We highlighted it in last week's Eduporium Weekly with some of the other new tech tools on our store, but we like it so much that we wanted to give the LulzBot Mini 2 its own personal blog. LulzBot printers have been used in various industries to help STEM professionals accomplish a lot of innovative engineering and, now that it's available in a smaller size, it's a lot more practical for use in education—not that it wasn't before. With such a powerful printer available, some might think that LulzBot would be expensive, but it's really not, especially compared to some other 3D printers that educators use at both the K-12 and college level. Coming in at $1,500 before the application of our Educator Discount, the Mini 2 offers a ton of value for its pretty low price point!
As you can imagine, there are a number of upgrades that have been made to the second version of the LulzBot Mini compared to the frist one. Most importantly, it still allows for a highly portable 3D printing experience, but its new hardware has made that experience much more reliable. With new software known as the Cura LulzBot Edition, the Mini 2 is able to provide faster load times, an updated interface, and a bunch of new options for slicing. For those wondering about the cost, the software needed to run this new LulzBot model is still completely free and open source. Plus, it includes print profiles for hundreds of projet ideas! Anyone interested can download the new software.
Despite its compact frame, this desktop 3D printer is more than ready to help students and makers take on any manufacturing project. Another one of its features that make it a great portable option are its on-board LCD screen, which includes an SD card reader. This allows the printer to function in a completely independent way without a connection to a computer. It was designed to provide makers with a more size-friendly companion to LulzBot's TAZ model, which is quite a bit bigger, but also stronger and more expensive. Since the Mini 2 does pack a bit more power into a smaller frame, it succeeds at doing just that.
As can be expected, pretty much all of the differences between the two Mini models are upgrades. Another one of the improvements to the Mini 2 is its internal hardware, specifically to its "brain." The new model features what's called an Einsey Rambo controller board to give it high-performance operation and very impressive quietness. The lack of loud noise is something you might not realize you appreciate until you experience it, but it's definitely a nice upgrade as the quiet Mini 2 lets students focus on other aspects of their work while their prints are in progress. It also allows the Mini 2 to boot up quickly so makers can start 3D printing at a moment's notice.
The new Mini also features a modular print bed system, which is actually quite the upgrade over the previous setup. This two-piece replacement has allowed LulzBot to do away with the standard heated plates that were used in the original model. This system separates the heater and the print surface, which results in the plate being removable and the print surface expanding, allowing for larger prints to be made. Previously available as an upgrade to LulzBot printers, the modular print bed is now a part of the printer right out of the box.
As you can see, there are a lot of important differences between the LulzBot Mini and Mini 2, but we're not quite done yet. Some of the last improvements include a tool head that's both lighter and faster and the use of a belt-driven Z-axis. The smaller size of the tool head, unsurprisingly, leads to more precise 3D printing by offering a more constrained filament path, which is especially beneficial when printing with flexible filament. This tool head now moves on the Z-axis thanks to belts on both sides. This is what makes the performance of the Mini 2 both faster and quieter. Finally, the Mini 2 is capable of greater levelling, smoother operation, and, overall, a more enjoyable 3D printing experience.
To purchase a LulzBot Mini 2 at a discounted price for your classroom, library, or makerspace, visit the Eduporium store! Be sure to check out our other offerings from LulzBot as well, including different printers, tools, accessories, and filaments!