Launched on Kickstarter, the Stacker F1 3D printer looks to bring industrial grade print quality and safety to maker spaces and small businesses.

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Stacker 3D is a manufacturer of industrial 3D printers. But with the new Stacker F1 3D printer, they are bringing their quality to an industrial grade high-end performance to a broader audience. They are aiming the printer at small businesses and colleges. However, the printer would not be out of place in a hobbyists collection.

Stacker F1 3D printer specification

T-Slot Accessory Rail: Use the upper rail to mount your tool caddy, webcam, filament spool holders, etc
Zero Maintenance V-Slot Wheels: ultra smooth, no noise linear motion
Quad-Gear Filament Drive: powerful and flex filament ready
Quick Change Hot Ends: swap nozzle sizes fast, all metal, 310C max temp
Vanadium Nozzle: a must for abrasive filaments, made by Slice Engineering
Dual Heater Blocks: faster and more even heat distribution for more even extrusion
Redundant Electrical Cut-Off Circuits: for extra thermal runaway protection
Ultra Flat Print Bed: with auto bed leveling
Cast aluminum precision ground print bed: with a 300 watt silicone mat heater and “Level Once” bed levelers.
Carry Handle and LED Light Bar: comfortable grip and looks cool
Dual Z Screw Guards: which keeps hands and hair safe
600 Watt Industrial Grade PSU: PFC type for EU regulations, smoothes out A/c pulses, more efficient, quiet, safe, reliable. Artesyn model LCM600Q-N
32bit Electronics: faster printing, smoother and quieter operation, advanced safety features built-in
Wire free controller box: eliminates the potential for shorted wires and reduces heat and complexity
Genuine Molex Brand Glow Wire Electrical Connectors: Safest connectors on the market, oversized to easily handle the current loads.
Motor Drivers: ultra quiet type for smooth operation
High Resolution Stepper Motors: 2X more precision over standard motors
Flexplate System with BuildTak PC and PEI Bed Surfaces: optional nylon surface also available
Visco-elastic Dampening System: reduces noise and vibration, better print quality, won’t mar your table top
Repetier Firmware: a custom version uses advanced motion planning and pressure balancing hot end controls to prevent over extrusion
285 x 285 x 285 mm Print Size: big prints from compact desk-sized printer

The Stacker F1 3d printer is a Cartesian design, which we explain here.

The Stacker F1 philosophy

The Stacker F1 will be priced around $3,000 (currently $2,100 on Kickstarter) and they are concentrating on three primary areas with this printer. Safety, print quality and reliability. If they get these right, they will have a serious work horse contender, competing with the likes of the Lulzbot Taz.

Safety of the Stacker F1

The Stacker F1 3D printer takes safety seriously. They have incorporated redundant electronic power cut-offs. They are independent, because they are not part of the firmware running the printer. So if the firmware crashes, or has a bug, these circuits will still monitor, and power off the printer if there is a thermal runaway. A great idea and something it would be great to see in all printers.

But that’s not all. They have two temperature sensors and circuits for the hotend. If either reads a high temperature, it will switch off the power to the hotend. This is some serious safety. They have many other safety features. For example, the z screws have guards so your fingers don’t accidentally get pinched, flame retardant materials are used, and they use genuine Molex connectors rated to double the amperage of the current in the circuits.

Stacker F1 Print Quality

Stacker use a properly squared, rigid frame mounted on a visco-elastic polymer to dampen out any vibrations. Which is a much better solution than rubber feet. The Stacker F1 filament extruder uses hardened steel gears, and the hotend is all metal and carbon fiber. For print accuracy the Stacker F1 has a hot end pressure balancing system that predicts the pressure caused by movement and it will balance that in place of the extruder which eradicates the need for things like coasting and wiping tricks with the slicer. With this and other components, the Stacker F1 scores 28 out of 30 on the Autodesk FDM test.

Reliability

Stacker are using premium components in their F1 3D Printer to ensure reliability. For example, they use a $250 Artesyn 600W power supply which uses power factor correction, which is leagues beyond even a Meanwell PSU. They use Slice Engineering components in the hotend, like the vanadium nozzle which would normally cost in excess of $30 on its own, and the Slice heat break from the Copperhead.

Stacker F1 3D printer on Kickstarter

Stacker seems to follow the trend of launching their printer on Kickstarter. They had hit their funding goal within 2 days of launching their campaign. The Stacker F1 looks like it will be a serious printer. It’s not cheap and sits at the premium price point for schools and hobbyists. But it looks like you’ll get a hell of a printer – an industrial grade workhorse.

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