Anycubic Chiron: Taming the Beast – In-Depth Review
The pursuit of affordable large-format FDM 3D printers often leads directly to the Anycubic Chiron. It has a huge build volume of 400x400x450mm, giving you the freedom to simultaneously print life-size props, furniture components, architectural models or smaller batches of parts. But beyond its impressive specs, how does it perform in the real world? A cornerstone of many hobbyist workshops and even some prototype environments, the Chiron deserves a thorough examination. Let’s dig a little deeper.
Unboxing and first impressions: bigger means heavier
Right out of the box, the Chiron’s sheer size is impressive. Transport weight is close to 20kg – unpacking requires space and physical effort. The assembly is semi-assembled and mainly includes fixing the gantry to the base, installing the print head and connecting cables. While not too complicated, due to the size and moving mass of the printer, it’s crucial to follow Anycubic’s instructions closely. Expect setup to take an hour or two.
Specs and build quality: Builds are large in scale but vary in refinement
- Build volume: Star attractions: 400mm (X) × 400mm (Y) × 450mm (Z). There are few printers in its price range that can match it.
- Frame and Kinematics: The sturdy painted steel frame provides the necessary rigidity. It features a Cartesian XY gantry setup with twin screws for Z-axis movement (necessary for stability at this size). Prusa-style bed leveling knobs aid initial walking.
- Print head: Leverage Titan-style extruder baselines and familiar E3D V5 clone hotends. Reliable for PLA/PETG but can stay consistent with advanced materials without upgrading/capricorn tubes. The Bowden setup is crucial due to the moving bed (similar to the scaled-up Ender 3 design).
- Heated bed: Large AC silicon heater ensures good heat distribution. Combined with the manual leveling knob and the removable PEI-coated spring steel plate build surface (very popular at this scale), the adhesion of PLA/PETG to clean surfaces is excellent. The sheer weight of the bed requires a slow Z return.
- Electronics and Screens: The Chiron historically features a striking 24V power supply (note the reference to 12V in the old review) and the Anycubic’s basic but functional monochrome LCD screen with a rotary encoder dial. Controller boards vary by version – early models are too simple; newer products often feature Trinamic stepper drivers (such as the TMC2208) for quieter operation.
- noise: The stock version is loud. Stepper motors and cooling fans dominate.
Print performance and quality: potential versus practicality
- Bed flat and first level: The manual leveling process can be tedious on such a large surface area. Take your time! The ABL sensor (inductive probe) included in newer models can significantly help compensate for slight bed deformations after setting the offset. Achieving a perfect first layer edge to edge requires patience.
- Standard materials (PLA, PETG): Where Chiron shines most. It can handle PLA and PETG with ease when bed adhesion is optimized and stringing is controlled. Print speeds are generally conservative (40-60 mm/sec recommended) to manage vibrations in tall gantry structures.
- Advanced materials (ABS, TPU): challenging. The open frame design makes it difficult to maintain chamber temperatures, creating a risk of ABS warpage. Flexible filaments such as TPU printed poorly on Bowden’s existing setup – a direct drive upgrade became almost critical.
- Resolution and detail: Able to make detailed prints (perhaps 0.05mm layers) with smaller nozzle sizes (after swapping), but surface quality and ringing/ghosting become noticeable on X/Y axis movement, especially towards the edges of large prints. Results depend heavily on trimming speed, acceleration and jerk settings.
- reliability: A mixed bag. A well-maintained and properly calibrated Chiron can reliably run large prints. However, firmware quirks, potential tinned wire connection issues (which can be solved with crimping), Bowden tube inconsistencies, and the complexity of designing stable supports for large models require vigilance. Many users turn to community-driven firmware upgrades for stability.
Software and connectivity: Practical, not fancy
Anycubic supplies the Chiron with its proprietary Anycubic Slicer (a Cura derivative) and provides the required machine configuration files. Compatibility with UltiMaker Cura and PrusaSlicer is excellent with custom profiles found online. Connectivity is basic: microSD card, USB-only printing. Wi-Fi/Ethernet is not available on the stock model. Firmware flashing in the menus can be disturbing, but it’s mostly cosmetic.
Suitability for rapid prototyping and large projects: niche advantages
For functional prototypes, role-play props, architectural models, or volume printing of medium-sized functional parts within its core PLA/PETG comfort zone, the Chiron’s advantage lies purely in build volume per dollar. Interns and small product teams can utilize it effectively.
limit: Print speeds are moderate, detail surface finish consistency is limited, material versatility needs an upgrade (cash in order), and stability for very tall/thin prints relies heavily on perfect calibration and careful environment. Printing failures are costly for multi-day enterprises
