The hot end is one of the most basic but crucial components of a 3D printer.
It’s the part of the 3D printer that heats up to melt and extrude the filament. Hot ends consist of multiple parts, usually a heater element, a temperature sensor, nozzle, cooling block, and a heat block with openings to mount all of these elements.
The 3d Printer’s hot end is interchangeable, but you may have to do some digging to get the right one for your needs. The reasons for owners of 3D printers to change their hot end usually comes down to wanting to customize/modify it to be capable of printing at higher temperatures or for printing more exotic filaments. It can also turn your budget machine into a higher quality 3d printer capable of producing higher quality models.
It might take some time to do your research but I’ll help you out; here’s a list of the four best hot end manufacturers you can trust with your money.
Micro Swiss is an American company founded in 2014 which manufactures aftermarket parts for 3d printers, including hot ends.
The company prioritizes quality over quantity at their 12,000 square feet plant in Minnesota. That, coupled with its excellent customer service makes it one of the best, if not the best hot end manufacturers.
The all-metal hot end kits are unquestionably the most popular items in this company’s wide catalog. They are most known for their all-metal hotend kit they offer for the Creality Ender 3. Clients can choose from up to ten different all-metal hot end designs.
All-metal hot ends are much preferred because they can print exotic and high-temperature materials such as nylon and carbon fiber.
The next manufacturer to make this list is E3d. This is one of the most well-known names in the 3D printing business, with several groundbreaking prototypes to its name. It was founded in 2012 by two former teachers at Isle of Wight in England and continues to grow bigger by the day.
The company also sells a variety of aftermarket parts, the most notable is the E3D V6 hot end. This hot end revolutionized the industry and was initiated by Prusa 3d Printers as the standard for their printers. This is a testament to E3d’s high-quality standards.
Their newest product to hit the market is their Revo range. The Revo is a straight swap for their previous v6 range meaning you wont have to modify your 3D printers hot end mount to upgrade. Its main draw point is that you will now be able to change nozzles at room temperature without a new for any tools. You will also notice that it boasts a new heater core which provides even heating to the nozzle.
This is a Chinese company based in Shenzhen City, Guangdong region of China. The company deals in the design and manufacture of different aftermarket 3d printing hardware and aftermarket parts, including hot ends.
The company was started in 2015 and has enjoyed a lot of success in its seven years of existence. Because of their high-quality standards, their designs are quite popular with 3d printing hobbyist and industry professionals.
The main product from this company, however, is their Phaetus Dragon hot end Voron Edition. This hot end was created exclusively for Voron 3d Printers. The product boasts a well-designed compact structure that’s re-enforced and can withstand high-temperature and large flow making it perfect for the fast pace which Voron 3d printers extruder filament at.
Finally on this list is Slice Engineering. This is an American Florida-based company that deals in the design and manufacturing of 3d printing hardware and aftermarket parts.
The company was founded in February 2017 by Daniel Barousse and Chris Montgomery with an aim of providing solutions to problems in the 3d printing industry. The startup has since had a lot of success and continues to be one of the fastest-growing companies in the country.
The company has a diverse portfolio, which includes the well-known Mosquito hot end. The hot end can withstand temperatures of up to 500°C, making it suitable for all thermoplastics that can be printed. Its structural rigidity has also been enhanced, making it possible to change the nozzle with one hand.
These are the top four hot end manufacturers for 3d printers. They’re all big names in the industry and you cannot go wrong with any choice. However, you might need to understand what you really need before making your final decision on the type of hot end to buy, and from whom.
All of the manufacturers on this list provide a variety of hot ends, each of which is designed for a specific application; make sure to consult in case of any questions.
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