Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Original Prusa MK4

prusa3d.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

261–270 of 277 posts

Re: Original Prusa MK4

#261

Post by rekoil »

BoorishBears wrote: post #207
LeafItAlone wrote: post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Perhaps they set aside some percentage of XL preorders worth of MK4s that are ready to ship. As long as they overestimate that number vs reality, they can ship to the MK4 first order and XL conversions first, then start shipping to those that purchased with Lead Time stated. And if they over estimate the conversions, (almost) nobody with a Lead Time is going to complain about getting it early.

Based on their wording I had already assumed that wasn't the case, but here's some some confirmation: https://www.reddit.com/r/prusa3d/comments/1266bzi/mk4_delive... > So if you ordered the 4 know that those swapping their XL orders have bumped all those that ordered quickly. I was scheduled for delivery next week and now its June. Placate people you already disappointed for a year by disappointing a new cohort of us…

Hmm, I thought it was illegal in the EU to advertise a shipping date and then change it after the customer has already paid.

Re: Original Prusa MK4

#262

Post by jsjohnst »

bb88 wrote: post #216
jsjohnst wrote: post #192

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I own replacement parts for every expendable and/or non-warrantied part. I’ve test replaced a bunch to prove it works (engineer mindset, you don’t have a backup unless you know it works).

> (engineer mindset, you don’t have a backup unless you know it works) I appreciate this. I have seen though, particularly in the used car parts market, where parts are often unobtanium. Would the X1 Carbon be better with 4040 aluminum extrusion or their custom sheet metal bent parts? The Mk4 still has the large metal frame. I wish they would move that to 4040 or some other available, easy to source material.

> Would the X1 Carbon be better with 4040 aluminum extrusion or their custom sheet metal bent parts?

Maybe, maybe not, but is that something you ever have needed to replace? I've had 3D printers for around 10ish years now and even with multiple moves with careless movers I've never once had an issue where I needed to replace a frame component. Extruders, Gears, PTFE Tubes, Hotends, belts, wires, motherboards, PSUs, fans, etc yes, but frame? nope. I even had a Creality CR-6 SE which endured a rollover camper accident which was a total loss for RV and pull vehicle and the printer survived without a hitch and still prints great (happy to share a photo in private to illustrate how bad that accident really was, reach out if interested).

The only two parts listed above in the things I've replaced which I don't have spare parts for are the motherboard and the PSU with X1 Carbon. I'm confident that I could get a replacement PSU if they went out of business, but probably not on the motherboard currently. They have sold enough at this point though that I'm guessing someone would step up and create an alternative part.

Re: Original Prusa MK4

#263

Post by asveikau »

squarefoot wrote: post #235
golem14 wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Always been that way. Ask any Atari ST user about Amiga and vice versa.

Lamborghini v Ferrari, Beatles v Rolling Stones, Chanel v Dior, Dems v GOP, Apple v Samsung, C++ v Java, ... No matter the context, polarization will always happen, and is sometimes fueled on purpose to turn opinionated users into religiously hooked fans. ...and BTW, Amiga crushes the ST any day:^)

Bit of a tangent, but I like both Beatles and Rolling Stones a lot. I consider them pretty different and which one I prefer changes with my mood.

Re: Original Prusa MK4

#264

Post by gjsman-1000 »

2muchcoffeeman wrote: post #257
RobotToaster wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Several of those suggestions would violate the OSHW definition, a definition that was endorsed by Prusa himself: https://freedomdefined.org/OSHW

Thinking about it a bit more, I think Prusa is simply struggling to maintain a foot hold in the industry and remain open source. All the complaints are about the printers. But Prusa does more than just printers. Prusa forked Slic3r into PrusaSlicer and continuously deliver great improvements and still keep it open source. If you go to the PrusaSlicer page, their github link is right there. And they support Windows, L…

> It's hard to fight against the might of cheap Chinese manufacturing.

This has increasingly been a problem, repeatedly. Cheap overseas manufacturers see open-source projects as free money. They are basically legally immune for what they do, can easily outcompete the original designers and project, the plans are free and cheap to modify, what's not to love? And so it's happening to not just hardware but also software, with Android being borrowed into "HarmonyOS" and so on...

Re: Original Prusa MK4

#265

Post by Casteil »

donkeyd wrote: post #226
Casteil wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To add a few things: - Start your journey with PLA, and small prints. PLA is the easiest/least fussy material to print because it doesn't tend to string, or warp/shrink/lift off the bed like PETG/ABS. Nothing's worse than having a large print fail (usually boils down to slicer settings, hence the need to get familiar with your printer via smaller prints first). - PrusaSlicer is, IMO, one of the best slicer options ou…

Is Mainsail better than Octoprint? I haven't heard of it before.

IMO, yes. I used octoprint for 3+ years before switching to Mainsail a month or two ago. Seems more polished, and haven't had as many problems with updates/slow updates as I did with OctoPrint. Probably won't go back.

Re: Original Prusa MK4

#266

Post by gjsman-1000 »

Symbiote wrote: post #242
serf wrote: post #234

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're still supporting China with a Prusa purchase. The power supplies are built by Delta Electronics, the bearings and rods are (usually) Chinese supplied, the fans flip between China and misc SE Asia suppliers (Noctua) , the steppers are from China (LDO)... the list probably goes on. You could make an FDM printer with exclusively American (or otherwise) parts, but the price tag is going to be astronomical.

I generally don't look that far into a purchase, as it's often difficult to find the information. With Prusa, the majority of the profit is made in Czechia. The research, design, assembly and some of the manufacture is done there. I support China much less than with a purchase from a Chinese company. Note Delta Electronics is a Taiwanese company with manufacturing in several countries including China. Noctua is an Au…

> how do you know those are the steppers Prusa uses? It's not written on their site.

It's an open secret that all stepper motors in all premium 3D Printer kits are LDO. Prusa, Voron, RatRig, it's all LDO. LDO also does white-label branding, so the motors say "Prusa Research" on them even though they are otherwise indistinguishable. This is not the first time Prusa does white-label branding - the "SuperPINDA" is actually developed and sold to anyone who wants it by Pepperl+Fuchs (a German company).

Re: Original Prusa MK4

#267

Post by gjsman-1000 »

bb88 wrote: post #210
MPSimmons wrote: post #205

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm totally unfamiliar with the company that makes the Bambu, but do they have ties to the CCP or is there evidence that buying this printer would further the Chinese government's efforts?

Disclaimer: I have had my personal details stolen from by China before with the OPM hack (US security clearances). I'm pretty sure they stole my fingerprints. I guess that may make me biased... It's not that they have ties to the CCP. It's the fact the CCP can order Bambu to give up their data without a warrant showing criminal activity. https://thehill.com/opinion/cybersecurity/532583-for-chinese... By bambu labs ow…

Little known, but according to Harvard Business Review, all Chinese companies with over 50 employees must have a dedicated CCP representative within the company. Every company with over 100 employees must have a party cell, and the leader of that cell must report to the local municipality regularly.

https://hbr.org/2014/03/why-china-cant-innovate

Bambu Lab... how big they are isn't clear. Their LinkedIn claims they are between 201 and 500 employees. If HBR is correct, they very likely have CCP cells within their organization.

Re: Original Prusa MK4

#268

Post by yencabulator »

2muchcoffeeman wrote: post #131
f38zf5vdt wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a proprietary versus open source argument. You can build a mk4 clone for much less than the price of a Prusa-branded one, as everything is open source. The higher price tag is like a donation to open source. Prusa also makes the open source XL if you want an CoreXY model, or you could go with a Voron which is also open source.

I don’t know why this is being down voted. Prusa are trying to make an open source hardware company work and I guess this is what it looks like. There is so much noise on HN about repairability. Well here is some open hardware And it’s ”the Chinese printers have so much more features!”

> Prusa are trying to make an open source hardware company work and I guess this is what it looks like.

https://blog.prusa3d.com/the-state-of-open-source-in-3d-prin... sure sounds like they no longer intend to be an "open source hardware company".

For example:

> Parts that can be considered consumables (e.g., thermistors, heater blocks, fans, printing plates, etc.) can be manufactured and sold commercially after the verification by the licensor based on the presentation of samples.

That is very much against the concept of open source.

Re: Original Prusa MK4

#269

Post by eropple »

sydd wrote: post #251
eropple wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> - IMO multi material printing has always been a buggy gimmick (mostly multi material setups are very prone to failure). Agreed, with the asterisk that this applies more to multi-feeders (Prusa's MMU, Bambu's AMS) rather than IDEX. Which is where Prusa's going with the XL, and I'm excited about it. > - Them advertising that the printer can print "advanced" materials like PC is a gimmick too, the main issue with FDM…

> PC printing is really handy for intrinsically bespoke things like tools in the wood shop. Can you name some examples? As a hobbyist woodworker I've used my 3D printer to print router templates where PLA was fine enough for the task. > Aside from cost of development and manufacture, I don't understand developing new bedslingers Another reason is that bedslingers are good enough for most users. If you dont try to pri…

> Can you name some examples? As a hobbyist woodworker I've used my 3D printer to print router templates where PLA was fine enough for the task.

I'm currently using PC to build friction-fit dust collection gear. PLA and PETG are great in a lot of cases but if you want to use bayonets to ensure a solid connective fit (whether they're themselves plastic or something like socket-cap screws), PLA and PETG both wear much too quickly.

Re: Original Prusa MK4

#270

Post by LeafItAlone »

BoorishBears wrote: post #207
LeafItAlone wrote: post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Perhaps they set aside some percentage of XL preorders worth of MK4s that are ready to ship. As long as they overestimate that number vs reality, they can ship to the MK4 first order and XL conversions first, then start shipping to those that purchased with Lead Time stated. And if they over estimate the conversions, (almost) nobody with a Lead Time is going to complain about getting it early.

Based on their wording I had already assumed that wasn't the case, but here's some some confirmation: https://www.reddit.com/r/prusa3d/comments/1266bzi/mk4_delive... > So if you ordered the 4 know that those swapping their XL orders have bumped all those that ordered quickly. I was scheduled for delivery next week and now its June. Placate people you already disappointed for a year by disappointing a new cohort of us…

https://twitter.com/josefprusa/status/1641433855461818368

Doesn’t seem to really be caused by switchover orders, but bad systems in place. And this product does seem to be pretty popular already.

Post reply on HN