Manufacturer: Elegoo
Price as tested: $524
Link: elegoo.com
In the past, resin printers always came with big tradeoffs: big, fast, or cheap — you can have one. With the Saturn 4 Ultra, those days are gone.
The Saturn 4 Ultra is a MSLA printer featuring a build volume of 218.88×122.88×220mm with a 12K mono screen. This means you have a larger build volume than a Prusa Mini or a Bambu A1 Mini but with a print detail that an FDM machine can’t begin to touch.
With the addition of a tilt vat system, the Saturn 4 Ultra is fast too. Most MSLA machines on the market use the Z-axis alone to lift the print away from the bottom of the vat. This needs to be done slowly to prevent surface tension from ruining prints. The tilt system peels the print away at an angle, reducing the force required to dislodge it from the vat film. This tilt can be done much faster than moving the entire Z axis, speeding up the entire print.The Saturn 4 Ultra also includes automatic bed height adjustment and calibration, built-in camera (with a questionable AI component), a resin sensor, and a hinged lid that doesn’t require full removal like many other resin printers.
If you are looking to get into resin printing or looking to upgrade your current setup, the Saturn 4 Ultra is the machine to go with right now.
This review appeared in Make: Vol 92.
