Watch the video - or I've posted the text version below it...
I’m always looking for great 3D Printers - at reasonable prices for practically anyone - but especially for educators. The NewMatter Mod-t 3D Printer is a great find in this quest.
I first saw this printer at the NYC makerfaire in 2015, and even back then, just the look and elegance of the printer’s industrial design stopped me in my tracks. Almost a year later, I finally got to test one out for myself. The bottom line is that I like this printer and would definitely recommend it especially for people with a budget under $500.
The unboxing was a pleasant experience - a well-protected printer body, which required almost no assembly, and a well-organized set of well-labeled boxes for the minor parts that had to be assembled and the tools which come with the device.
The clear instructions direct you to their online site to get fully set up - where I had to create an account to continue. While slightly annoying, it was reasonable and worthwhile given the pleasant experience that followed. The newMatter software for set up is not web-based, it runs on windows and Mac - but was easy to get installed. After setup of the software, I was instructed to “download firmware updates” - which went smoothly.
Connecting the printer to my home wifi was mostly easy - but 5Ghz networks were not recognized so you need a 2.4 Ghz network to get up and running. There were some small bumps getting through the complete printer connection process - but within a few minutes I got through that and realized with delight that I would be able to control my printer now from a web interface, which gave super clear instructions on how to finish the printer setup. The site also has simple button controls to do things like load the filament and see the status of the printer. I mounted the light blue 1.75mm PLA filament which came with the printer onto the plastic spool holder which connects to the back of the printer, and loaded it into the hole clearly marked “filament” in the back. Then, I used the web-based printer controls to get the filament fully loaded.
My first print was something simple and small - I picked my simple pegboard hook that I know only takes about 10 minutes to print. Once I figured out how to upload my own models - which wasn’t as clear as I would have liked - but has become easier in latest updates - I uploaded my model and used the clear online controls to setup the parameters for printing. It was set a bit hot - 210C - so I lowered it to 185C and started it up.
There aren’t quite as many printing options as something like Cura for printers which require GCode to be directly loaded - but that’s the whole point of the Mod-T - to make printing simple. So the advanced options are somewhat out of the way intentionally. While there were some general usability issues with the online printing interface, practically all my main concerns have already been addressed - and while it is simple and not for the advanced 3D printing professional, it is easy to use.
At the start of the print, there was certainly lots of print bed movement - which is clearly a process to home the print bed and perhaps auto-level it - but this was not excessive - and after the printer extruded a line of filament on the side of the bed to prep for printing, my object began to print.
The fan of this printer is quite loud without the cover on, but once the cover is on, the printer is pretty quiet - so I can see how that makes it more friendly than other printers which have no enclosure.
I was very pleased with the way the model adheres to this print bed - which is clearly made of a special material which is intended to be good for this purpose. This is becoming more common in printers - and with the dozen prints I did, I had no problems with models adhering to the bed - and used no additional materials like hairspray. Note that I ONLY USED PLA - I did not attempt ABS.
The subsequent tests I did included one of my favorites - a single-print hinge. This model has a bunch of one-half millimeter gaps between parts that are intended to move freely - and you can see in the video that it printed rather well and just required a bit of forcing to freely move the hinge - almost exactly the same amount as that required when this model is printed on a printer which is literally 4 times the price of this one. I was very happy with the results here.
I also printed a few other models including a thin-walled desk organizer in the shape of my initials - which has lots of curves - and it came out quite smooth - a great result on the first try.
While the Mod-T has a very innovative mechanical design for the bed movement, which completely avoids belts and allows the bed to easily be removed and replaced - it is not necessarily space efficient. The footprint is approximately 15 inches square with the filament spool and 13.5 inches tall. The build envelope is 6 x 4 x 5 inches - 120 cubic inches - which is pretty good for most hobby projects.
I’m not thrilled with the process of changing filament color - but that’s pretty much par for the course for most 3D printers. I’m spoiled by the ease of filament changes in the Polar3D printer.
Overall, the Mod-T seems like an incredible value for an elegant, easy to use 3D printer. While no 3D printer these days is a completely user-friendly appliance - the Mod-T comes closer than many I’ve tried and it’s elegant external design could be on display in your home or even the museum of modern art. At $399, it’s definitely one of my top recommendations for printers under $500 - and while I haven’t used it long enough to call it reliable, I would say that I’ve had no clogs, no failed prints due to adherence to the bed and generally no issues with the software.
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