Wanhao Duplicator 4S 3D Printer Review

Updated Jun 15, 2020 6993

Hey everyone! Top 3D Shop is here, and in the following review, we will talk about the Wanhao Duplicator 4S 3D device printing with two materials.

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Wanhao Duplicator 4S

Specifications

Build Chamber: 225 х 150 х 145 mm
Technology: FDM
Layer Thickness: from 100 µm
Materials: ABS, PVA
Nozzle Diameter: 0.4 mm
Extruder type: Dual
Laser Power/Type: 220 W
Printing Speed: 40 mm/h
Dimensions: 466 х 320 х 382 mm
Weight: 25 kg
Software: Replicator G
File Formats: .stl, .Gcode
Application: Architecture, Design, Education
Display: Built-In LCD Screen (Optional), 5-Way OSD Joystick
Connectivity: USB, SD
OS: Windows, Linux, MacOS
Price: $587.00

Description

Wanhao Duplicator 4S is a dual-extruder enclosed printer with a metal chassis and composite inserts. After unpacking, the user needs to install the side panels and the front door made of transparent acrylic. On top, the 3D printer is covered with a box of the same material — it is pre-assembled from separate panels.

Package

The package of the Duplicator 4S also includes: two spools of filament, spare cover for the plate, replaceable glass, fastening clips, toolset, USB cable, SD card.

Features

The kinematics of Duplicator 4S is borrowed from MakerBot printers: the head moves along the X/Y-axes, the bed along the Z-axis.

Thanks to the dual extruder, an owner of Wanhao Duplicator 4S can produce two-color objects and models with soluble supports.

The control unit is located on the front panel of the printer: in the center is a monochrome four-line display, on the right are five buttons for navigating through the menu and activation.

Filament spools are placed on the rear panel of the construction, on removable holders. The filament is fed into the extruder through the guiding elements.

Among the small yet useful amenities is the lighting of the printer’s build chamber.

Bed calibration is performed manually, in a way standard for this type of printer — using a sheet of paper. The bed height is changed by rotating the four screws located under the platform.

You can send a finished file for printing via a wired connection — the USB port is located on the back of the printer. A more reliable way is to employ an SD card to transfer the Gcode.

The impressive weight coupled with the construction rigidity eliminates vibrations that occur during the operation of the printer mechanism. This, in turn, improves print quality and stability.

Consumables

The manufacturer recommends using ABS and PLA for printing — the parameters for working with these types of plastic are stored in the printer’s memory — but the heated bed along with the enclosed chamber can provide optimal conditions for printing with other consumables the settings for which the user will have to select themselves.

Software

To convert the original digital STL model into a Gcode for the printer processor, you can use either the standard software (Wanhao offers to use the ReplicatorG slicer for this purpose) or any other program available to the user.

Use cases

@-shaped keychain by 3decision

Source: instagram.com

In the example above, an amateur nicknamed 3decision on Instagram printed a keychain, and it turned out quite interesting. The keychain even reflects the light falling on it. This indicates the good print quality Wanhao Duplicator 4S is capable of.

Quadcopter by mr.adolfsson

Source: instagram.com

And here is another example of a great print and a good idea. mr.adolfsson decided to make his own quadcopter. The parts were printed with different plastics; then the whole model was assembled and integrated with electronics.

Terminator's head by mr.adolfsson

Source: instagram.com

A layout of T-800's head by the user mr.adolfsson. Here is an unprocessed model printed with S4.

A set of wrenches

A set of plastic wrenches. What is interesting about this is that all the wrenches were printed during a single printing process — not one at a time. Still, they are fully functional, as far as the strength of plastic itself allows it.

Pros and cons

Pros

Enclosed chamber;
Can print with the most common types of materials: ABS, PLA, HIPS;
The build chamber has decent lighting;
Relatively inexpensive.

Cons

High-quality printing is near to impossible without precise manual calibration;
Chinese software that might bewilder you during installation;
After being printed, models may require additional processing.

Comparison with MakerBot Replicator 2

Wanhao Duplicator S4 can be compared with the MakerBot Replicator 2 3D printer, from which kinematics was borrowed. MakerBot has a slightly larger construction volume compared to its rival — 285 x 153 x 155 mm versus 225 x 150 x 145 mm. S4 features two extruders, while MakerBot Replicator only has one.

Conclusion

Wanhao Duplicator 4S can be applied in a variety of fields — there are no restrictions. This 3D printer will be suitable for designers, students, small businesses. Its capabilities are enough for all sorts of hobbies where printing with two materials may come in handy.