FLSun T1 Pro: Overview
Firstly, let’s take a look at the overall specifications of the FLSun T1 Pro.
The sleek looking machine (pictured below) offers a 260*330 mm build volume inside its enclosed chamber. According to FLSun, the interior of the chamber can reach up to 50C, thanks to the passive heating from the heat bed.
The enclosed chamber and nozzle (capable of melting plastic up to 300C) is capable of printing a variety of materials including PLA, ABS, PA, TPU, and more. For our review, we have tried PLA, and ABS+ (more on that later).
Running on Klipper, the machine can be controlled remotely from your computer over WiFi, as well as via the touchscreen interface on the printer itself.
The printer comes in a semi-assembled state, and requires maybe an hour of work to get it all put together and up-and-running. Once the machine is assembled, it measures XXXXX, and weighs some YYY kg.
The T1 Pro comes with the following features:
- Ultra-fast print speed: The T1 Pro operates at up to 1000mm/s with 30000 mm/s² acceleration. It prints models in half the time compared to competitors. A Benchy can be printed in about 10 minutes.
- Low-noise printing environment: The T1 Pro employs a CAPA silent turbine fan, self-developed core motherboard, and optimized firmware, reducing noise from 78dB to 55dB during high-speed printing, compared to the previous T1 model.
- Improved print quality: The T1 Pro addresses previous issues like salmon skin and poor adhesion by introducing new core algorithms, such as vibration compensation and enhanced automatic leveling systems.
- Fully automatic leveling: The T1 Pro measures multiple predefined points on the print bed using weight sensors to collect height data, eliminating manual leveling and making the process easier for users.
- Input shaping algorithm: This feature minimizes vibration effects, resulting in smooth and flawless model surfaces, particularly useful when printing complex or intricate designs.
- Dual-gear short-distance extruder: The extruder’s coaxial gears offer better precision and extrusion force, leading to more consistent material flow and improved overall print performance.
- Filament detection upgrade: The enhanced filament detection system reduces print failures due to material depletion. An optimized algorithm filters unstable signals from high-frequency filament oscillations during ultra-fast printing, ensuring accurate filament-out alerts.
Additionally, the FLSun T1 Pro comes with the latest release of their slicing software, FLSun Slicer 2.0. The new slicer features one-click slicing for excellent print quality and a redesigned user interface that simplifies human-computer interaction, reducing the learning curve. The optimized slicing path improves printing speed, while the cross-hatch filling path adjustment enhances model quality. The “Z-Lift Threshold” feature effectively controls stringing in specific filaments, and the added maximum volume limitation feature is tailored to the T1 Pro model.
The FLsun firmware OS has also undergone a comprehensive upgrade, improving responsiveness and smoothness. Wi-Fi transmission rates have been enhanced for more stable connections, and storage for time-lapse photography is optimized for efficiency. The user interface has also been refined for a more intuitive experience.
Unpacking and Assembly
The FLSun T1 Pro comes in a single box, with the main components already assembled.
These include the base (with heater and bed) and the top lid (with end stops and other electronic parts. Also included are three structural pillars (each with a stepper motor and delta arm) and the enclosure panels (2 acrylic side panels and a glass door). The extruder and hot end is also in the box, as well as a touchscreen, a few basic tools, and some bags of screws.
You can see these items in the image below.
Setting up is relatively easy, although fitting the extruder to the arms is a little bit fiddly.
Overall it took me around an hour to assemble the whole unit, which when assembled, looks like this:
Printing with the FLSun T1 Pro
A small quantity of PLA filament was included in the box, and on the 3D printer’s memory (3Gb), there can be found a variety of STL files so you can get printing immediately.
According to FLSun, these models have a high first print success rate of 99%, but this claim does seem to apply mainly to models printed in PLA (more on this topic later).
Models can be loaded onto the printer via the included USB stick, or can be beamed to the machine via WiFi using the FLSun Slicer 2.
Before my first print, I followed the instructions and performed the automatic vibration compensation and bed leveling processes. This was simple and automatic, and took around 5 minutes. After they were complete, I was ready to print.
I opted for the Benchy, and sure enough, the first layer stuck to the print bed no problem. Naturally, the first layer is not printed at full speed, but once the printer moved up to the next layer, I was blown away by the speed of this thing.
It was so fast, I literally laughed out loud to myself. I went to the kitchen to pop the kettle on and when I got back a couple of minutes later, the model was already taking shape and was almost 25% complete.
I decided to cancel the Benchy print at this point and try something else. Everyone knows what a Benchy looks like, and they’re kinda boring at this point.
I had a print job waiting for a client, so I decided to try that. This particular object has a 3D lattice (designed in Sulis) inside so I wanted to see how this printed. The item needs to be lightweight and have a good surface finish, so it seemed like an ideal job for the printer. I sliced my file into a cross section, so I could view the lattice inside, and began the print.
The result is below, and I was happy with the speed of the print, the surface finish, and the quality of the lattice inside.
OK, so it prints fast with PLA, and it seems to have no issues with bed adhesion.
What about with ABS+? The FLSun T1 Pro has an enclosed chamber so might as well try some trickier materials, right? Right.
For the ABS+, I used the “cat” STL that was pre-loaded on the machine. On my first attempt with the ABS+, there was no bed adhesion at all. Ditto the second attempt.
I increased the temperature of both the nozzle and the bed to 255C and 80C respectively, and did an auto bed level again. The first few layers started printing fine, so I left my house briefly to visit the local grocery store to buy lunch.
To my surprise, when I returned there was already a plate of spaghetti waiting for me (and not the good kind)! The first few layers had printed, and then the model had shifted on the bed, resulting in the nozzle extruding molten filament into thin air.
After a couple more attempts, I gave up and went to purchase some glue stick. After applying a bit of glue to the print bed and trying again, the model was printed on the first attempt.
You can see the timelapse of the print in the video below.
I personally would recommend the use of a glue stick or other bed adhesive for most 3D printers anyway, regardless of how the bed is coated. In this case, the bed seems to be a PEI coated steel plate, which is attached magnetically to the heat bed.
The idea that there is a universal print bed surface that works for all filaments, seems to me to be something of a fantasy. Even on a $200,000 industrial printer, they change the print bed sheet according to whatever filament is being used. So, for PLA, we can say that this print bed is absolutely fine – but for ABS+ at least, you will definitely need some glue.
As for other filament materials, this is still to be determined on my part.
Summary
The FLSun T1 Pro is an ideal choice for users seeking fast, efficient, and reliable 3D printing. With ultra-high speeds of up to 1000mm/s, it reduces printing time by half while maintaining excellent quality.
The quiet operation and improved print features, such as vibration compensation and automatic leveling, make it highly user-friendly. Additionally, the T1 Pro offers advanced filament detection, dual-gear extrusion, and a redesigned slicing interface for enhanced performance. Whether printing complex models or using a variety of filaments, this printer delivers consistent results, making it a valuable tool for any project.
The T1 Pro launches on October 25, 2024, at 10:00 PM Beijing Time, with an early bird price of $399 (regularly $500) available until November 3. You can secure this limited offer here.
Heads up: our content may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of those links, you won’t pay a penny more, but we’ll get a small commission. Read more here.FLSun T1 Pro
This sleek looking machine offers a 260*330 mm build volume inside its enclosed chamber.
- – Print size: 260(D) x 330(H) mm
- – comes with enclosure
- – fully automatic leveling
- – Dual-gear short-distance extruder
