Flashforge Guider 3 Plus - FDM 3D printer

Flashforge is known for manufacturing high quality 3D printing equipment and materials for both home and professional use. Their product portfolio includes many series of FDM 3D printers, among them the Guider series with Guider II/S printers for consumer use and the Guider 3 series of professional 3D printers. The Guider 3 Plus 3D printer is an upgrade on the Guider 3 printer, with a bigger build volume (350 x 350 x 600 mm), faster printing speed (up to 250 mm/s), numerous user friendly solutions, and high model quality output (impeccable surface finish and accuracy with complex geometries, irregular shapes and details). One of the most exciting features of this printer is that is equipped with a multi-platform intelligent management system, which makes it ideal for small business, studio, universities and laboratories that want to coordinate multiple printers in a smooth R&D and design workflow 24x7.

Video 1: The key features of the Flashforge Guider 3 Plus 3D printer. Source: Flashforge.

What makes the Guider 3 Plus printer even more versatile is its open material system. Guider 3 Plus is compatible with third-party filaments by brands such as eSun, FusRock, Lehvoss and Polymaker, to name just a few. Guider 3 Plus allows the user to 3D print with a wide range of commodity as well as engineering materials such as PLA, ABS, HIPS, TPU, TPE, PETG, PC, ASA, PP, PA, as well as glass and carbon fiber reinforced plastics. It should be kept in mind that the latter requires the use of an abrasion resistant nozzle. This amount of freedom in brand and material choice makes it possible to 3D print prototypes and end-use parts with diverse properties, depending on the desired application and environment - from rigid to flexible objects, and from general use parts to parts resistant to chemicals, weathering and high temperatures.

Image 1: Models 3D printed on the Guider 3 Plus 3D printer. Source: Flashforge.

The Guider 3 Plus 3D printer operates quietly, smoothly and fast thanks to its carefully designed CoreXY structure. Accurate positioning of the extruder for each layer of the model, smooth model surface and better printing quality are ensured by the dual Z-axis ball screw design. The build platform of the Guider 3 Plus printer can support a maximum load of 30 kg thanks to the sturdy and stable Z-axis guide and 16mm TBI ball screws on both sides. This makes sure that large and heavy models remain stable on the build platform at all times.

Safe and conscious 3D printing

Flashforge made sure to make the Guider 3 Plus 3D printer as user- and environmentally friendly as possible. There are many systems in place that, in the long run, save the user a siginificant amount of time, and make the 3D printing process easy and safe. Some of those solutions are:

• Power loss recovery: In case of an unexpected power failure, Guider 3 Plus will automatically save the printing progress, making it possible to continue printing once the printer has been restarted.
• The printer turns off automatically once the model is ready. This saves power consumption and guarantees safe operation.
• The printer detects filament run-out, which prevents material wasting and failed prints.
• The removable build platform is magnetic and flexible, which means the model can be removed by simply bending the build platform gently. This solution reduces the risk of potential damage to the model. Furthermore, the platform has no spring nut and no manual adjustments are required.
• The Guider 3 Plus nozzle is very easy to replace and maintain, as it only requires loosening one screw.
• The dust odor and particles generated during the printing process are effetively removed by the inbuilt HEPA air filtration system. Any harmful gases are discharged through pipes connected outside, thus ensuring an environment-friendly and safe working environment.

Image 2: The high temperature hotend and nozzle are easy to replace and maintain. Source: Flashforge.

Another solution that makes the user's life easier and the printing process smoother is the filament drying solution incorporated into the Guider 3 Plus printer. Humidity is the worst enemy of filaments as it leads to extrusion problems, surface issues and compromised part performance. The Flashforge made sure to solve that problem by equipping the Guider 3 Plus 3D printer with a dual sealed filament chamber containing silica gel desiccant. This not only saves the user the effort and time of predrying the filament but also contributes to a more compact and organzied wor space since no additional external filament drying equipment is required. Thanks to the drying chambers, each with a 1 kg capacity, the humidity level can be kept below 20 % within 5 days by placing 3 packs of desiccant in the filament chamber. The humidity levels can be monitored in real time thanks to the incorporated hygrometer.

Image 3: The dual sealed filament drying chamber. Source: Flashforge.

Intelligent management and maintenance

The Guider 3 Plus user interface is simple and intuitive but very powerful and highly sensitive. The 7-inch LCD touch screen and the camera function allow the user to fully control, coordinate and monitor (time-lapse videos) the 3D printing process at all times, also through remote multi-platform management of 3D printers via FlashPrint and FlashCloud. The intelligent maintenance assistant provides solutions to common printing problems, saves communication time and realizes efficient maintenance.

Video 2: The user interface of the Flashforge Guider 3 Plus 3D printer. Source: Flashforge.

The FlashPrint slicing software ensures highly successful slicing even for beginners, making available to the user default parameters for most common filaments. The accepted input formats are 3MF, STL, OBJ, FPP, BMP, PNG, JPG and JPEG, and the output formats are GC, G and Gcode. The Guider 3 Plus offers many connectivity options through a USB cable, a U disk, Ethernet or WiFi, and it is compatible with Windows XP, Vista 7/8/10, and Mac OS. Users who are used to working with Slic3r, Skeinforge or Cura can continue doing so as Guider 3 Plus is also compatible with them (set up required).

Multiple applications

By designing the Gudier 3 Plus 3D printer, Flashforge has created a powerful tool for a wide audience and a broad range of applications in many sectors. Guider 3 Plus can be used for all stages of the product design process. For example, it can help with product development as quickly printed prototypes can shorten verification time, accelerate design optimization, and speed up mass production while reducing costs. The Guider 3 Plus printer can also quickly produce jigs, fixtures and tools for assembly lines, thus aiding manufacturing or replacing damaged equipment parts. Furthermore, finished functional parts can be made with the help of Guider 3 Plus, for specific one-off applications or for temporary testing. The possible applications of Guider 3 Plus go beyond industrial and enginnering applications. The printer can be used in the academic environment to 3D print teaching aids or student's work, or in architecture and art for printing conceptual models or even art. All this is possible thanks to the ease of use, high printing speeds and temperatures, and wide range of processable materials.