Voxelab Aquila D1 3D Printer Automatic Levelling 3D Printer with Linear Guide, Dual Gear Direct Extruder, 300°C High Temperature Pressure Support Multiple Filaments, Print Size 235 x 235 x 250 mm

Product Information

The 32-bit controller board and silent stepper drivers are a nice addition to this machine, but the loud cooling fans and limited native software support keep this eagle from soaring, let alone competing with the best 3D printers. Having printedeverything from a scan of his own brain to a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, he continues to dive evermore deeply into the endless applications of additive technology. The aluminum extrusions were all wrapped in a protective plastic cover, and when I removed it, I was surprised to find out they were all covered in what appeared to be cutting fluid from the aluminum cutting process. VoxelMaker gives you a full report after slicing including print settings, material type, and estimated time. After the bed cooled, the door easily released from the bed and I was able to pop it off without using any tools.

This is not a big deal for users who are used to changing settings and making adjustments, but it’s a frustrating experience for beginners who want to select a profile without having to make lots of adjustments and perform a lot of troubleshooting. Regardless of the cause of the issue, it’s disappointing that there isn’t another built-in profile that a beginner could use for trouble-shooting if they had this issue, as it could be difficult to identify where the problem originated from. There are several assembled parts included with the kit, so you’ll only need to set aside a few hours to get it put together. The Voxelab Aquila has a generic single-geared extruder which does a decent job, and with a better hotend, it might perform even better.Cura doesn’t have a built-in profile for the Aquila X2, so if you want to use Cura, you’re on your own to make a profile from scratch. Some people hate bowden setups and choose to convert their printers to a direct-drive setup, mostly for better filament control and less retraction. Whether you’re a hobbyist, designer, or educator, this printer offers exceptional value, reliable performance, and impressive versatility. Plus, when the printing job is done, you can quickly and easily remove the printed model once it cools off. You’re not going to stand around for a long time and wait for the unit to reach the right temperature.

This printer intelligently resumes printing from where it left off, ensuring that your progress is not lost. The interface and controls for VoxelMaker are nearly identical to FlashPrint, which uses a ‘Basic’ and ‘Expert’ mode for selecting print settings. Each thumbscrew is located on a corner of the bed, and they all need to be adjusted manually while tramming the nozzle over the bed to correctly calibrate the printer.

This doesn’t affect the performance of the machine, but it did make me wonder about the general quality control of the Aquila X2. If you want to go a step further, you could also upgrade the fan to a 5015 version which allows more airflow and will improve your PLA prints. One of the coolest features about the Aquila printer is that you’ll get a nice, color TFT screen with the unit. Assembling the Aquila X2 doesn’t require any drilling, soldering, or electrical work, and the included printed User Manual covers each step in detail. With the BMG extruder, you will need to change the motor direction in your firmware or switch the motor wires (which does the same thing).

In my opinion, a BLTouch is not needed for small format printers like the Voxelab Aquila but it can be a helpful upgrade if your print surface is not perfect, and you don’t want to mess with MBL. This was one of the issues I had with the Flashforge Adventurer 4, which seems to make sense considering the slicer for the two printers is so similar and likely uses the same toolpath-generating algorithm. There’s also a handy Reddit post with information about the Voxelab Aquila which I recommend reading. I didn’t have any issues with bed adhesion, and was pleased with the overall level of articulation that the model achieved. As mentioned in the review, one of the first Voxelab Aquila upgrades I recommend is a better hotend.

If you don’t mind tinkering a little bit with technical devices, the Voxelab Aquila 3D printer is a solid investment. You’ll reach 60 degrees Celsius in just under three minutes, however, it takes right at nine minutes for the unit to get to the 100 degrees Celsius mark.

Voxelab also advertises compatibility with the popular slicer app Cura, but doesn’t include a profile with the printer. If you want a better extruder for your Voxelab Aquila, then you can give the BMG extruder clone a shot. It’s also nice that the unit is calibrated straight out of the box, so you don’t have to mess with a lot of additional setups.Voxelab advertises the Aquila X2 as being compatible with the Ultimaker slicer app Cura, so I created a profile based on the Creality Ender 3 to test it out. It’s also important to format the SD cards as recommended in the flashing guide, for a successful firmware upgrade. This printer is a staggeringly good value, professionally made quality product that has more functionality than the much vaunted Ender 3 v2. But, the plastic extruder does have a metallic insert, which protects it from any filament grinding into the body of the extruder itself. You could do the same thing using a few screw nuts and a bit of patience, but the silicone bed mounts are quite cheap and will allow you to have your bed fixed much faster.