Automatic bed leveling (ABL) and fast printing have always been some of the most popular topics in 3D printing. To level a 3d printer bed manually, it often comes with uncertainty and can easily lead to printing failures, so why not entrust this task to a precisely calculated printer? Today, we'll introduce how automatic bed leveling works and provide a recommended list of 2023 ABL FDM 3D printers with fast printing features. We hope you can find the printer that suits you best, saving you time and trouble.
How Does Auto Bed Leveling Work?
If your print bed is level, then the distance between your nozzle and the build platform remains consistent. To achieve this, there is a cylindrical sensor near the hotend of the print head. The purpose of this sensor is to constantly maintain this distance when you enable 3d printer auto bed leveling. It can detect multiple points on the bed, and the printer's firmware will adjust the Z-axis and the print head through calculations to ensure that the nozzle maintains a perfect distance from the build platform throughout the entire print.
Do I Really Need a 3D Printer with Auto Bed Leveling?
The answer is yes, you indeed need a self-leveling printer, especially if you are a beginner. It not only saves you time and effort but also reduces the issues related to leveling errors that can affect model accuracy and quality. Manual bed leveling is a tedious process where you use your hands and a piece of paper, relying on personal experience to adjust the screws at the bottom of the bed. An uneven bed can lead to a range of uncontrollable issues, especially with the first layer of a 3D print, such as a rough bottom and 3D print warping.
In contrast, by activating automatic bed leveling with a single touch on the machine's display, you allow the printer to make precise adjustments through calculations. In a way, this sets your hands free, so it's time to say goodbye to bed-leveling hassles.
The List of Best Auto-Leveling Fast 3D Printers
Anycubic has always been committed to making printers accessible, user-friendly, and affordable. The old Kobra series all features an automatic bed leveling system, aimed at popularizing this technology. The brand-new Kobra 2 series, on the other hand, is designed to make printers faster and smarter. It not only boosts print speed but also advances the self-developed LeviQ1.0 auto-leveling system to LeviQ2.0, which includes smart Z-offset adjustment. Among these four models, you can find printers tailored to different user needs, offering options that are cheaper, faster, better, and larger.
1. Kobra 2 Neo - most budget-friendly auto-leveling 3D printer
- Price - under $199 in the US market
- Automatic Bed Leveling: Anycubic LeviQ 2.0 - ABL + smart z-offset
- Leveling Points: 25 points
- Print speed: 250mm/s(Max.); 150mm/s(Avg.)
- Build Volume: 220 x 220 x 250 mm
- Anycubic APP: not support
Anycubic Kobra 2 Neo offers features at this price, making it a highly affordable option. It is equipped with LeviQ 2.0 system with automatic bed leveling and smart z-offset compensation, along with impressive printing speeds, reaching up to 250mm/s at its fastest and maintaining a steady 150mm/s. The Kobra 2 Neo is a compact FDM 3D printer with a build volume of 220 x 220 x 250 mm, making it a perfect fit for entry-level FDM machines.
2. Kobra 2 Pro - fastest auto-leveling 3D printer
- Price - under $300 in the US market
- Automatic Bed Leveling: Anycubic LeviQ 2.0 - ABL + smart z-offset
- Leveling Points: 25 points
- Print speed: 500mm/s(Max.); 300mm/s(Avg.)
- Build Volume: 220 x 220 x 250 mm
- Anycubic APP: support
Speed is the Kobra 2 Pro's most powerful weapon as an auto-leveling FDM printer on this list. With speeds of 500mm/s (max.) and 300mm/s (avg.), it boasts an astonishing acceleration of up to 20,000mm/s². In simple terms, it can complete a 3DBenchy test model in just 15 minutes, taking about the time it takes to brew a cup of coffee. Equipped with a more precise bed leveling system and intelligent features like the Anycubic APP, the Kobra 2 Pro is fully loaded. Overall, a high-speed, precision 3D printer for under $300 is a rare find.
3. Kobra 2 Max - largest-format auto-leveling 3D printer
- Price - under $600 in the US market
- Automatic Bed Leveling: Anycubic LeviQ 2.0 - ABL + smart z-offset
- Leveling Points: 49 points
- Print speed: 500mm/s(Max.); 300mm/s(Avg.)
- Build Volume: 420 x 420 x 500mm
- Anycubic APP: support
Anycubic Kobra 2 Max becomes highly appealing with its upgrades in size, affordability, speed, and intelligence. Compared to the old Kobra Max, the Kobra 2 Max offers substantial improvements in various aspects, which is a celebration for many enthusiasts of large-format FDM printers. The bed leveling on the Kobra 2 Max is more precise, with a standard print speed of 300mm/s and a maximum print speed of 500mm/s, while the Kobra Max has a maximum speed of only 180mm/s. What's more, the new Kobra 2 Max also provides a massive print volume of 450 x 400 x 400mm (81L), unleashing your creativity. Lastly, it enables users to experience smart printing through features like remote control printing via the Anycubic APP.
4. Kobra 2 Plus - best mid-range auto-leveling 3D printer
- Price - under $450 in the US market
- Automatic Bed Leveling: Anycubic LeviQ 2.0 - ABL + smart z-offset
- Leveling Points: 49 points
- Print speed: 500mm/s(Max.); 300mm/s(Avg.)
- Build Volume: 320 x 320 x 400mm
- Anycubic APP: support
The Kobra 2 Plus, is a well-balanced self-leveling and high-speed 3D printer that falls in the mid-range of this recommended list, in terms of print size, speed, and price. If you have limited space in your room and never consider a small-format printer, this model with a 320 x 320 x 400mm build volume is a more affordable alternative compared to the Kobra 2 Max. It almost retains the fundamental features of the Kobra 2 Max, with the exception of the print size.