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If you know Tronxy, you probably know them for their budget 3D printers. Tronxy was the first to offer a sub $200 DIY 3D printer kit that actually worked. To this day Tronxy is still offering quality budget 3D printers. One of those 3D printers is the Tronxy XY-2 Pro-2E, which we will be taking a look at today. The XY-2 Pro 2E is the dual-color 3D printing version of the XY-2 Pro. The XY-2 Pro 2E is a 2-to-1 setup with two titan extruders and one hotend.
Tronxy XY-2 Pro-2E 3D Printer Technical Specifications
| Screen | 3.5 Inches | Nozzle Diameter | 0.4mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build Volume | 255*255*245(mm) | Positioning Resolution-(X/Y/Z) | 0.00625mm/0.00625mm/0.00125mm |
| 3D Printer Dimensions | 445*460*630(mm) | Layer Resolution | 0.1mm-0.3mm(optional) |
| Connectivity | USB Port/TF Card | Printing Speed | 20-150mm/s (suggested 60mm/s) |
| Power Input | 110V/220V | File Preparation Software | Repetier-Host/Cura |
| Power Output | 24V/360W | Net Weight | ≈9.5KG |
| Supported Formats | G-CODE | Filament Diameter | 1.75mm ± 0.05 mm |
| Operating Temperature | 8ºC – 40ºC | Package Weight | ≈13KG |
| Extruder Max Temperature | Max 275ºC | Slice Software | Cura Slice Software |
| Heated Bed Max Temperature | Max 120ºC | Package Dimensions | 510*480*230(mm) |
Features Of The Tronxy XY-2 Pro 2E 3D Printer
Titan Extruder
The XY-2 Pro 2E is equipped with two Titan extruders with a gear ratio of 3:1. The 3:1 gear ratio allows for more precise movements with the perfect balance between speed and accuracy. In addition, the Titan extruder has more advantages over a regular extruder such as Strengthened gear position structure, impact resistance, and more durability.
Bowden Drive Extrusion
The Bowden extrusion system allows the XY-2 Pro 2E to print faster and more accurately. due to the x gantry being lighter, it can move more quickly and with minimal ghosting.
Ultra-Quiet Stepper Motor Drive Mainboard
The Tronxy XY-2 Pro 2E is equipped with a 32-bit bored with ultra-quiet stepper motor drivers. As a result, the XY-2 Pro 2E can operate under 50db with minimal noise during printing. Thus making the XY-2 Pro 2E perfect for any environment.
Malin Firmware
The Tronxy XY-2 Pro 2E runs off the open-source Marlin firmware, allowing users to change every aspect of their printers.
FPC Cord Design
A lightweight cord design that is easy to use with strain relief making for a long-lasting cable
V-guide Rail with High Standard Stable to Print
The XY-2 Pro 2E has a v-slot movement system similar to the ender 3, allowing for low noise, wear resistance, and longer life.
Filament run-out Detection
When the filament runs out or is suspended, the 3D printer will remind you to reload the filament with a single tap. Or check the printing process.
Unboxing The Tronxy XY-2 Pro 2E 3D Printer
The Tronxy XY-2 Pro 2E came extremely well packaged with three main layers of protective foam to keep the 3D printer safe during shipping. The first layer was packed with filament, tools, and the second Titan extruder. Upon removing all of that, we can lift up the foam to reveal the second foam layer. The second layer holds the upper assembly of the Tronxy 3D printer. Now to the third foam layer, where we will find the lower assembly of the 3D printer and, to my surprise, a loose screw, but we will get to that later.
I am very pleased with the quality and care That Tronxy put in when providing the tools. Tronxy included every tool you would need for any repair or maintenance on the  XY-2 Pro 2E. Tronxy even provided a small flathead screwdriver for tuning the stepper drivers. I have never seen another manufacturer include that. Not only did Tronxy provide all the tools you could need, but the tools are also of high quality. The spatula is by far the best one I have ever used; it has a large comfortable handle and a thin, wide sharp blade, making it my go-to tool for removing prints from all my printers, not just the Tronxy XY-2 Pro 2E.
Tronxy XY-2 Pro 2E 3D Printer Assembly
Tronxy advertizes the XY-2 Pro 2E as a semi assemble a machine that takes about two hours to assemble. However, it only took me about 40 minutes. Upon opening the box, I found a user manual for the XY-2 Pro, not the XY-2 Pro 2E. However, Tronxy includes a piece of paper with everything you need to know about the XY-2 Pro 2E and all the information in the XY-2 Pro user manual is still accurate and helpful. There is also a copy of the user manual and directions on the SD card.
The assembly comprised installing 14 screws and plugging in a few connectors for the motors, filament run-out sensors, and the touch screen. The x-axis assembly and hot end assembly are connected to the mainboard via one black ribbon cable. The ribbon cable organizes all the wires and really gives the 3D printer a professional look. I am very pleased with the overall construction of the XY-2 Pro 2E, with an all-metal frame and a neat professional look.
After everything was assembled, I noticed the z-axis was freely moving up and down about 8mm. Inspecting, I realized I found where the loose screw belongs. The T8 brass nut for the lead screw was only secured by one screw that was only screwed in a bit. However, this was an easy fix, just reinstalling the two screws and adding two more of my own to ensure it stayed fastened tightly. After doing some research, I discovered no one else with this issue and can conclude that this is most likely a one-off.
The first thing I noticed after powering up the Tronxy XY-2 Pro 2E Is the noise level. The dual colour 3D printer is very quiet. The heatbreak and motherboard fans are both barely noticeable. Probably my favorite part of the XY-2 Pro 2E is the touch screen. It is very responsive and the menus are laid out in such a way that they are easy to navigate. Through the menus, you can adjust many parameters before and during a 3D print and even customize what your menu looks like. You have a choice between four colors.
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Single Color 3D Printing On The Tronxy XY-2 Pro 2E
Printing PLA On The XY-2 Pro 2E
First 3D Print “Tiki”
The first 3D print was a file on the SD card named “tiki”. The 3D print took 9 hours to complete and was printed in the generic red PLA that came with the Tronxy XY-2 Pro 2E. Although it took way longer than it should have (just the way it was sliced nothing to do with the printer) I was impressed with the quality of the 3D print. The tiki has very smooth layers and sharp details.
Settlers Of Catan Board Game
After running one test 3D print, I wanted to print something functional. Hence, my next twelve 3D prints were cases to hold the Settlers of Catan game pieces. Each print took about six hours and 50 grams of 3D filament. I used Printbed Mini’s for all colors except for the white. It was perfect. They came in a pack of five and I got all the colors I needed for this project. All the prints came out especially well, with all the game pieces fitting perfectly. Unfortunately, during one of the prints, I ran out of the peanut butter-colored filament, but thanks to the filament runout sensor the print was saved, a fresh roll was loaded and the print was seamless.
Stand For Artwork
Another machine I have been experimenting with is the Aufero laser 2. One of my projects with the Aufero laser 2 was an artwork cutting board. I thought it looked pretty cool and I wanted a stand to display it. What better way than 3D printing to make that stand? After some searching, I found and printed this Stand from VMI on Thingiverse In Coex Mystery PLA. Halfway through this 3D print, I lost power, but the print was saved thanks to the XY-2 Pros 2e’s power recovery feature. The art is from Tim Andraka.
Printing Yousu PVB On The XY-2 Pro 2E
Low Poly Totodile
One of my new favorite 3D filaments is Yousu’s PVB alcohol smoothable 3D printing filament. As the name suggests, you can smooth the prints with isopropyl alcohol. The first print I did with the Yousu PVB was a Low-Poly Totodile by flowalistik on Thingiverse. The print came out very well and looks fantastic after smoothing. There was a good deal of post-cleanup on this print because of stringing. The stinging is from the filament absorbing water and has nothing to do with the XY-2 Pro 2E.
Skyrim Emblem
My second print with Yousu’s PVB was a Skyrim Emblem by cyber-attack31 on Thingiverse. The first time I tried this 3D print, I had some bed adhesion issues because it was a large flat print. However, that was an easy fix with Vision Minor’s Nano Polymer Adhesive. After that, the Skyrim emblem printed amazingly and looks even better after smoothing it with Isopropyl alcohol.
Printing TPU On The XY-2 Pro-2E
For the few TPU 3D prints I did, I used FilamentOne TPU. The first print I did was a TPU test cube by Sabrina Russell on MyMiniFactory. The cube came out ok but not perfect. Next, I printed a cable tie by rainers on Thingiverse. The cable tie also came out pretty well. Both TPU prints were rough, but I believe that to be because of the filament being quite old and not probably stored. The important part is that the XY-2 Pro 2E was able to extrude the TPU without jamming. Flexible filament on a Bowden style 3D printer can be difficult the XY-2 Pro 2E has a tight filament path that was able to handle the TPU with ease. I also tried Ninja Flex but had no luck. The Ninja Flex was just too flexible and is nearly impossible to print with on any Bowden-style 3D printer.
Printing Filament One PLA Upfil On The XY-2 Pro 2E
Hulk Head
Another filament I Tried was FilamentOne Upfil Pro Select Natural. This is an upcycled 3D printing filament aimed to be environmentally friendly. However, many people have had issues with this filament jamming and clogging. Although most people have issues with this filament, the XY-2 Pro 2E had no problems, and it printed great. The first model I printed was a hulk’s head from an unknown author. The print has one small area of underextrusion across the back, but other than that, the 3D print came out really well. However, there is still some stringing and some other small defects in the print, but it cleaned up nicely. The hulk head took 32 hours to print and used most of the X and Y build area.
Baby Yoda
My next print with the upfil 3D printing filament was a Baby Yoda by MarVin_Miniatures on Thingiverse. The 3D print turned out decently, but still had some issues. Baby Yoda lost a few fingers and has a few spots of underextrusion. I chose this model because the color of the filament was just perfect for Yoda or baby Yoda. The other colors are painted on with Testor’s model paint. To my surprise, the paint stuck very well and there was no need for a primer.
Dual-Color 3D Printing On The Tronxy XY-2 Pro 2
What Is The 2-To-1 Dual Color Feature
One of the main attractions of the Tronxy XY-2 Pro 2E is the dual-color 3D printing feature. The Tronxy XY-2 Pro 2E is a 2-to-1 system meaning it has two extruders and one hotend. Allowing you to in theory have simple dualcolor 3D printing, although it has some flaws.
Problems With The Dual Color 3D Printing
The main issue with this dual color 3D printing setup is its tendency to jam and clog. The filament paths meet before the melt zone instead of in the melt zone like other 2-to-1 dual-color 3D printers. As a result, the Tronxy XY-2 Pro 2E retracts one filament and leaves some material behind, and jams as the second filament attempts to load. If the filament paths met in the melt zone, this would not be an issue. I tried a large variety of prints while tweaking the settings between each 3D print, but had little success.
Successful Dual Color 3D Prints
Success with the dual color 3D prints was few and far between. Out of the many attempts at dual-color 3D printing, I only had two real successes. The first one was the Salamander. The print quality is ok with some rough spots but the material purge was not set high enough and I had some color bleeding. And the second success was this Stegosaurus, which actually came out really well and it was the best dual-color 3D print I got off the Tronxy XY-2 Pro 2E. All the dual-color models can be found in this article from ALL3DP.
The pros and cons of the Tronxy XY-2 Pro 2E 3D printer
Tronxy XY-2 Pro 2E Pros
- Assembly was straightforward and easy
- Filament run-out sensors and power recovery mode both work well and are nice to have
- The headed bed comes insulated and helps keep a consent temperature
- The silent stepper drivers keep the 3D printer quiet and useable in an office or bedroom
- The all-aluminum frame is very sturdy and well built
Tronxy XY-2 Pro 2E Cons
- The dual-color 3D printing does not work that well
- The SD card reader is located in the back of the printer and is difficult to access
- The “build tak” bed sheet that comes with the printer is very low quality however the fiberglass bed Tronxy also sent is a very good bed
- The Tronxy slicer is of inferior quality and I recommend using Cura or Prusa slicer
- There was a loose screw at the bottom of the box
What is the best place to purchase a Tronxy XY-2 Pro 2E 3D Printer?
The Tronxy XY-2 Pro 2E 3D printer is available for purchase at the following places:
The conclusion of the Tronxy XY-2 Pro 2E 3D Printer
In conclusion, the Tronxy XY-2 Pro 2E is a pretty solid 3D printer, but it has some issues. The Tronxy XY-2 Pro 2E is one of the cheaper options for dual color 3D printing. Although the dual color feature does not work as well as I’d hoped, it jams easily. I would not recommend this printer as a dual color 3D printer. The 2-to-1 nozzle setup is difficult to use and without the perfect settings, it will fail. However, while only using one color, I found that this printer is extremely reliable and easy to use. Even if you are not interested in dual color 3D Printing Tronxy has a similar printer just without the dual color option, The Tronxy XY-2 Pro.
To sum it up the Tronxy XY-2 Pro 2E is an affordable rigid 3D printer that is great with signal color 3D printing and TPU printing but struggles with dual-color 3D printing. As an alternative, there is the Tronxy XY-2 Pro which is the same but without the dual-color feature.
