Test of the Da Vinci Junior 1.0 3D printer from XYZ printing

How to Printing 3D with Da Vinci Junior 1.0 3D printer

Printer specifications

Are you new to 3D printing? Are you looking to become a designer using new printing technologies?

You are not yet familiar with the Da Vinci Jr 1.0 three-in-one printer. In this article we will introduce you to all the advantages of this printer.

So whether you are a beginner or inexperienced, this printer presents the complete kit for using 3D printing. One of its strengths is its self-calibration, so you won't have to worry about it. The printer has a very fast scanner, capable of making exact replicas in just five minutes. This is because it creates a high resolution digital 3D copy.

Thanks to the laser with the engraving option, interchangeable with the extruder, you can personalize your items and create your own engravings on wood, steel, cardboard or other materials compatible with it.

Its design is perfect for homes and schools, it is very compact, measuring 15x15x15 cm. With it, forget about noisy equipment, because it does not work with more than 39 dB.

Do you want to know more? The Da Vinci Jr 1.0 three-in-one printer is eco-friendly, ensuring that your cartridges don't waste more ink than they need to.

Do you want to learn to design in 3D? Well, here you have a solution.

1. Unpack the printer

If there is one thing that it is difficult to criticize at XYZprinting is the quality (and quantity) of the packaging. So much so that it will take you 5 minutes watch in hand to make sure you have removed all the fasteners and other polystyrene protections within the box (otherwise you will have some starting problems).

A packaging in which there are several accessories, starting with a spatula to take off your prints, 3 adhesive sheets for the printer plate (to help the adhesion of the prints), a guide for the filament, a spool of transparent PLA filament (the only material compatible with the printer), a metal brush as well as needles to maintain the printing nozzle, an SD card, a USB cable and finally a power outlet.

A fairly complete kit in the end even if a user guide in paper format would have been greatly appreciated, it being on the SD card.

With its dimensions of 42 x 43 x 38 cm, the printer displays a refined size compared to its big sister, the Da Vinci 1.0, but remains comparable to market standards.

It is available in two colors: orange and white or orange and black (but also white and turquoise in the new version of the Da Vinci Jr. equipped with a WiFi connection).

2. Installation

To start the Da Vinci Jr 1.0, nothing very bad with the connection of the mains plug and the connection of the USB cable to your computer. Once lit, the second step is to install the spool of PLA filament directly into the print chamber.

The spool is installed on an axis fixed with a simple screw which includes an electronic chip allowing to know the consumption of the filament and to avoid running out during printing.

Another special feature of the machine is that the filament passes through a first motor block before continuing its way through the transparent guide and finally the extruder. To insert the filament, you will need to pull on a lever that can be tricky to access, so take your time and read the instructions carefully if necessary.

3. Software

For the software part, this is the same software used for the entire range of 3D printers from the manufacturer XYZprinting. Called XYZware, it offers simple ergonomics and includes most of the basic options one would expect.

Once your model is imported into the tool, you can place it as you wish on the board, enlarge it, rotate it or stretch it.

The print parameters are then available to you with default settings (print quality, material used, raft, supports, edges but also automatic file repair) unless you prefer to launch into an advanced configuration with the possibility of modifying the infill, the layer thickness, the number of shells but also the printing speed.

However, the printing temperature cannot be changed (however, PLA, ABS or Flexible material profiles can be used).

All you have to do is send the model to the 3D printer. As already explained in the previous ones, loading the 3D model to the printer may seem a bit long, you will have to be patient.

4. Printing

A final step is necessary before starting the printing: place a self-adhesive sheet on the plate of the Da Vinci Jr. to ensure the adhesion of the first layers of print. A step that you will need to repeat regularly (if not every time).

Below you will find a series of parts 3D printed by us, including our usual torture test, which verifies the performance of the 3D printer, just like the 3DBenchy boat.

From an aesthetic point of view, the result remains below the qualities offered by the Zortrax or Ultimaker brands, but the price / quality ratio remains very good.