Big 3D printer: what size do you need, from 300 mm to 1200 mm?

BLOGBy Shrey Patel · Reviewed by Dipalkumar Koladia

The right size for a big 3D printer depends on your application and your part size. A portrait statue needs height, while a car bumper needs width and depth. The four GO3D printers in this guide’s size table run from the Artish 300 Pro at 300 × 300 × 300 mm to the BX 1200 at 1150 × 1000 × 1200 mm, which has 38% more volume than a generally available 1 metre printer.

Start with the part, not the printer

The right printer size depends on your application and part size. These examples show which dimension matters for different parts.

• Tall parts, such as a portrait statue: height (Z) matters most.
• Wide parts, such as a car bumper: X and Y (width and depth) matter more. Height is not that important.
• Job work and 3D printing service bureaus: you may need all three, because the parts you print vary.

GO3D printer sizes compared

This guide compares four GO3D printers: the Artish 300 Pro, the Artish 700, the BX 700 and the BX 1200. The Artish 700 and BX 700 are different printers with the same 700 × 500 × 500 mm build volume. The volume column is a calculation from each build volume.

Why 1 metre printers are not all the same size

When buyers compare a generally available 1 metre printer with the BX 1200, they often feel the two are similar in volume. The BX 1200 actually has 38% more volume. Before you invest, check the actual build volume of both printers, not just the headline size.

What GO3D has printed at each size

• Car bumper on the BX 1200. The bumper measures 1130 × 300 × 300 mm. It uses almost the full X axis but little height, which is the bumper case above. At 1130 mm it is longer than the Artish 700’s 700 mm X axis.
• The Savaj lion mascot on the BX 1200. This six-foot lion mascot was printed in white PLA. Each section was printed separately, and large sculpture sections printed for 24+ hours each.
• Ganga Thermopack on the BX 700. Ganga Thermopack installed a GO3D BX 700. Their case study reports a reference part that took about 3 days on the BX 700 and prints in about 1.5 days on the B 700.

How long does a 1 metre 3D print take?

There is no single answer, because print time varies with the part. On the BX 1200, large sections of the Savaj lion mascot printed for 24+ hours each. Ganga Thermopack’s case study shows the machine matters too: the same reference part took about 3 days on one printer and about 1.5 days on another.

Should you buy a bigger printer or split the part?

Splitting a part across smaller printers is advised when:

1. Dimensional accuracy is not that important. A little here and there is fine, as long as it looks right.
2. You are ready to invest in skilled labour to join the parts and finish them so the joins don’t show.

Here is an illustration from GO3D’s engineers, not a measured job. A 4 ft statue might take 5 days as a single print on a large printer. On a small 10 inch printer, it would need 16 to 20 parts, depending on the design. With 10-15 machines, those parts could print in 2 days, but that is printing only.

Splitting does not necessarily reduce cycle time. You have to consider all the factors. With more big machines, one machine may take 5 days for one part, but 5 machines can make 5 parts in 5 days. Base the calculation on your own requirement.

You can still split parts on a big printer. It can be advisable for small parts, to reduce supports.

Common mistakes when choosing a printer size

• Comparing headline sizes, not volumes. A generally available 1 metre printer and the BX 1200 look similar, but the BX 1200 has 38% more volume.
• Buying for the wrong axis. Portrait statues need height; car bumpers need X and Y.
• Assuming splitting saves time. Printing the parts may be faster, but joining and finishing take skilled labour, and split parts may use more material.
• Sizing a bureau for one job. A job-work shop prints varied parts and may need all three dimensions.

Frequently asked questions

What size 3D printer do I need?

The right 3D printer size depends on your application and part size. For a portrait statue, height matters most; for a car bumper, width and depth (X and Y) matter more. Job-work shops and 3D printing service bureaus may need all three dimensions, because their parts vary.

Is the BX 1200 the same as a 1 metre 3D printer?

No. The GO3D BX 1200 has a build volume of 1150 × 1000 × 1200 mm, which gives it 38% more volume than a generally available 1 metre 3D printer. Buyers often see the two as similar, so check the actual volume of each printer before investing.

How long does a 1 metre 3D print take?

Print time on a large 3D printer varies with the part. On the GO3D BX 1200, large sections of a six-foot lion mascot printed for 24+ hours each. In an illustration from GO3D’s engineers, a 4 ft statue might take 5 days as a single print on a large printer.

Should I buy a bigger printer or split the part?

Splitting a part suits jobs where dimensional accuracy is not that important and you can invest in skilled labour to join and finish the pieces. Split parts may use more material, and splitting does not necessarily reduce cycle time. With big printers, one machine may take 5 days for one part, while 5 machines can make 5 parts in 5 days.

What size printer does a 3D printing service bureau need?

A job-work shop or 3D printing service bureau may need all three build dimensions, because the parts it prints vary. Of the four GO3D printers in this guide’s size table, the BX 1200 offers the most room in every direction, at 1150 × 1000 × 1200 mm.

About this article

The sizing advice, the 38% volume comparison and the statue illustration come from GO3D’s engineering team. Build volumes are from GO3D’s product pages on go3d.in. The lion mascot and Ganga Thermopack details come from GO3D’s published case studies, and both customers agreed to be named. Technical reviewer: Dipalkumar Koladia, GO3D.

Not sure which build volume fits your parts? Send us your part sizes below and we’ll match them to a printer.

Written by Shrey Patel, GO3D, and reviewed by Dipalkumar Koladia.