Perfect for prototypes, this desktop resin 3D printer is fast, affordable and impressively capable—but there’s a learning curve.
Nexa3D has sponsored this review. All testing was conducted independently by engineering.com.
3D printers run the gamut from low-cost consumer products to highly-specialized industrial machinery, so for engineers looking to explore the technology, it’s not always clear where to start. With those engineers in mind, 3D printing specialist Nexa3D created its new XiP printer, a desktop-sized resin 3D printer with professional performance for an entry-level price.
The XiP (pronounced zip) aims to provide engineers with high-speed prototyping capabilities via Nexa3D’s proprietary resin 3D printing process, Lubricant Sublayer Photo-curing (LSPc), which the company claims to be 20 times faster than alternative vat polymerization processes.
Engineering.com put the XiP to the test, and while its speed isn’t quite supersonic, we found it to be a user-friendly 3D printer that should have engineers printing high-quality prototypes in half a day—after learning the ropes, that is.
Setting up the Nexa3D XiP
Setting up the XiP is not as simple as unboxing the printer and hitting start, but it’s not too far off. First, you’ll need to find a place to put it, and your options are limited. The printer should be kept away from direct sunlight, because UV light cures the resins that serve as 3D printing feedstock. You’ll also want a well-ventilated area, because the resins have a strong odor that may attract complaints from nearby coworkers (sorry again, Jon).
Whatever surface you select, it must be sturdy enough to handle the XiP’s 65 pounds and measure up to its 16.5 inch (420 mm) width by 14 inch (350 mm) depth by 21 inch (530 mm) height.
The rest of the XiP setup process is straightforward, and Nexa3D provides helpful videos that take users through it step-by-step. You’ll need to insert the build plate and resin cartridge in the printer, which is very easy, and assemble and install the vat, which is slightly trickier and requires setting the Everlast-2 membrane (the slick, transparent interface between the resin and the light that polymerizes it) into the rigid vat frame.
A bright touchscreen display on the bottom of the XiP prompts users to register the printer and connect to Wi-Fi, and then it’s fit for duty. Getting the XiP from fully boxed to print-ready shouldn’t take much more than an hour.
The Printing Process
Nexa3D provides a preloaded test print of five small keychains, spaced evenly along the 7.7 x 4.5 inch (195 x 115 mm) build plate. With a max height of 8.3 inches (210 mm) the XiP offers a total print volume of 4.8 liters. Using the xPRO 410 Black resin—one of eleven materials compatible with the XiP—the test job takes just shy of two hours.
(Nexa3D is quick to note that they offer a modeling resin called x45 which prints about three times faster than the speeds we experienced with the xPRO resin—a pace that would enable an entire build volume full of prints in less than two hours, according to the company.)
The keychains printed perfectly on our first test, but with the XiP, parts aren’t finished as soon as the last layer is polymerized. After printing, parts must be washed using either high-grade isopropyl alcohol or Nexa3D’s proprietary xClean solution. You submerge the parts in your cleanser of choice and agitate them for a few minutes, either by hand or with Nexa3D’s Wash+Cure machine (not included with the XiP). Once clean, parts have to be UV-cured to reach maximum strength, either by exposing them to direct sunlight for several hours or using the Wash+Cure machine.
Nexa3D sent us a Wash+Cure machine along with the XiP. While it’s a good idea in theory, our unit was only half-functional. In wash mode, it spins a rotor on the bottom of the included wash bucket, which stirs the cleanser around the part. However, in most of our tests the load on the motor was clearly too high, as it would consistently shut down after a few seconds. We had no problems with cure mode, which simply shines a UV light on the printed parts.
Almost every 3D printed part requires support structures to keep it intact while printing, and at some point, you’ll need to remove these supports. This can be done at any stage in the process—we generally did it after washing and before curing. Supports are generally thin, scaffolding-like structures that are designed to snap off, but depending on the shape of your part and how it’s oriented while printing, the supports can be awkward to remove. There will almost always be little nibs of support remaining no matter what, and to help remove them Nexa3D supplies a roll of tools including snips, files, and scrapers.
Once you’re comfortable with the process, finishing parts printed with the XiP is not difficult. However, it is a bit messy and time consuming. Accounting for washing time, drying time (Nexa3D recommends air-drying washed parts for at least 30 minutes), curing time (it varies depending on the resin and part size, but an hour is typical), and support removal time, expect post-processing to add at least another two hours to every print.
Print Quality
Polymerization-based 3D printers like the XiP are known for making strong and accurate parts, and the variety of resins available for these printers means that parts can be tailored to a given application. Every resin has its own mechanical properties, print times, washing and curing requirements, and cost. For instance, Nexa3D’s xPRO 410 resin “prints parts with extreme accuracy and an exceptional surface finish,” according to the company, while xABS3843-Black is “a tough and durable material with the aesthetics of injection molded black ABS.”
While we couldn’t test all eleven supported resins, those we did test—including xPRO 410 and xABS3843-Black—lived up to those descriptions. The prints that succeeded were accurate and looked great (and would look even better with a little extra surface finishing).
But some of our prints failed, and in different ways. Some parts failed to print entirely, an issue which can be caused by contaminated resin (for example, if tiny bits of support structure wind up in the vat). The XiP can clear these contaminants by curing the bottom layer of the vat, which users then peel away with an included cleaning tool.
Other parts began to print, but failed partway through. The culprit in these cases was likely insufficient support structures (once or twice we would find an unfinished part had fallen into the vat below). Finally, some parts printed all the way through but had deformities ranging from slight warping to missing pieces. Again, insufficient supports were likely to blame. Setting up print jobs is an acquired skill, and though Nexa3D offers several tips for doing it better, some of them rely on the company’s subscription software, NexaX Pro for XiP. We exclusively used the free included software, NexaX for XiP, which has fewer features.
Final Thoughts on the XiP
The Nexa3D XiP has an MSRP of $6,295, making it the company’s most affordable 3D printer by a mile. The entry-level price combined with a compact size makes the XiP an intriguing option for engineers eager to explore 3D printing.
But heed this lesson from our experience with the XiP: 3D printing is something of an art form, and it requires trial and error. There are a few things that need to be considered to ensure print success, whether it be design choices (thin shells don’t print easily) or poor print setups (just because the software generates supports, doesn’t mean they’ll work), so you can expect to spend some time and resin on figuring out what works and what doesn’t.
But when it does all come together, the XiP pulls off some impressive prints.