Chuangxiang 3D may gradually become the “Xiaomi” of the 3D printing industry.
In 2024, Chuangxiang 3D will celebrate its tenth anniversary: start again. It’s not just a brand upgrade, a new LOGO similar to the letter “A”, but more importantly, with the launch of the next generation flagship 3D printer K2 Plus, multi-color printing, the company is gradually getting rid of “cheap”. 3D Printer” Stereotypes. In other words, Xiaomi also offers high-end phones, and the same is true for Chuangxiang 3D.
Unlike the Chuangxiang 3D Ender series, which has sold over a million units in the past, the K2 Plus is no longer a traditional gantry 3D printer;One worth looking forward toXY coreHigh-speed multicolor 3D printer for structures.Compared to those we evaluatedK1 and K1 Maxthis machine brings even more surprises: large size, silent, and above all: very stable.
As the new generation flagship machine of Chuangxiang 3D, it has casting size up to 350 x 350 x 350mm, fastest printing speed up to 600mm/s, acceleration up to ‘at 20,000 mm/s², a maximum throughput of 40 mm³/s and supports up to 16 printing colors. It is the most popular machine on the market. It is almost impossible to find a second machine with a similar configuration. With the upgraded servo motor and constant cavity temperature system, the K2 Plus not only targets mainstream users, but also can meet the needs of professionals and can even be used as production equipment.
Chuangxiang 3D K2 Plus evaluation results
advantage:
Great size, good materials
Excellent stability
Fast speed and low noise
default:
AI functionality falls short of expectations
AFS makes noise when feeding and unloading materials
The platform will fall in the event of a power outage.
Generally speaking, if Chuangxiang 3D previously gave everyone the impression that it “saves money when it can be saved”, then now it has started to “offer hard food” . Whether it is the design of the machine or the materials used, I realized that the “wheel” that has been deeply involved in the industry for ten years has really changed a lot. As for some people’s doubts about consumer 3D printers, a large size is not strictly necessary. In fact, if you really own such a machine, you will suddenly find that a big machine is really good.
Of course, the principle is that your budget is sufficient. After all, a machine worth 10,000 yuan is not cheap. But as mentioned earlier, Xiaomi’s high-end mobile phones are also bought by many people, depending on your needs.
Equipment parameters:
- Molding technology: fused deposition modeling (FDM/FFF)
- Product size: 495*515*640mm
- Printing size: 350*350*350mm
- Maximum printing speed: 600 mm/s
- Printing platform: PEI coated spring steel plate
- Maximum nozzle temperature: 350°C
- Maximum hot bed temperature: 120°C
- Maximum cavity temperature: 60°C
- Cutting software: Creality Print5 and above
- Support materials: PLA,PETGABS、ASA、TPU, PLA-CF, PA-CF, PET-CF, etc.
- Printing method: U disk/Ethernet/WiFi
- Operation interface: 4.3 inch color touch screen
- Product net weight: 35 kg
- Market price: 9,999 yuan (single machine), 10,999 yuan (with CFS)
Unpacking
It must be said that the K2 Plus is a very heavy machine, with a bare weight of 35 kilograms, almost double that of the K1 Max. Coupled with the CFS consumable management system, four material rolls and outer packaging, the whole machine weighs more than 100 kilograms, which would obviously be difficult for a single person to transport. The packaging is also very sturdy. After opening it, in addition to the main unit, you can also see all the accessories of the machine. Includes power cord, material tube, replacement heating head set, touch screen, material holder, consumables and accessories box, etc.
According to the operating instructions in the quick user manual, first remove the fixing bracket in order, unscrew the four screws that fix the heated bed, and then install the display screen and front door handle .consumable holder and material tubethen plug in the power cord and start the machine. Follow the on-screen startup wizard to proceed to the next step. Once the device has completed the self-test, including vibration pattern optimization and auto-leveling, the next step is to load the consumables and prepare for printing.
If you use K2 Plus Combo like me, you also need to install the CFS consumable management system and connect them together via consumable pads, communication cables and PTFE tubing. Next, load the four free rolls of RFID filament into the CFS, which will automatically identify the material information and proceed to the next stage of test printing.
In appearance, K2 Plus continues the color scheme of the K1 series, using a cool gray tone as a whole. The side of the machine uses a black acrylic plate with the company logo watermarked, and the top and front are made of black translucent coated tempered glass. Overall, this machine features a modern and simple industrial style that is very attractive.
In addition, there is an RFID sensor system next to the material rack on the right side of the fuselage, which can automatically identify consumables even without a CFS system, which is very convenient for novices.
frame
The body design of K2 Plus adopts three-section solid aluminum alloy die-cast structure, and the materials are very strong. Although the machine is also based on the Core XY structure, its configuration is obviously more high-end. It adopts a linear guide design in the X-axis direction and is equipped with two independent Z-axes and four 12mm optical axes, which greatly improves the stability and durability of the whole machine.
In addition, the five motors of the K2 Plus adopt a closed-loop FOC control system, which not only improves positioning accuracy, but also effectively reduces motion noise, making the printing process quieter. Concretely, when the glass door is closed, the noise is only around 50 decibels at a distance of 1 meter from the machine. At the same time, the number of auxiliary turbine cooling fans has been increased from one to two, further improving the cooling effect of the model.
At the same time, two chassis fans with activated carbon filters are also installed on the rear, which can absorb volatile particles and reduce the impact on human health. In addition, the K2 Plus is also equipped with a cavity heating system, rare among common consumer 3D printers, which can maintain a constant temperature of up to 60°C in the chassis. This is especially important for printing technical materials such as ABS, which can effectively avoid deformation and ensure that the printed model has greater strength.
A new nozzle wiper is added to the rear of the machine to clean waste in the chute. This design is an indispensable and important tool in the multicolor printing process and helps ensure smooth color change. Another thing that needs to be added is that there is a self-adjusting belt tensioner next to the engine, which eliminates the drudgery and uncertainty of manual adjustment in the past.
Extrusion and hot end
It must be said that K2 Plus has made major optimizations on the extruder. Compared to the previous K1 series, it no longer requires a toggle switch. This time it adopts a new compact structure design: integrated material breakage detection, automatic cutter, leveling. Sensor and other functions.The extrusion issue that has been complained about in the past has been perfectly resolved on K2 Plus.
The enlarged version of the hot end is equipped with an 80W high-power ceramic heater, which heats up very quickly and can support high temperature printing up to 350°C. Additionally, the integrated throat nozzle design makes the disassembly process extremely simple and can be completed in just tens of seconds with a simple sleeve. This time, the bimetallic pipe design is still used, which effectively reduces the risk of clogging. At the same time, the 0.4mm carbide nozzle is compatible with printing most materials, which is becoming a standard on the new generation of machines.
Another notable improvement is that K2 Plus installs an integrated camera on the model’s cooling fan to replace the old lidar to achieve automatic flow detection.
Printing platform
K2 Plus also uses an aluminum alloy heated bed. The difference is that this time it uses a 5mm thick aluminum plate, much thicker than the previous generation. The top of the hot bed is covered with a 350 x 350mm single-sided textured PEI board, which provides stronger adhesion than the glossy surface of the past. if you needWhen printing a model with a larger bottom surfaceI recommend spraying an appropriate amount of solid glue onto the build platform to ensure everything goes smoothly.
Additionally, since the print leveling detection module was transplanted to the extruder, the K2 Plus workbench is no longer equipped with pressure sensor, but has restored 4 screws for manual fine adjustment. The tilt and overall leveling of the platform is controlled by two photoelectric switches located on the bottom of the machine. However, perhaps due to the weight of the platform itself, the platform will automatically descend after each power outage. It is therefore recommended to ensure that the bottom of the machine remains empty to avoid collisions or other accidents when the platform is lowered.
Camera and touch screen
In the past, most 3D printers did not have cameras, so they could not be remotely monitored or accelerated. Now Chuangxiang 3D K series has these functions as standard and can detect foreign objects and print failures with it.
However, in real-world testing, these AI functions have limited effects. If the material fails to unload or the model collapses, the machine will continue printing instead of reporting an error. Therefore, just use it as a camera, and other cutting-edge technologies may have to wait for improvements.
K2 Plus is equipped with a responsive 4.3-inch color touchscreen with a simple and clear interface. Compared with the previous generation display screen, the new version adds multi-color printing functions and supports convenient options such as consumable settings. In addition, the screen also supports real-time print preview of the display pattern, which is more intuitive and user-friendly compared to the old way of only displaying numbers on a black and white screen .
CFS multicolor system
Although the “size” and “solidity” of the K2 Plus are impressive, they are no longer enough to fully meet the needs of current users, as multi-color printing has obviously become a new necessity. And K2 Plus can achieve perfection with the new CFS (intelligent consumable management warehouse). It can store four rolls of filament and, by connecting four CFS modules, it can support up to 16 printing colors, greatly improving the flexibility and functionality of multi-color printing.
Although this machine was launched in April last year, it was actually launched six months later. I suspect more time during this period was spent fine-tuning the stability of the machine, particularly the new multi-color boxes. In the end, the Chuangxiang 3D did not disappoint us. The CFS is not only quite stable, but also has many strengths in its design: the fully enclosed housing is equipped with temperature and humidity detection, a built-in desiccant and an independent power interface . is reserved. If it can be upgraded later to a heating and drying function for consumables, you can even save the cost of a drying box.
The CFS box is equipped with a spring clip on the top and a multifunctional slot on the bottom, making it compatible with different types of material bins, and even paper trays can be easily adapted. However, it should be mentioned that although the machine itself makes very little noise, the CFS makes louder sounds when feeding and unloading materials. If this can be optimized, the overall user experience will be further improved. After the introduction of RFID identification, the original consumables with chips can automatically set the information, while other consumables can be set manually through the screen.
Print
After introducing the machine, we officially entered the printing process. K2 Plus comes with three test models, among which the four-color boat is particularly eye-catching. This classic model was once used for monochrome testing, but is now used for multicolor printing.instantly makes people’s eyes light up. The final product took just 25 minutes, with clear color lines and smooth switching. More importantly, the quality of the multi-color printed models is also excellent, with no vibration marks or other details processed perfectly.
Being a 10,000 yuan 3D printer, our test this time mainly focused on the stability of the machine and its multi-material compatibility. After more than a month of extensive printing tests, our conclusion is: this machine is indeed very durable and works satisfactorily.
The first test model was the Chinese dragon pet. We print at the maximum disc size, using the default trimming settings. After 14 hours and 6 minutes, a golden dragon 92 cm long and 336 g appeared in front of us. The effect was very shocking. If someone placed such a huge 3D printed dragon on a street stall, it would have a huge impact and would definitely attract many passers-by. After all, most of those seen in the past were palm-sized.
2025 is the year of the snake, and 3D printed snakes have become a hot commodity. We took a 50 cm long cobra as an example for the tests. It took 18 hours and 46 minutes to print 9 parts at a time, each with a net weight of 30g. The effect was very good. However, if you are a farmer, you might complain that veneer design is a “waste” of space. In fact, by optimizing the layout of the models, more snakes can be printed. At present, the advantages of large size are also reflected, which can reduce the number of mold making and reprinting and improve efficiency.
Later, we also printed many vases, which can be inserted with various flowers and placed in every corner of the house to add a little fun to life. For the dogs in the house, they have also printed exclusive golden rice bowls. These ornaments or containers are also part of the daily production of most people using 3D printing.
The above tests were all carried out with PLA material. Under 300mm/s high speed printing, the effect is still excellent. K2 Plus is obviously capable of performing these tasks easily, so we next tested the multi-color printing of the CFS.
Just in time for the Christmas season, 3D printed snowmen have once again become a hit. Many farmers who do not have a multi-color system typically choose to take them apart and print them before putting them together. The K2 Plus equipped with CFS can print directly in multicolor, which is convenient and fast. During the printing process, due to the large amount of red material used, the machine will automatically replace the same type of material to continue printing. In the past, you had to change it manually.
In order to welcome the arrival of the Chinese New Year, this time I specially printed a complete mahjong game. Yes, this is a mahjong game that can be played directly on the table. This mahjong set was printed in four batches, each time taking 10 hours and 14 minutes. Compared to the slightly monotonous effect of monochrome printing in the past, the addition of multi-color systems allows us to experience more fun and possibilities in 3D printing.
K2 Plus can not only print common materials such as PLA and PETG, but also supports printing ABS, ASA, TPU, as well as materials with better performance such as PLA -CF and PA-CF. Special thanks to Yisheng, Sanlu, Biqu and Shuangli for providing us with consumables to help us complete the following tests.
After a series of successful prints, we experienced a first failure, but the problem wasn’t just with the machine. Use white this timeTPU 95AMaterial, since CFS does not support soft materials and the filament has been unpacked for a while, I put it in Sanlu’s filament drying box and printed while drying. The fabric can be pulled halfway, resulting in missing threads at the bottom of the slippers, but that’s not the most fatal thing.
The main reason for the final failure was the neglect of the parameters. Although the model does not appear to require support, the contact area at the bottom is too small, causing the model to collapse after reaching a certain height because it cannot support the load. I wanted to print a pair of slippers for myself, but only ended up with a half-finished product. But I have no regrets, because I found that even though it is made of TPU material, its hardness may not be comfortable for the feet.
Apparently I’ve always had a weakness for stretchy materials. I will never forget the 3D printed basketball I saw during the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. However, neither ordinary PLA nor TPU can produce a basketball that can actually be slapped. I accidentally discovered that Biqi had launched a product specifically for 3D printing basketballs.PLA-HRSoft material, so I decided to buy a roller to test.
After 2 days, 13 hours and 50 minutes of printing, we finally succeeded in producing a black airless basketball. Its size is 239x239mm, which is comparable to a standard size 7 basketball, but it weighs 648g, which is slightly heavier. As there is only one roll of filament, plus the support piece, this is only enough for one print. In the end, K2 Plus passed the test and completed the entire printing process in one go. I also took this basketball to the court to test it. The elasticity is about 70-80% of ordinary basketballs, which is barely usable.
In order to further challenge the performance of the machine, we directly choseABS-CFThe materials are tested. Before printing, the material was first dried, and then a hammer was successfully printed in one go. The final impression is almost perfect and the details of the model are very well highlighted. Thanks to its 100% filling, this hammer is very durable and although it cannot be used to drive nails, it has no problem cracking nuts.
After hundreds of hours of testing, my intuitive impression of the K2 Plus is that its stability has been significantly improved compared to the previous generation. Coupled with the fact that CFS supports multi-color printing and a large printing volume of 350 cubic mm, there are almost no obvious shortcomings from the hardware point of view.
In terms of software, a new revision has also been implemented this time.Creality Print 6.0This further improves user experience and overall performance, complementing hardware upgrades. In the past, Chuangxiang 3D slicing software was developed based on CuraEngine core. Starting with version 5.0, major changes have taken place. It moved to an OrcaSlicer-based core and became software capable of multi-color and split operations. plate printing.
At first I was using version 5.1.45 that came with the USB stick, but I occasionally encountered issues like trimming crashes and preview hangs. I had originally planned to complain about this in the article. Unexpectedly, after upgrading the software to version 6.0, these problems disappeared. It is now more stable and smoother to use, and the software also integrates online templates, user presets and usage tutorials.
Additionally, the software also supports remote monitoring and operation of the machine. At the same time, you can download time-lapse videos of past printed models with just one click. It can also easily manage consumables through CFS, making the functions more complete and comprehensive. practical. While there is still room for improvement in Creality Print, my intuitive feeling is that there is still room for optimization in the parameter settings, and whether the upload and download template functions can be placed on the main page, it will be more convenient for users to operate.
As part of the Chuangxiang 3D printing ecosystem, Chuangxiang Cloud not only provides a web version, but also an independent application. We can choose our favorite model to print in one click through K2 Plus, and we can also communicate and share it with other users in the community. A machine’s performance depends not only on the hardware itself, but also on its overall user experience. Obviously, Chuangxiang 3D performed well in this regard, adding many bonus points to K2 Plus.
File complaints
Overall, we don’t have much to complain about in this review of the K2 Plus, but we will briefly go over some of the issues we encountered for your reference.
At first, some software problems were more obvious, such as slow cutting speed of large models, the software even crashed several times, and inability to automatically switch to the print page after clicking “Start Printing”. ” in the software after slicing. However, with subsequent software upgrades, these issues have been resolved. But what puzzles me is that in the software device operation page, the currently printing model cannot be canceled directly. I couldn’t find the undo button after looking for it for a long time. This problem has always existed.
Additionally, the machine made abnormal noises a few times and caused the Y-axis to fail, but it returned to normal after a restart. The cause is not yet known. There are also the previously mentioned issues of the Z axis automatically descending after a power outage, and the noise of feeding and returning materials from the CFS is slightly louder. In terms of firmware, the machine has been updated three times since its acquisition, and many official patches have been updated. We initially encountered issues with abnormal scrap detection, but this was actually normal. Additionally, the AI detection function still needs improvement. For example, the foreign object detection and fried noodle detection functions are not ideal when dealing with dark consumables. In addition, if it is a dry shot caused by a cork, the machine recognition is not very sensitive, and there is still room for improvement in this regard.
Finally, although this has nothing to do with the K2 Plus itself, we are as curious as anyone to know when other Chuangxiang 3D printers will be compatible with CFS and allow multicolor printing. Otherwise, their competitiveness will decrease day by day and it will be difficult for them to keep up with the market and user needs.
in conclusion
We believe that K2 Plus is the best FDM 3D printer produced by Chuangxiang 3D in the past ten years. Whether it’s a hardware breakthrough or a new software upgrade, we’ve seen this all-new machine. It not only has a large printing volume of 350 x 350 x 350 mm, but also supports printing up to 16 colors combined with the CFS multicolor system. More importantly, it is very stable, and the support ecosystem such as the template library and community is also very comprehensive.
If you have enough budget, it is recommended to choose K2 Plus in one step; If you only need a high-speed monochrome 3D printer, Chuangxiang 3D’s K1 Max is also a good choice. The price is around 4,000 yuan, which is very expensive. -effective. If you need a larger machine, the just-launched Ender-5 Max is also a choice worth considering. It has a large print size of 400 x 400 x 400 mm.
If price is your priority, the K1 SE, which costs less than 2,000 yuan, is your best choice. Of course, if you’re willing to add a few hundred dollars more, we recommend Tuozhu’s A1 Multicolor Mini Set. It can print four colors, but the casting size is only 180 x 180 x 180mm, which needs to be weighed.
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