3 New Athorbot 3D Printers Now Available at GearBest

New brand Athorbot is hoping to make a splash in the 3D printing scene with its new line of DIY kits which includes two pre-assembled models — the Brother and Buddy — and one Prusa i3 clone in full DIY kit form named the A01. Prices range from $220 for the A01 up to $535 for the dual-extruder Buddy.

Both the Buddy and Brother have a very similar metal frame design which differ only in size. The frames feature stamped metal sheets for the upper part of the gantry, 2040 aluminum extrusions and linear bearings for all 3 axis. The image below shows the Brother (left) and the Buddy.

The Buddy features a print volume of 210 x 200 x 270mm with dual Bowden extruders paired to a single hot end while the Brother features a larger print capacity of 300 x 300 x 300mm with a single Bowden extruder. Both printers also feature the same console box design.

Athorbot Buddy ($535)

  • Full metal frame with separate console box
  • Pre-assembled
  • Dual Bowden extruders with single hot end
  • 210 x 200 x 270mm print capacity
  • Linear bearings
  • 24V power supply unit
  • Aluminum heated bed with glass surface

A setup that uses dual extruders paired to a single hot end is a much better way to print with multiple filaments as it eliminates the need for having two hot ends which can be very difficult to tune and print with. Dual hot ends also mean the print volume is significantly reduced due to nozzle offset. Although the dual extruder / single hot end setup has its own set of potential problems, it appears to be the more practical approach to multi-filament printing.

Athorbot Brother ($448)

  • Full metal frame with separate console box
  • Pre-assembled
  • Single Bowden extruder (can be upgraded to dual extruders)
  • 300 x 300 x 300mm print capacity
  • Linear bearings
  • 24V power supply unit
  • Aluminum heated bed with glass surface

At $535, the Athorbot Buddy is the most expensive in the line and is a good printer to consider if multi-filament printing is a feature you need. Although it costs more than double what other DIY kits with similar print capacities would cost, it is still reasonably affordable for a 3D printer that is multi-filament ready considering that an original Prusa i3 MK2S with the multi-material upgrade kit would cost about $900. Athorbot is, of course, not Prusa but whether the Buddy has the quality and reliability to justify its $535 price tag remains to be seen.

The Athorbot Brother features a large print capacity of 300 x 300 x 300mm

Another interesting thing about the Buddy and Brother is that product pages claim these printers will be shipped with glass beds. This is something I’ve never seen before since glass is a very tricky material to ship and often glass items tend to arrive broken or cracked. Athorbot also claims that both printers can be assembled in just five easy steps taking about 10 minutes. This is certainly good news for those who hate spending hours assembling DIY 3D printers.

Click here for more details on both the Athorbot Buddy and Brother at GearBest.

Athorbot A01

  • Full metal frame featuring 2020 aluminum extrusions
  • Unassembled DIY kit
  • Direct driver extruder
  • Auto bed leveling
  • Filament detection switch
  • 270 x 210 x 200mm print capacity
  • Linear bearings
  • 24V power supply unit

For those who are keen on fully assembling their own 3D printers, there is the Athorbot A01 which is a Prusa i3 clone that features a full metal frame with 2020 aluminum extrusions. Priced at $220, it certainly costs more than other entry-level DIY kits such as the Anet A6 and A8 but I believe that sturdy metal frame is worth it and the A01 also has some neat features such as a filament detection switch and auto bed-leveling. It also features a 24V power supply unit when most other DIY kits feature 12V. Like the Buddy and Brother, the A01 also features linear bearings for all 3 axis. Click here for more details on the Athorbot A01.

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