 and Anycubic MEGA X

	D12/300	Anycubic MEGA X
Build volume	300 x 300 x 400 mm	300 x 300 x 305 mm
Number of extruders	2	1
Max. print bed temperature	100 ℃	90 ℃
Max. hot end temperature	260 ℃	250 ℃
Min. layer height	100 microns	50 microns
Printing speed	up to 150 mm/s	up to 100 mm/s
Connectivity	SD; Wi-Fi	SD, USB
Price	On request	$399.00

Despite being slightly more affordable, the D12/300 offers a larger build volume, higher print bed and hot end temperature, faster printing speed as well as Wi-Fi connectivity. But the main advantage of the D12/300 is dual-material printing support.

Anycubic MEGA X boasts a layer height half as large as in (that of) the D12/300: thinner and less visible layers are the main advantages of this 3D printer.

Choosing between these two printers will depend on whether a customer prioritizes layer height or functionality.

Wanhao D12/230 and Anycubic MEGA S

	D12/230	Anycubic MEGA S
Build volume	230 x 230 x 250 mm	210 x 210 x 205 mm
Number of extruders	2	1
Max. print bed temperature	100 ℃	110 ℃
Max. hot end temperature	260 ℃	260 ℃
Min. layer height	100 microns	50 microns
Printing speed	up to 150 mm/s	up to 100 mm/s
Connectivity	Micro SD; Wi-Fi	SD, USB
Price	On request	$239.00

The D12/230 is slightly more expensive than the Anycubic MEGA S and offers a lower maximum print bed temperature, faster printing speed and Wi-Fi connectivity. The main advantage the D12/230 has over the MEGA S (as well as MEGA X) is dual-material printing support.

The Anycubic MEGA S boasts a layer height half as large as in (that of) the D12/300.

Similar to the previous case, this choice will depend on customer preferences: whether thinner layers are more important than a larger build volume, speed and dual-material printing support.

Software

Wanhao Cura

Wanhao Cura is the version of Ultimaker’s free and open-source slicing solution named Cura. The fork by Wanhao is optimized for working with the brand’s 3D printers.

Repetier Host

Repetier-Host is a free-to-use printing software developed by Hot-World GmbH & Co. KG. It includes printing control tools (including the remote control ones) and presets for a wide list of 3D printers, as well as the ability to automatically place several parts on a platform. It’s compatible with the following slicers: Slic3r, Slic3r Prusa Edition, CuraEngine and Skeinforge. Repetier-Host is considered one of the most developed printing software, but it has a steep learning curve. It’s available for Windows, macOS and Linux (including Raspberry Pi distributives).

Simplify3D

Source: printer3d.one

Simplify3D is a popular professional slicer for 3D printing that can convert 3D models into optimized instructions for the printer. The program can be used with the majority of 3D printers available on the market today. It has some unique features: for example, setting individual printing parameters for various elements of a model, adjusting thickness and other properties of the support structures, a preview mode, special multi-color printing modes, etc.

Applications

Conclusion

Source: Youtube.com

Wanhao Duplicator D12/230 and D12/300 are worthy replacements for the Duplicator i3 series models (Di3+, Di3+ Mark II and Di3v2.1). Price changes weren’t significant, while the devices now offer a wider range of abilities, thanks to dual-material printing support. More convenient and reliable than previous models, the Wanhao Duplicator D12 machines will become useful tools for professionals and beginners alike. The users will be able to utilize the devices for various purposes: from education to prototyping and producing hobby-related models. Wanhao kept their tradition intact and listened to their consumers, thus fixing the shortcomings of their older models.